New lottery process? Anyone experienced this before? (New York, York: apartment, lease)
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I submitted my documents as requested and was invited to see the unit. During the viewing, I was told to email the company if I'm interested in moving forward by the end of the night. I was told the process would take about 2-4 weeks and the next step would be a $20 background check. I followed up with them and found out that there are several people before me being processed for the same unit. Is it in compliance with HPD's marketing policies?
I know a lot of people that have been through the lotto process and they've never experienced or heard of something like this. I was under the impression that there should be a 1:1 ratio of applicants and units during the applicant selection process, meaning if there is one unit available, then only 1 person with the lowest log number gets their eligibility checked before moving forward to the next one. Should that person express interest, then the next log number does not get contacted. Viewing the unit is the final step BEFORE the lease signing. It seems several companies are inviting batches of people to view the unit before the application process and only one of them will get the apartment. This is incredibly misleading and frankly inconsiderate of the applicants' time and resources (especially for those who are more financially vulnerable).
I recently experienced this with IAAFORD New York. It really does suck. Because they make you feel like it’s your turn. During the viewing they told the small group we were the very first batch to view. I filled out the credit check form. Only until I followed up two weeks later they informed me all units were taken. Play with your emotional and time.
Some agencies handle it this way and I get why it can be frustrating but people really need to understand that until you see the TIC being sent to the city for approval with a unit # on it, your unit hasn't been assigned. And not until you get a lease signed, is anything finalized.
I know it's frustrating but from the agency's perspective, they would prefer people view the building/units and confirm their interest before going through the whole process with someone for several weeks, multiple rounds of docs etc., just to have them withdraw once they see the apartment. That wastes their time when they could have been processing someone who is interested and would have accepted the unit if offered.
The frustration goes both ways and in the end, it makes no difference because applications are still processed in order of log (preference or gen pop) and people are approved in order based on their household size and income according to what units are available. Maybe some agencies are misleading but every communication I've ever received from several agencies all made it very clear at each step that you were not guaranteed an apartment until you were offered a lease. People need to take that more seriously to not get their hopes too high, this process has a lot of twists and turns.
Location: Read the Marketing Handbook, and Income a Guide.
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Where did you get the impression?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Chopperthemopper
I submitted my documents as requested and was invited to see the unit. During the viewing, I was told to email the company if I'm interested in moving forward by the end of the night. I was told the process would take about 2-4 weeks and the next step would be a $20 background check. I followed up with them and found out that there are several people before me being processed for the same unit. Is it in compliance with HPD's marketing policies?
I know a lot of people that have been through the lotto process and they've never experienced or heard of something like this. I was under the impression that there should be a 1:1 ratio of applicants and units during the applicant selection process, meaning if there is one unit available, then only 1 person with the lowest log number gets their eligibility checked before moving forward to the next one. Should that person express interest, then the next log number does not get contacted. Viewing the unit is the final step BEFORE the lease signing. It seems several companies are inviting batches of people to view the unit before the application process and only one of them will get the apartment. This is incredibly misleading and frankly inconsiderate of the applicants' time and resources (especially for those who are more financially vulnerable).
Where did you get the impression? I kind of assumed that at first but I was never told nor never read anywhere that that is how it is done. I felt mislead but only mislead by myself not by others.
To do things as you describe would be polite, but also very slow. How long would it take to schedule ten households to view a unit in individually and exclusively only in log# order? What if the first eight households reject the unit?
Yes, it’s true that only one household in the pool will get the unit, but it could be household with the highest log#, and this way they get the unit sooner, or find out they don’t get the unit sooner.
Some agencies handle it this way and I get why it can be frustrating but people really need to understand that until you see the TIC being sent to the city for approval with a unit # on it, your unit hasn't been assigned. And not until you get a lease signed, is anything finalized.
I know it's frustrating but from the agency's perspective, they would prefer people view the building/units and confirm their interest before going through the whole process with someone for several weeks, multiple rounds of docs etc., just to have them withdraw once they see the apartment. That wastes their time when they could have been processing someone who is interested and would have accepted the unit if offered.
The frustration goes both ways and in the end, it makes no difference because applications are still processed in order of log (preference or gen pop) and people are approved in order based on their household size and income according to what units are available. Maybe some agencies are misleading but every communication I've ever received from several agencies all made it very clear at each step that you were not guaranteed an apartment until you were offered a lease. People need to take that more seriously to not get their hopes too high, this process has a lot of twists and turns.
I see your point, but seeing how I was told to express interest by the end of that day -- what's another 8 hours? Why not just show the apartment to one person and if that person doesn't reply in 8-12 hours (max 24 hours) then move on to the next log number.
Where did you get the impression? I kind of assumed that at first but I was never told nor never read anywhere that that is how it is done. I felt mislead but only mislead by myself not by others.
To do things as you describe would be polite, but also very slow. How long would it take to schedule ten households to view a unit in individually and exclusively only in log# order? What if the first eight households reject the unit?
Yes, it’s true that only one household in the pool will get the unit, but it could be household with the highest log#, and this way they get the unit sooner, or find out they don’t get the unit sooner.
Based on my understanding of the marketing handbook from HDP:
MARKETING HANDBOOK, SECTION 4: OUTLINE OF PROCEDURES
"The first batches of applications that the Marketing Agent processes must
be batches for approved set-aside categories or preferences. For more
information on processing of preferences, see Section 5-1, “Set-Asides and
Preferences.”
"When confirming the eligibility of applicants in each set-aside and
preference category, eligible New York City residents must be submitted to the Agency for review (“processed”) before non-residents. If there are insufficient New York City residents to meet the set-aside or preference requirement, the Marketing Agent must then process non-residents to fulfill
it."
"The Marketing Agent must offer units only to applicants who meet eligibility
requirements, and only in log number order according to the batch in which
they appear (after first processing applicants for set-asides and
preferences), for whom units of appropriate size are available. Applications should be processed for submission to the Agency in batches to prevent initiating the eligibility review process on many more applicants than there will be units available."
Doesn't several applicants for 1 unit available seem to be "many more applicants than there will be units available"? Why not just show the apartment to one person and if that person doesn't reply in 8-12 hours (max 24 hours) then move on to the next log number.
I see your point, but seeing how I was told to express interest by the end of that day -- what's another 8 hours? Why not just show the apartment to one person and if that person doesn't reply in 8-12 hours (max 24 hours) then move on to the next log number.
But remember it’s 12-24 extra hours per person. It’s a heck of a lot faster in their mind to have 10 people view, have say 3 indicate interest, and then focus on only those 3 vs individually show the unit over and over and having to give each person the 12-24 hrs. Because remember, apps are still processed in log order and viewing a unit doesn’t mean it’s yours so they feel they might as well discard anyone not interested after viewing.
Again, if someone gets their hope up even when it’s clear over and over that nothing is confirmed till you sign a lease, it’s really not their fault if people get upset when they don’t get it.
From your response above, I think you’re misunderstanding “offer units”- viewing a unit isn’t an “offer”, a lease is an offer
And “many more”- often fewer than 10% of applicants are found eligible and accept a unit, sometimes way fewer than 10% so processing 10x+ of the available units would be on par not “many more”
It would be nice if they let you know how many people are ahead of you. I def thought I stood a chance since I had a pretty low log. It’s hard not getting excited when you are going through the process as if you’re getting an apt. I was told they would swing back to me when they can assign a unit to me. So I was at the finish line after going back and forth. Doesn’t help that I fell in love with the apt as soon as I saw it either. This whole process is stressful. Lesson learned.
It would be nice if they let you know how many people are ahead of you. I def thought I stood a chance since I had a pretty low log. It’s hard not getting excited when you are going through the process as if you’re getting an apt. I was told they would swing back to me when they can assign a unit to me. So I was at the finish line after going back and forth. Doesn’t help that I fell in love with the apt as soon as I saw it either. This whole process is stressful. Lesson learned.
100% agree they could be more transparent about where they are in the process. Particularly with it all online now, the system knows when people are reached out to and when they decline etc. There could totally be a counter letting you know you are x# of people away from being contacted and there are y# of units left that you qualify for etc.
Although, even with that, there are no guarantees and people will always find false hope and especially when its surrounding something as personal and fundamental as housing. I'm not sure more information would actually calm people, just give them something else to stress about!
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Where did you get the impression?
