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Breaking Ground contacted me by mail and said that my application for 250 Ashland Place had been randomly selected and I need to schedule an appointment. Supposedly, I need to do this before 6/21 but the letter is dated July 7th. Interviews are scheduled between 7/24-28/17 between 9-5.
My log # is 7xx and I think it's because I have community board preference. Revisiting the original ad, I see that I fall between income ranges (too high for the lowest studio/1 bedroom and too low for the next tier). Did they change the income requirements? Do they even have any studios or one bedroom apartments on the lower end to give out? According to this thread it seems like they are having trouble filling the higher end apartments and the most of the lower priced rental ones have been taken. I really don't want to waste my time and be rejected at the onset because I make too much for this development and I don't want to take an apartment away from someone who truly fits these guide lines. Should I schedule an interview anyway?
I also don't like the idea of getting a non refundable money order or cashiers check to give to them when there is a great chance that I will be rejected. Why do they need this upfront and can't wait until the applicant is further along in the process? If I get rejected at the interview and don't turn in the money order or cashier check, am I able to get the money back from my bank? I didn't have to do this for the last lottery.
Breaking Ground contacted me by mail and said that my application for 250 Ashland Place had been randomly selected and I need to schedule an appointment. Supposedly, I need to do this before 6/21 but the letter is dated July 7th. Interviews are scheduled between 7/24-28/17 between 9-5.
My log # is 7xx and I think it's because I have community board preference. Revisiting the original ad, I see that I fall between income ranges (too high for the lowest studio/1 bedroom and too low for the next tier). Did they change the income requirements? Do they even have any studios or one bedroom apartments on the lower end to give out? According to this thread it seems like they are having trouble filling the higher end apartments and the most of the lower priced rental ones have been taken. I really don't want to waste my time and be rejected at the onset because I make too much for this development and I don't want to take an apartment away from someone who truly fits these guide lines. Should I schedule an interview anyway?
I also don't like the idea of getting a non refundable money order or cashiers check to give to them when there is a great chance that I will be rejected. Why do they need this upfront and can't wait until the applicant is further along in the process? If I get rejected at the interview and don't turn in the money order or cashier check, am I able to get the money back from my bank? I didn't have to do this for the last lottery.
I'm in the same boat as you. 3XX but no CB preference. Same letter with the I'm assuming incorrect date to set up an appointment. Same week for interviews. I'm right between income brackets too like you because I got a raise. I did call and emailed them but no response. Was hoping they can tell me if the income range went up or not cause I don't want to waste my time going for an interview and giving them a money I won't get back.
wow these guys are still inviting others in just to fill their quota..when the people that were invited in the may or june batch hasn't even gotten a reply back..and then you have others whom are on their 6+mths of wait time..
wow these guys are still inviting others in just to fill their quota..when the people that were invited in the may or june batch hasn't even gotten a reply back..and then you have others whom are on their 6+mths of wait time..
That's what I'm beginning to think happens with these lotteries.
I have read of people being invited for interviews and to also submit financial documents, only to be put on the waitlist literally a week later. It actually made me wonder why they were invited. I'm thinking it's because the managing company needs to fill a certain type of quota, or maybe because a few people who were rejected were able to appeal their cases.
I got the email too. my log # 183 withouth preference.
May I ask which level and apartment size you are applying for? I can't understand the logic in what they're doing over there. Just trying to figure it out!
Last edited by voodoovixen; 07-12-2017 at 01:09 PM..
So, it makes some sense, given the time it takes to verify application materials and the likely dropout rate, that they would invite, say, 8 people to interview for 4 spots (arbitrary numbers just for example, the correct answer would depend mostly on historical yield rate). 2 for every 1 apartment.
If 5 then drop out or are disqualified, there will be 3 people remaining, but four apartments. So the remaining 3 from the first batch may still be being processed, but it makes sense to go ahead and invite in the next 2 people for the 1 apartment that mathematically can't be claimed from the existing supply even if all pending applicants are approved.
It seems bizarre that they'd be calling such low numbers now, though. My log # is literally north of 50K (no preference); I find it hard to believe that for any unit/band they'd only be at #183 more than a year into the process. So I may be giving them too much credit even in assuming that they're doing the sensible thing outlined above.
Again, I say, if you see a legit violation of the rules, write a complaint to HPD (at least after you've gotten your final answer...). The more issues HPD hears about, the more likely it is that they will apply some pressure to these guys to clean up their act, at least for the future. (It's the city, I wouldn't get hopes too high, but if no one writes them about actual problems, as opposed to just being mad they didn't get the apartment, they will never spot those problems themselves.)
Just a quick, general question to everyone that has applied to multiple lotteries. During my 250 Ashland intake interview, my interviewer asked if I had applied to any other developments. I thought she meant if I had submitted more than one application on the NY Housing Connect website. I said "yes" and my interviewer gave me a dejected look, as if that was the wrong answer. I clarified, saying that 250 Ashland was the only complex that got back to me, and this was my first interview, and her demeanor changed and it seemed like this was the answer she was looking for.
I have, however, seen on these forums that people have outstanding applications (i.e., gone to multiple interviews), at more than one development. Is this allowed? In the future, if my 250 Ashland application is still pending and I get an invite for another interview, what should I say? Would that affect my chances at any spot in future developments?
I apply to every lottery I qualify for, and so far have been picked for further processing for 3 of them. As I have said here before, I was first approved by HDC for 461 Dean, and my application for 535 Carlton is currently being reviewed by them. In order for my 535 Carlton application to proceed, I had to retract my application for 461 Dean via notarized letter. My top choice is 250 Ashland but have my 535 application processing just in case I get waitlisted at 250 as I have seen happen to many others here.
I believe the dejected look you received has to do with them processing your application only for you to retract it in preference of another building. It *is* a lot of work for them to verify everything, and so basically it's time wasted that they could have spent on someone else that definitely will live in the building. When I sent the letter retracting myself from 461, the intake specialist called me to verify and she didn't sound too happy about it either. I try to keep quiet about how many applications I have pending until a decision has to be made, but you are definitely allowed to enter as many lotteries as you like.
I'm in the same boat as you. 3XX but no CB preference. Same letter with the I'm assuming incorrect date to set up an appointment. Same week for interviews. I'm right between income brackets too like you because I got a raise. I did call and emailed them but no response. Was hoping they can tell me if the income range went up or not cause I don't want to waste my time going for an interview and giving them a money I won't get back.
lol, same here. I'm log #368 with the same exact letter, same exact situation. This building caters only to 60% AMI and looks like 130%-165% AMI, so once a single makes over $36,300, it's a wrap unless this building is going by the new 2017 AMI which means one would still qualify if they aren't making over $40,000 or can find a job that pays $75,000.
In any event I told them I couldn't make it to the interview since I just signed a least in April, and to move on on the next applicant. Not responding will just hold up anyone else who is waiting. It's a pity, though. This is was one of my top picks, and one of the few buildings that is pet friendly.
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