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I am self employed and have had my income incorrectly calculated 4 times by separate housing developments. There has never been any consistency to the calculations & I believe this is just extreme discrimination. I’ve made several complaints to HPD and fully believe the agency as well as the affordable housing program is corrupt. I am looking to bring a class action lawsuit against HPD. If anyone here has experienced similar bias please join me in fighting and suing this corruption!
Yes I was log number 1 for a building I had made $47,536 last year in 2019 and they eliminated me because the calculated my income with an average and they said I made $52,365.91. I showed them the difference in income was a discrepancy and they said the $4,500 and something was not a discrepancy. It's in page 47 under number 2c. If that's not a discrepancy than what is? I would jump on this too. And the regular rent for apartments in the building for people not in affordable housing is estimated to be about $5-6000. This has been going on for years and eliminates many people. I made the money I made. How can they say I made more than my YTD?
I was denied for 553 West 30th Street due to some overtime I accrued that month so they disqualified me. I appealed with HPD and they stated that the management was doing the calculations correctly. I even went as far as contacting the Commissioner for MOPD Victor Calise to get the decision overturned and they stated that they cannot overturn HPD's decisions and to just keep applying for new lotteries. I went even beyond that and got letters from my employer stating that there was no overtime available, and they still didn't care. I even showed my future income projection will not exceed the amount they projected, they still didn't care lol. Unfortunately I lost an opportunity due to a paystub in which I made 1K more than usual. I don't make more than 45K a year and fit well within the requirements for that building. Therefore I lost a unit I greatly needed especially because I have a mobility disability, I do believe the way these managements calculate the income is seriously discriminatory and wrong. I also learned that every management calculates the income different than others, and some coordinators are willing to help you and some are flat out rude like they own the damn building. Fortunately enough I just viewed a unit and will be signing the lease soon for another lottery, although not the one I wanted but my situation and living conditions warrants it.
My recommendation is just not fight it unless you can really bring a class action lawsuit against HPD. I would just keep applying and make sure that within that period you don't have any overtime that will jeopardize your application. Make sure to justify all QuickPays in your bank statements etc. Be extra prepared and you'll be ahead of anyone else.
The problems are with the rules themselves, which inadvertently discriminate (I'm being kind with the word "inadvertently") against many, especially older New Yorkers, and anyone in the gig economy--it's even worse for those in both the 1099 and the W2 category). The whole program needs to be reexamined and revamped. This "calculating income various ways" needs to be addressed and stopped. Those who work for the management companies need to be better trained. I think launching a lawsuit is wasted energy, energy that could be better applied to earning more money and growing in your profession so that you don't need to rely on a housing lottery to begin with. I don't know if the problem is corruption, ineptitude, rules that make no sense and are inapplicable in today's economy and the various ways people earn a living. The program comes under federal and state laws, and is a total bureaucracy, with all that that implies. Lawsuits are tough, will zap every iota of your energy, and will cost you. Maybe try to work with the mayor's office. I know, I know. Probably a ridiculous suggestion.
It definitely varies by development company. I was worried when I remembered that for some extra cash in 2018, I delivered with Postmates (made only like $700 all year). They asked me if I intended to continue, I said no not really and all they needed was a notarized statement saying I estimate to only make $500 a year with it. They took it and approved me.
My bf works for Lyft and was having an issue with direct deposit so for two months he was depositing his pay into my account. I had printouts that it was his, not mine and that was fine too. My leasing agent told me to "stop that!" and also told me not to work any overtime (which my company doesn't let me anyways) so I think the OT thing really screws people over.
It sucks that they have their own way of calculations but I don't suppose they really care about you... unfortunately you are just a number to them. they have like 40K more applications to go through and will find the next "eligible" person. It will be hard to prove a bias or discrimination seeing the wide variety of people that DO make it through the process.
It definitely varies by development company. I was worried when I remembered that for some extra cash in 2018, I delivered with Postmates (made only like $700 all year). They asked me if I intended to continue, I said no not really and all they needed was a notarized statement saying I estimate to only make $500 a year with it. They took it and approved me.
My bf works for Lyft and was having an issue with direct deposit so for two months he was depositing his pay into my account. I had printouts that it was his, not mine and that was fine too. My leasing agent told me to "stop that!" and also told me not to work any overtime (which my company doesn't let me anyways) so I think the OT thing really screws people over.
It sucks that they have their own way of calculations but I don't suppose they really care about you... unfortunately you are just a number to them. they have like 40K more applications to go through and will find the next "eligible" person. It will be hard to prove a bias or discrimination seeing the wide variety of people that DO make it through the process.
This is pretty accurate it really depends who the management is and if they willing to work with you or not. Some management don’t care at all and some are willing to work with you.
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