How I got a cheap, amazing apartment and how you can too.
When I began auditioning in New York in 2001, I got some really good advice: start applying for affordable housing. Every 6 months since then, I’ve been sending out postcards to ask for applications, and filling out whatever forms they sent me back. This month I finally got one. I don’t want to brag but it’s an amazing one-bedroom, in a luxury building, in a killer neighborhood for under $500 a month, AND it’s rent-controlled for 20 years.
I wanted to pay-it-forward, so I’m including all the information I have about how YOU can get an affordable housing unit too. All of this information is based on my experience and the conclusions I’ve drawn, so it may be riddled with inaccuracies, but here’s what I know:
The 80/20 Program: My understanding is that the city created this program to bridge the gap between the lower class and the upper class. If the development companies of new luxury buildings decide to take part in the program they get huge tax breaks. In return, they promise to offer 20% of their units for rent to lower-income folk at a really reduced rate. I think the idea is that the lower-income people will hobnob with the rich people, and be inspired to make more money. Voila, income gap is bridged.
“Low-income” includes a large range of people. It’s based on your tax returns (actually an average of your last several tax returns) and ranges from the 40th percentile to the 80th. That means that if you make between 40% and 80% of the average New Yorker’s yearly income – you may be a candidate. I think (and this is really a guess) that means between $14,000 a year and $36,000 in 2008 dollars.
Note: You may not be low-income now, but if there is a chance that you will be ANY time in the next few years, why not give it a shot?
Note to those from Jersey: I had been told that they’d only let you apply if you were already a resident of NYC, but I was living in Jersey when I put in my application. So, that may have changed that rule.
Here’s a list of phone numbers and websites you check out for more information. (There are other programs beside the 80/20 Program: Mitchell-Lama, Common Ground, Section 8, etc. I know much less about these, but you can read up at the following websites.)
There is also a mailing list on the www.nyc.gov website that you should get on: Click here.
Additionally, I’ve heard of free seminars given by The Actors Fund on getting affordable housing. Click here.
They don’t make it easy for people to learn about these programs, and there is no one place on the Internet to find all of the information you need to apply. This may be the most comprehensive list available. Make sure you call those numbers and check those websites every now and then to update your list. Buildings will be added and taken away often.
It starts with postcards. Much like doing a mass mailing of headshots, I suggest you just send a postcard to everyone, and they’ll let you know if they’re looking for people. Every six months, either buy blank index cards, or get pre-paid postcards at the Post Office, and mail to all of the following addresses:
Affordable Housing Office Tribeca Tower 330 West 30th Street NY, NY 10001
Affordable Housing Office Tribeca Park 330 West 30th Street NY, NY 10001
Affordable Housing Office The Ventura 330 West 30th Street NY, NY 10001
Affordable Housing Office The Tate 330 West 30th Street NY, NY 10001
Affordable Housing Office The Strathmore 330 West 30th Street NY, NY 10001
Affordable Housing Office The Sierra 330 West 30th Street NY, NY 10001
Affordable Housing Office The Sagamore 330 West 30th Street NY, NY 10001
Affordable Housing Office The Monterey 330 West 30th Street NY, NY 10001
Affordable Housing Office The Lyric 330 West 30th Street NY, NY 10001
Affordable Housing Office Carnegie Park 330 West 30th Street NY, NY 10001
Affordable Housing Office Astor Place 330 West 30th Street NY, NY 10001
Affordable Housing Office The Chatham 330 West 30th Street NY, NY 10001
Affordable Housing Office The Park Imperial 330 West 30th Street NY, NY 10001
Affordable Housing Office 105 E. 17th St. 330 West 30th Street NY, NY 10001
Affordable Housing Office The Westport 330 West 30th Street NY, NY 10001
Affordable Housing Office One Carnegie Hill 330 West 30th Street NY, NY 10001
Affordable Housing Office One Union Square South 330 West 30th Street NY, NY 10001
Affordable Housing Office Tribeca Green 330 West 30th Street NY, NY 10001
Affordable Housing Office 250 East 60th Street Associates, LP 941 Hoe Avenue Bronx, NY 10459
RockRose Development Corp. 290 Park Ave. South, 14th Fl. NY, NY 10010 attn: 80/20 program
Affordable Housing Office 116 West 116th Street Apartments Property Management Group 3154 Albany Crescent Bronx, NY 10463
Affordable Housing Office (West 61st St. Apts) Knickerbocker Management LLC 33 West 57th Street #007 New York, NY 10019
Affordable Housing Office Chelsea West Apts. PO Box 762 New York, NY 10159
Affordable Housing Office UES Towers 101 West 23rd Street PMB 2222 New York, NY 10011-2222
Affordable Housing Office Clinton Parkview Apartments c/o P & L Management PO Box 9 Brewster, NY 10509
Affordable Housing Office 400 W. 55th St. Apartments 55th and 9th LLC, Gotham Organization 55th Street Apartments Grand Central Station P.O. Box 2455 New York, NY 10163
Affordable Housing Office The Larkspur c/o HCCI P.O. Box 1189 Colonial Park Station New York, NY 10039
Affordable Housing Office The Aspen 1955 First Avenue Management Office New York, NY 10029
Affordable Housing Office The Hudson Crossing Hudson Crossing P.O. Box 829 Time Square Station New York, NY 10036
Affordable Housing Office The foundry Archstone Apartments 505 West 54th Street New York, NY 10019
Affordable Housing Office James Towers Better Life Renting Corp. 97-77 Queens Boulevard Rego Park, NY 11374
Affordable Housing Office Chelsea Centro Rockrose Development Corp. 290 Park Avenue South 14th Floor New York, NY 10010 Attn: 80/20 program
Affordable Housing Office (W. 48th St. Development) Lisa Management 225 East 6th Street New York, NY 10003
Affordable Housing Office (530 W. 43rd St.) Gotham Construction Company LLC 110 Avenue of the Americas New York, New York 10018
Affordable Housing Office The Brittany Rental Office 1775 York Avenue New York, NY 10128
Affordable Housing Office One Columbus Pl. Urban Associates, LLC 400 West 59th Street New York, New York 10019
Affordable Housing Office (100 Jane Street) Rockrose Development Corp. 290 Park Avenue South 14th Floor New York, NY 10010
Affordable Housing Office Parkgate Tower/Key West Apartments Archstone Apartments 505 West 54th Street New York, NY 10019
Affordable Housing Office Manhattan Park Roosevelt Island Northtown Phase II Grenadier Realty c/o Roosevelt Island Manhattan Park 30 River Road-Management Office Roosevelt Island, NY 10044
Affordable Housing Office (Clinton Towers @ 790 11th Ave.) P & L Management PO Box 9, Rte 22 Brewster, NY 10509
Affordable Housing Office COLUMBUS PARK TOWERS ADAM, Inc. 495 Broadway, 6th Floor NY, NY 10012
Affordable Housing Office ELEVEN NINETY NINE PLAZA Marion Scott Real Estate, Inc., 107-127 East 126th Street NY, NY 10035
Affordable Housing Office INDEPENDENCE HOUSE Leebar Management Corp., 51 East 42nd Street, Suite 516 NY, NY 10017
Affordable Housing Office KNICKERBOCKER PLAZA RY Management 1619 Third Avenue New York, NY 10128
Affordable Housing Office MANHATTAN PLAZA Related Management 400 West 43rd Street NY, NY 10036
Affordable Housing Office Westbeth Apartments Westbeth Apartment Management 463 West St. NY, NY 10014 (incl double stamped SASE)
The text of the postcard should be something like:
Dear Affordable Housing Office: I’d like to request an application for your affordable housing program. If none are available, please place me on a waiting list.
Thanks, You Your Address Phone Number Email
There is a waiting list for everything. It’s really important to get on these lists ASAP. It can take years to get to the top.
When you finally start getting applications, fill them out. They are really complicated and tedious, but I think they do that on purpose to thin out the crowd. Also, don’t worry if your financial information doesn’t fit into the low-income category at that moment. They reassess everything when you get further into the process.
I probably filled out 8 applications for different buildings, and finally I got a call that, “my number was coming up,” and they wanted to bring me in to update the application and to have an interview.
They’ll provide you with a LARGE list of things to bring to the interview, including 6 months of bank statements, tax returns, leases, references. It’s intense. Again, I think they are trying to get rid of the losers.
Note: You are totally the kind of person they want in the program. They want people who fit in the low-income category, but won’t stick out like a sore thumb in a luxury building. They need you as much as you need them.
If the interview goes well, they tell you where you stand on the list, and the estimated amount of time before you’re next. I had to wait about 4 months. If you’re getting really close, they’ll move to the next step: the home visit.
An agent from the housing office will come to meet you at your home. They are basically checking to make sure that you know how to take care of an apartment. I was really worried about my home visit, and I cleaned my apartment like it’s never been cleaned before. I even put on coffee and made cookies. The interviewer walked in the door, and said, “Oh don’t worry, you’re going to pass.” He didn’t even take the cookies. Rude. Point being, they’re just checking to make sure you don’t live in a meth lab, or something.
A month later, I got a call from the office that an apartment was open. The Resident Manager from the building called me to make an appointment for me to see the place. It was awesome. Two days later I was bringing first month’s rent and a security deposit to the office, and they handed me keys.
Note: The rent is not technically rent-controlled, but it’s very similar. Every year the rate will go up a small percentage, as dictated by the Housing Board. I’ve been told, it’s basically a cost-of-living increase. The program runs through 2028, but it will likely be extended beyond that.
So, check out all of the links and phone numbers I included, and send your postcards. It’s an amazing program that not a lot of people know about. Good luck.
Hope this helps. If you have any questions, feel free to email me:
Update 4/08: I got an email from a friend which included the following new information: "Related has a 'general
request list' open for all their properties so you can consolidate your
recommendations to people to use that for all the postcards to 330
w.30th to make it simpler for folks :)" Related Management handles about 30 of the 80/20 buildings - so this may be a huge time saver! Thanks.
