Like any lottery, the city’s affordable housing lotteries provide fodder for the statistically unrealistic illusion that you, yes you, could win big with little effort. Submit an application and acquire a monthly rent that isn’t three quarters of my paycheck, and is in a clean new building with amenities beyond my wildest imaginings? It’s a wish many Brokesters dare not dream of.
The affordable housing lotteries are of course problematic for a number of reasons – income eligibility excludes the New Yorkers most in need, the affordable units are often built in exchange for developers getting significant tax cuts, and of course there are very few subsidized units so only a handful of people end up benefitting.
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The most recent affordable housing lottery comes to us from East Williamsburg, a newly constructed number boasting a rooftop recreation area, bike rack and laundry room. Let’s hear it for 387 Manhattan Ave.!
This six-story, mixed-use building has residential and retail. It was built through everyone’s favorite archaic tax subsidy program, 421-a. It’s located almost directly below the BQE, a few blocks from McCarren Park and not far from the Graham Ave. L.
There are a whopping three units up for lottery – two studios and a single one-bedroom. The studios will run you $958/month, the one-bedrooms $1,086. Single-person households making between $32,846 and $40,080 are eligible for the studios and one- to two-person families making between $37,578 and $45,840 are eligible for the one-bedroom.
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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).
The lottery will be accepting applications tomorrow through June 15 at midnight. Don’t be scammed: There’s never a broker’s fee for these lotteries and you should apply through NYC Housing Connect.
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