"In New York City, one of the most common ways to pursue a highly coveted "affordable apartment" is through the Housing Connect lottery. Like many New Yorkers, I check the listings regularly, hoping to find something that fits my household of six. With my Housing Choice Voucher in hand, the process should be straightforward: apply as a working family with rental assistance, and finally secure stability."
"After months of checking, I found a listing that seemed like the perfect fit-a three-bedroom apartment near my children's schools. On paper, it should have worked. Instead, I was rejected because the rent was higher than my voucher allowed. I appealed, as the system instructs families to do. I explained why the decision should be reconsidered, submitted the documents, and waited. Months later, I am still waiting."
"The first barrier is supply. Families like mine are required to rent three-bedroom or larger apartments, yet these units are exceedingly rare. According to the New York City Independent Budget Office, only about 8 to 10 percent of Housing Connect listings are three-bedroom units, and four-bedrooms are almost nonexistent. Meanwhile, City Limits reported that New York lost over 23,000 four-bedroom apartments between 2010 and 2017, even as thousan"
Leaders promise action on affordability amid upcoming elections, but large families already face a broken housing system. The Housing Connect lottery is a common pathway to affordable apartments, yet voucher holders often cannot use listings because rents exceed voucher limits. Appeals can take months with no response. Supply of family-sized units is scarce: only about 8 to 10 percent of listings are three-bedrooms and four-bedrooms are nearly nonexistent, with tens of thousands lost over recent years. Proposed solutions include guaranteeing at least 20 percent family-sized units and aligning affordable rents with Section 8 voucher limits.
Read at City Limits
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