December 13, 2023

New York to spend $50M restoring single-room occupancy units

New York is paying landlords to renovate and repair single-room occupancy (SRO) apartments as a way to provide housing for vulnerable New Yorkers. Gov. Kathy Hochul on Tuesday announced $50 million will be spent to rehabilitate up to 500 existing SROs across the state. Units in SRO buildings usually include one room with a sink and stove and access to a shared bathroom. A common type of housing in New York City until the second half of the 20th century, SROs cost less than the average apartment and appeal to low-income renters or those struggling with homelessness.
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February 6, 2018

This 68-square-foot Upper West Side ‘apartment’ is $950/month

There is perhaps no greater testament to New York City’s appeal than the abundance of itty bitty, overpriced apartments in appealing neighborhoods. And this Upper West Side residence might just take the cake. The lister of the SRO at 148 West 70th Street at least appreciates how ridiculous the setup is. The apartment, located an avenue and a half from Central Park, is a measly 68 square feet – “yup you read that right,” the listing reads. A fifth-floor walkup in a brownstone with a communal bathroom, the apartment is renting for a whopping $950/month.
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August 23, 2017

If you don’t mind sharing a bathroom, live in happening Hell’s Kitchen for $714/month

Just about a year ago, nine $774/month SROs at Stardom Hall at 330 West 51st Street became available through the city's affordable housing lottery. While it was quite the deal--more so for its location on what is arguably Hell's Kitchen's most foodie-friendly block--the units had shared-floor bathrooms and just kitchenettes. But if those aren't deterrents for you, 13 more units at the building next door, 332, are now up for grabs, asking $714/month. They're available to single persons currently residing in Manhattan Community Board 4 and earning 60 percent of the area median income.
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October 19, 2016

Lottery opens for nine $774/month SROs on foodie-friendly Hell’s Kitchen block

If you earn between $24,480 and $38,100 annually, live alone in Manhattan Community Board 4, and don't mind sharing a bathroom with your neighbors, this might be the housing lottery for you. Nine $774/month SROs are up for grabs at Stardom Hall at 330 West 51st Street in Hell's Kitchen. The brownstone tenement occupies half of a single room occupancy complex, one of only four left in the neighborhood. The units do come with kitchenettes, and there's a community room, backyard, laundry room, and on-site social services for low-income or formerly homeless households with special needs. Plus, it's located on one of the trendiest restaurant blocks in the 'hood (Ippudo, Aria Wine Bar, and Maria Pia, to name a few).
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