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I've applied to several lotteries over the last few years. I finally got picked for one, sent in my paperwork, and they rejected me because they claim my income was too high. Here's the thing. When they sent me a breakdown of how they calculated the income, all the numbers were wrong! They calculated my weekly gross income at $23 over what it is. How is that possible when the 6 pay stubs I sent them clearly state the gross weekly income. Also, one of my bank accounts was completely wrong in the numbers. How are they calculating this stuff? Is it just stupidity or is there some crazy formula that goes against documented proof? I will be appealing, but I'm not hopeful. I don't even know if I should bother applying to these things anymore.
If you feel they have made a mistake definitely appeal, it can't hurt to try. The lottery does work, there are plenty of threads of people getting units so keep on trying.
I know people have been lucky. I'm just extremely puzzled and frustrated because I have no idea how they calculated my income. Now I have to submit all the paperwork again. Just very frustrating and disappointing.
I know people have been lucky. I'm just extremely puzzled and frustrated because I have no idea how they calculated my income. Now I have to submit all the paperwork again. Just very frustrating and disappointing.
In my recent interview in April they calculated my income in 3 ways and choose the Highest! My 2013 tax return AND adding 6 pay stubs together and then dividing for an average and multiplying that for the year AND taking my per hour salary and multiplying that for the year. Again in the end they get 3 different numbers and choose the HIGHEST number to use with your application. It may not seem fair but I guess they are trying to figure out what is the most you can make this year.
Have said this before, now that word is out about 80/20 lotteries and such everyone and their mother who thinks they may qualify is applying. It does not hurt that many of these new developments are in some of the hottest parts of Manhattan or Brooklyn.
A then staffer of Christine Quinn and her lesbian wife landed a "80/20" unit in Chelsea after her number was chosen. Apparently the one or two families before had problems qualifying so didn't make the cut.
One sees and or hears of all sorts of persons white, black, gay, straight, middle income or whatever applying for 80/20 apartments. After all the application process is relatively low cost and the potential benefits huge. Who wouldn't love to live in a luxury building along the High Line Park and pay only $500 (or whatever the lowest amount happens to be) per month in rent?
Years ago when 80/20 or low income apartments were located off site they were usually placed in places such as parts of the Bronx, Harlem, Queens or Brooklyn that many wouldn't want to live. Now that the City has reversed course and demanded inclusion you have affordable housing in the same luxury building as market rate. Again what is not to love?
Back in the day you also did not have the Internet including websites such as CD, Curbed, etc... letting everyone know about 80/20 schemes. No, back then either you heard about the buildings from others, adverts in newspapers or maybe outreach programs.
Finally by design and for right or wrong the lottery process favours certain persons. It is not enough to be just "low income", but applicants must have a stable employment history, be within a certain debt to income ratio, have a decent credit score and so forth. That tends to week out many of those that *need* affordable/low income housing while favoring those that do have all their ducks in a row so to speak.
Have said this before, now that word is out about 80/20 lotteries and such everyone and their mother who thinks they may qualify is applying. It does not hurt that many of these new developments are in some of the hottest parts of Manhattan or Brooklyn.
Finally by design and for right or wrong the lottery process favours certain persons. It is not enough to be just "low income", but applicants must have a stable employment history, be within a certain debt to income ratio, have a decent credit score and so forth. That tends to week out many of those that *need* affordable/low income housing while favoring those that do have all their ducks in a row so to speak.
Some 80/20s favor city workers, others favor disabled people, others favor those in education, other favor people in the same district, others favor artists and so on. So it's not just having your ducks in a row, some people will be prioritized over others because of what they do for work or where they live. I know a musician on SSI in a 80/20 in Chelsea, so you don't always have to have a stable employment history. In fact, being an artist basically means there is no stable work history, yet there are 80/20s and other affordable housing programs geared towards artists.
Some 80/20s favor city workers, others favor disabled people, others favor those in education, other favor people in the same district, others favor artists and so on. So it's not just having your ducks in a row, some people will be prioritized over others because of what they do for work or where they live. I know a musician on SSI in a 80/20 in Chelsea, so you don't always have to have a stable employment history. In fact, being an artist basically means there is no stable work history, yet there are 80/20s and other affordable housing programs geared towards artists.
Your *friend* still had to apply and go though a vetting process regardless if the pool was restricted to artists. Same as for the other special categories of reserved 80/20 housing. In each while the potential make up of the lottery pool may be different all still must meet certain criteria and have their ducks in a row as to being able to supply requested materials and documents.
In my recent interview in April they calculated my income in 3 ways and choose the Highest! My 2013 tax return AND adding 6 pay stubs together and then dividing for an average and multiplying that for the year AND taking my per hour salary and multiplying that for the year. Again in the end they get 3 different numbers and choose the HIGHEST number to use with your application. It may not seem fair but I guess they are trying to figure out what is the most you can make this year.
Ok this must be how they calculated my income to be over. It just so happens that I worked a holiday in the last six weeks and one paycheck I think had a little overtime (like an hour). If they are adding the checks together and then averaging, I would probably be over. That's pretty ridiculous. My understanding is that most other government sponsored programs consider your income to be what your base salary is. So,you have to calculate nonexistent money as part of your salary just in case your check happens to have a couple of extra dollars on it every once in awhile. Ridiculous.
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Got rejected so many times because I make too much.
