Up to half of CB preference units may be allocated through referrals of applicants from city agencies (low income, rentals)

[WildAboutHarry]

“Up to half of CB preference units may be allocated through referrals of applicants from city agencies”
I saw this on 2018 lottery. I have seen it on other lotteries. It’s any example on top of another example of how some lotteries are not “pure” luck. The handbook might have something to say about it.

Thought some of you would want to know about it.

A 2018 lottery.
https://a806-housingconnect.nyc.gov/...entPdf/609.pdf

Handbook.
https://www1.nyc.gov/assets/hpd/down...g-handbook.pdf

[QueensMom02]

Hi- What does this mean exactly? Like agencies refer people that live within a community board of an upcoming building so that they can apply? Seems fair because honestly I drive by the building I applied to often since its by my place and if I hadn't gotten an email from Housing connect and recognized the building I might have never known a building in my CB was up for lottery.

[Gilmoregal]

Did you apply to that one in 2018? I applied and I know I should bring this to the specific thread for that lottery but I haven’t heard of any traction on it. In the old housing connect it says tenant selection is still in process .

But back to this thread this is VERY interesting. I’m wondering if something similar happens with regular gen pop lottery numbers.

[WildAboutHarry]

Originally Posted by QueensMom02

Hi- What does this mean exactly? Like agencies refer people that live within a community board of an upcoming building so that they can apply? Seems fair because honestly I drive by the building I applied to often since its by my place and if I hadn't gotten an email from Housing connect and recognized the building I might have never known a building in my CB was up for lottery.

It would seem to mean that for lotteries with this policy there are City agencies (which ones I don’t know) that can distribute units to persons with CB preference. This is limited to half of the CB preference units, which typically are a preference of half of total units. If this is so, then it’s possible an agency might place a CB preference applicant with a higher log# ahead of one with CB preference and a lower #.

Or, just speculation, it could be that those units are allocated before the lottery but I doubt it.

[QueensMom02]

Wow, I understand now yes. It would definitely shift the idea of it being a true "lottery" which in many ways it already is not. Very interesting. Thank you for clarifying for me.

[dime99]

This was addressed in an old thread from 2019:

https://www.city-data.com/forum/new-...-question.html

BugsyPal:

Oh lord when will CD ever create a separate forum for these housing lottery posts?

That being said, answer to your query above are those who are various city agencies that deal with the homeless, those in shelters, domestic violence, HIV/AIDS, low income and other voucher recipients, veterans, welfare, municipal employees, and so forth. Oh and likely add illegals/immigrants via mayor's office of "immigration".

There was a whole major spread in Sunday's NYT several months ago profiling various winners of these affordable housing units. One was a domestic violence case where city helped her find "affordable" housing in a lottery unit.

As it relates to community board preference if someone is homeless, domestic abuse shelter, or whatever (see above) and lives in area (such as a shelter) they are entitled as any other local resident to get affordable housing. More to the point referrals from various city agencies representing said persons come off the top of whatever total "affordable" units are allocated.

So if there are only 50 units reserved for CB preference, half or whatever contractually agreed number (between city and developer) are set aside for those being referred by city. That leaves only 25 units for CB remaining.

In case you've not noticed there aren't very many affordable housing lotteries overall compared to market rate in many buildings. Number of "low income" units are even smaller. Thus city is forcing things to make sure what limited resources are available get spread around to entire spectrum of "poor" or whatever.

[WildAboutHarry]

Thank you Dime99 and BugsyPal.

Now I wonder if this policy is in place even if it is not stated on the lottery announcement. Details are sometimes left off things.

[stormgal]

I’ve seen this detailed. It’s usually the 60 AMIs that are shared with city shelters. I posted about it a while ago, but you can find out by reading all of the fine print of a lottery announcement.

[BugsyPal]

G. HOMELESS REFERRALS

1. The Agency may require that all or a portion of the Mobility Disability SetAside Units and Hearing/Vision Disability Set-Aside Units, the Community
Preference Units, the Municipal Employee Preference Units and/or units
associated with any other additional preference and set-aside then existing,
be set aside as housing for households then residing in shelter and referred
by the City, provided that such homeless applicants meet the requirements
of the applicable preference or set-aside and any other applicable program
eligibility criteria. This requirement may apply to initial rentals and/or rerentals.


2. The Agency may also amend these policies and procedures for individual
Projects (for initial rentals or re-rentals from a waiting list) to authorize the
owner to give a preference or set-aside for referrals of household or persons
then residing in shelter and referred by the City, provided that such
homeless applicants meet any applicable program eligibility criteria (i.e.,
have incomes at or below the maximum allowable income for eligibility).


H. REFERRALS
The Agency may refer to the Marketing Agent potential applicants who are being
relocated or displaced due to a governmental action. The Marketing Agent, if directed
by the Agency, must first offer units to these referrals. Their applications must be
processed according to program selection criteria for eligibility and the Agency must
complete its review before any referred applicant may be offered a lease.

Pages 36-39

https://www1.nyc.gov/assets/hpd/down...g-handbook.pdf

Having forced, required or whatever developers set aside a number of units for various purposes, city doubles down on that bet to make use of what it has; a source of housing for those they deem in more urgent need than intended community or whatever other preference.

These units aren't coming out of general population, but either way would have gone to households falling under various favored city populations. Only difference being if placed by social services or whatever city agency it is highly likely rent in full or major portion will be covered voucher or other subsidy. LL is already in bed with city, and thus this would make little difference. Instead of tenant paying all rent, some comes from them with balance paid by city, state or federal government scheme.

[HellUpInHarlem]

we knew that... I told someone the same sh** when they tried to tell me about how the lottery works