
( Pro tip: If you’re a seasoned lottery applicant, your information will not be automatically transferred to the new site. In addition to being more user-friendly, the site will have more lottery options than ever before, including both rental and homeownership opportunities. “We consulted with behavioral design experts to make sure that the questions people fill out in their profile are intuitive,” says Osgood. )Īccording to Emily Osgood, assistant commissioner at the Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD), the new site is user-centric. ( Pro tip: StreetEasy also reports on the latest lotteries. At that time, you will be able to browse available housing lotteries based on household size, income, and your rental budget. It should be fully operational by August 2020. But heads up! Currently, the new site is only accepting new registrations. It’s the portal for applying to affordable housing lotteries, and as of June 2020, NYC Housing Connect relaunched. Hopefully, these tips will increase your chances of winning.

The good news is that StreetEasy is here to help with an in-depth explainer about the NYC affordable apartment lottery.

With millions of people applying each year for a limited number of units, it’s essential to understand the lottery process. And like any good friend, you hopefully bought a congratulatory bottle of wine and immediately interrogated them on how you, too, can beat the odds. Chances are, you know someone who’s snagged one of these coveted units. The hunt for an affordable apartment is a struggle for many New Yorkers we gripe about it with friends, spend hours scrolling through listings, and dream about winning New York City’s affordable housing lottery. You could be living here if you won this housing lottery.
