The New York City affordable housing system has transitioned from a lottery to a first-come, first-served basis while the city works to improve the existing system.
This change took effect on May 1 and will last for a year, according to PIX11 News.
Through the city’s Department of Housing Preservation and Development, the new affordable housing system will allow residents to find rent stabilized apartments which will now be listed on websites like Streeteasy, Craigslist and Zillow, according to Time Out New York.
NYC residents will also be able to apply for rent stabilized apartments directly through management offices, or through a new re-rental portal that the housing agency will be adding to the existing lottery website.
Before the change, vacant affordable housing apartments were only listed on Housing Connect, a city-run website.
According to the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development, residents would have to register for a lottery and if they won, they would be offered an apartment.
According to Business Insider, the housing lottery receives 3.5 million applications each year, making it a difficult and time-consuming process for landlords and residents to find and lease apartments.
New Yorkers will still be required to use Housing Connect when applying for a chance to live in brand new buildings.
Ilana Maier, a spokesperson for the city’s Department of Housing Preservation and Development told Gothamist that vacant affordable units take an average of 44 days to fill after property owners sort through applicants.
“New Yorkers are desperate for affordable housing and we have affordable housing units that are not being rented today because they are getting delayed by the city’s re-rental rules,” New York Housing Conference’s Executive Director Rachel Fee said.
The development of a new housing system began with the City of Yes for Housing Opportunity plan, which was approved by the New York City Council on Dec. 5, 2024.
This act aims to construct 82,000 new homes over the next 15 years in NYC and called for reforms to the city’s affordable housing system, as well as updates to outdated zoning laws.
The HPD webpage states that its mission is to “promote quality and affordability in the city’s housing and diversity and strength in the city’s neighborhoods.”
Currently, the HPD helps New York residents enforce building codes through legal action and inspections. It also offers resources to help people find affordable housing. It aims to make the system easier to navigate while working to mend the old system and make it more efficient and user-friendly for residents and landlords alike.
The City reports that the HPD will work on upgrading Housing Connect and simplifying what is required for its affordable housing lottery process during the temporary period where re-rental and resale rules are waived.
“This temporary change helps people get matched with the right home at the right time as we revamp Housing Connect and its functionality,” Deputy Press Secretary Natasha Kersey told PIX11.
