CUNY recently announced the launch of its Housing Access Pilot program at FOUND Study East on 51st Street and Lexington Avenue.
The program will run until the end of the spring 2026 semester, which will include leases for double and triple-occupancy rooms for undergraduate students.
FOUND Study currently operates the residence hall at 569 Lexington Ave. The building leases approximately 962 beds for Baruch students and additionally leases to students from the Laboratory Institute of Merchandising.
A double occupancy room will cost $1,483 per month and a triple occupancy room $1,278 per month. Amenities include Wi-Fi, free laundry, student lounges and other utilities.
In order to be eligible for the program, students must have a minimum of 18 credits from any CUNY institution at the time of application.
Additionally, upon move-in, students must be registered for at least 12 credits and complete nine credits per semester during residency. Students must also maintain a minimum GPA of 2.3 for the duration of their residency.
Priority acceptance will be granted to applicants who are first-generation students, have earned 24 or more credits or maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 2.5. Only individual students will be accepted for the program.
Because the program is a pilot, licensing agreements for the summer and beyond will be contingent on student eligibility and the availability of beds.
While CUNY wishes to develop the program, it currently “cannot guarantee its availability beyond this initial academic year.”
The program comes at a critical time for CUNY students. As of 2023, only 1.4% of apartments were available for rent — the lowest level since the 1960s, according to the NYC Tenant Protection Cabinet. Of those apartments, only 0.4% are listed for under $1,100 per month.
The program aims to provide affordable housing for students amid one of New York’s worst housing crises.
Housing production has remained stagnant for decades, and as a result of a combination of factors, over half of New Yorkers now spend over 30% of their income on rent, according to the Office of the New York State Comptroller.
CUNY’s website affirms the program’s commitment to “help address the growing housing challenges in New York City” as it partners with FOUND Study, which Baruch has partnered with to provide student housing.
