Like the American Dream itself, the city of New York continually conjures the vision for broke locals of the carrot on the stick that is affordable housing lotteries: so close you can taste it, yet just out of reach in reality. A new carrot has appeared today on the pending list of lotteries open and soon to open to application, this one in Williamsburg.
The newly constructed building at 66 Ainslie street has a doorman, tenant lounge, roof deck and in-unit washer & dryers. No dog spas or bike valets, but really, for these rents, no one is likely complaining. (Really, for any rents, no one should be complaining about not having in-house dog spas). The point of affordable housing lotteries, after all, is to house people who would likely have been displaced or otherwise seriously cash-strapped because of rising area rents, not to provide pet care.
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There are 10 affordable units in the building, which includes a mix of market rate and subsidized apartments. The units, priced to be “affordable” for those making 60 percent of the area’s median income (so, these rents constitute a third or less of resident’s income, per the city’s definition of affordability) include two studios for $833/month and eight one-bedrooms for $895/month. The studios are available to one-person households making $30,446 to $38,100 annually and the one-bedrooms are available to one- to two-person households making $32,640 to $43,500 annually.
The building is barely a block from the Metropolitan Ave. G station and is also close to the Bedford Ave. L stop and not too far from the Marcy Ave. M, J, Z.
Per usual, a portion of units will go to those with mobility, vision, or hearing disabilities, municipal employees, and area residents (in this case, those living within Brooklyn Community Board 1). Also, up to a quarter of units, “may be allocated through referrals of applicants from city agencies,” rather, now is the time to call in any and all favors you’re owed by those with connections to City Hall.
The lottery opens to application tomorrow, April 20, and accepts applications through May 11. Don’t be scammed: There’s never a broker’s fee for these lotteries, and you should apply through NYC Housing Connect.