I've been selected for multiple 80/20 lotteries in the city; some tips/advice (New York: apartments, lease)
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Me and my family finally moved into 7 dekalb after about 2 years of getting selected/rejected/turning down other lotteries. I have gotten picked for at least 5 different lotteries. So many I've actually had to turn a lot down. We have been very lucky and we couldn't be happier with our new place. I've been lurking on this forum for years and I figured I could give back a little by giving some advice/tips on how get one of these magical NYC deals.
Please don't take this as the gospel!! This is just my based on my experience with these programs so YMMV!!
-CB preferences matter!!!
Out of most the lotteries I got picked for 4 of them were CB preference. I've talked to other 80/20's and most of the ones who got chosen had this preference. If your really interested in scoring an 80/20 I would do a little research. Target an area that you like, an area where a lot of 80/20 buildings are being built and MOVE THERE. Seriously, your best bet is to find an area with a lot of construction (downtown bk, Hell's Kitchen, etc.). It will greatly increase your odds
-Log numbers are completely meaningless!!!!
Don't worry if you applied for a development and end up with a high number. I've gotten called for numbers as low as in the 300's and as high as the 70,000's. My City point number was in the 60,000's. So don't be discouraged if you get high number. Not only have I found the number selection to be totally random but...
-Being call first or last doesn't help/hurt your chances of getting a nice apartment
Even if get called early that doesn't mean you will get the "pick of litter". Understand that these buildings are new construction, and the owners want to fill the apartments ASAP. This means that oftentimes not all the apartments are "ready" when they start showing apartments. For instance I got called for 461 dean early. I was literally the first application in. I found out that not all the apartments were even ready to be shown! So I'd imagine if I went through the process, they wouldn't have all the apartments to show me (I canceled once I got into city point). It was the same at city point, some of the higher floor units weren't ready when they first started moving tenants in. So don't get discouraged if your at the tale end of the tenant selection period. But make no mistake...
-Whatever they ask for; you need to have it to them last week!!!!
Seriously give them what they want ASAP no matter how hard it is to get or how ridiculous it is. Don't take longer then 24 hours to get them something (I tried to get anything they needed within the hour!) Take days of work, leave early, if they want to meet with you, drop what your doing and do it ASAP!! Don't give them a reason to delay. I find that they are much more responsive if they see you are hustling and taking the process seriously. So get everything they ask for before they ask for it!!
-Be persistent
Stay on top of the person handling your file!! Don't bug them, but check in periodically. There have been times when they straight up forgot to ask me for something and it wasn't until I emailed them that they remembered. Be respectful of their time, but measured persistence is the key
-If you get Denied APPEAL APPEAL APPEAL APPEAL
I actually got denied based on a mistake. I appealed and fought it all the way up the HDC. They eventually re opened my file and I got the apartment. If you feel something was miscalculated or a mistake was made, know your rights!!! Keep appealing until you get the final word from HDC. Just make sure your in the right. Don't waste your time if your lying, they will find out. Which brings me to my last point...
-Your income is EVERYTHING
At the end of the day they want to fill the apartments ASAP, and that can only happen if you get approved by the city. The city will not approve you if you don't meet the income requirements. Keep in mind they do count overtime and bonuses!!! You may want to alter you work hours in advance (way in advance if possible) if you are targeting one of these buildings. Crazy as this sounds; it's worth it if you get in.
-Don't obsess over it after you enter
This is more I mportant than you think. Don't check housing connect everyday looking for your lottery number, don't wonder why they are not calling, don't freak out. EVERY SINGLE LOTTERY I GOT PICKED FOR WASN'T EVEN ON MY MIND WHEN I FINALLY GOT PICKED. It wasn't until I got a letter in the mail or email when I realized "oh yeah, I didn't enter this thing, didn't I? Cool". Move on with your life after you enter and expect not to be called. The lottery process takes a long time and chances are you will never hear from them. If you are picked, they will let you know. So just move on with your life, and hope for the best. It will do wonders for your mental health.
In addition to these tips i want to give everyone an overview on why Igor picked for so many lotteries. Again this is just one man's opinion and nothing more.
-I enterened a lottery as soon as it was posted
I had every development I was interested set up so I got noticed as soon as it was open on housing connect. I would stop wantecer I was doing and enter right away if I was qualified
-I NEVER entered a lottery I knew it want qualified for
I only enter a lottery if I liked the place and if I fit the income requirements. Again, who knows if that helps, but that's what I did
-I have a very stable job
I've been at my job for almost 10 years. It's supposed to random, but that's just an observation about myself. I don't know if they take that into consideration when decided what selected applications to go with or not.
I hope this info helps. The process is a nightmare, but it's awesome if you make it in.
Thanks for writing this up. One thing I've been wondering, can you be considered for other developments if the city and/or the person handling your file knows you're already living in a lottery selected unit?
If this happens, and youre accepted to a better situation (nicer unit, nicer neighborhood, etc), is it possible to break lease early on the current unit?
Thanks for writing this up. One thing I've been wondering, can you be considered for other developments if the city and/or the person handling your file knows you're already living in a lottery selected unit?
If this happens, and youre accepted to a better situation (nicer unit, nicer neighborhood, etc), is it possible to break lease early on the current unit?
For what they've told us; yes. You are allowed to enter other housing lotteries after you move in. You can also be put on a waiting list for another unit if you want to upgrade. The turn over in these places is insanely low, but you never know. I do think they give preference to the tenants already in the building on the waiting list.
As for breaking the lease I don't think it would be too much of an issue. They can easily get someone in these units.
Thanks so much Principle Lewis! I have contemplated the high vs low log number so many times in my mind! This is the one thing that has really been making me crazy because I have both on my numerous applications.
So income is everything but what about credit? I have good credit but I'm wondering for my friend.
I wonder if the slight increase to income guidelines earlier this year will affect lotteries that were already posted?
My friend just got rejected due to their error. They told her no apartments are available now although the error was brought to their attention within 48 hours! I will tell her to keep at it and APPEAL APPEAL APPEAL!
For what they've told us; yes. You are allowed to enter other housing lotteries after you move in. You can also be put on a waiting list for another unit if you want to upgrade. The turn over in these places is insanely low, but you never know. I do think they give preference to the tenants already in the building on the waiting list.
As for breaking the lease I don't think it would be too much of an issue. They can easily get someone in these units.
That is all depending upon the developer/property owner.
Several persons have posted here in the past stating they either were denied in the lottery process because they already were living in an "affordable" unit and or read in the notices that such persons wouldn't be selected.
Persons also posted here in the group that they wanted to upgrade to a larger "affordable" apartment (usually because of a change in family composition such as marriage and or having a child), and were told flat out "no" by the LL. IIRC one such poster (a woman who was a NYC public school teacher) got down right indignant at both her LL's response and that of various responses to her post. The general feeling there was she had already won "one" unit so why should she be allowed to get another when others haven't even had a chance.
Last edited by SeventhFloor; 09-19-2016 at 05:01 PM..
I agree that it's always worth it to appeal, and several people have succeeded on appeal judging from this board, but the mistake has to be the marketing agent's, or developer's, not yours, otherwise you're not likely to prevail. You'd have to, for example, prove that income was incorrectly calculated, or your credit was incorrectly reported, or that some criminal record they turned up wasn't you. If the marketing agent denies your appeal, then you can appeal to HPD asking for a review, but your evidence has to be pretty compelling that a mistake was made by the marketing agent -- again, not you -- for HPD to tell the agent to reopen your file. Apparently, you can appeal as many times as you want, but unless you have new information to present, it's not likely to change the initial decision, and your time and mental energy can likely be better spent. Go out and have a stiff drink, and treat the setback as a learning experience for the next time. You have to go through this process at least once to fully understand it.
Given the long lead time on these projects, I would apply for anything you like that you're somewhat in the income bracket for -- by the time the project gets going, you might be qualified, even if you're not quite qualified at the time of the application. And they calculate income in such an odd way that you might be qualified even if you think you're not. It takes no time to apply, and you have nothing to lose. It's like entering the twilight zone, and you really don't know. What you put on your initial application, aside from family size (and I'm not even sure that matters), does not really matter. That application is used to generate the log number, to get you into the system. Your current rent, your income, your assets can easily change in the long time it takes for a project to get going (it can take up to two years). They get that.
Log numbers matter most when you don't have a preference, say you don't live in the community board (that's the most important preference to have). To get contacted for a project outside your CB, you need a super low log number, like probably below 500 (this is my experience, I could be wrong, as there are so many variables). If you're in the CB, any number below 20,000 is pretty good.
The process is harrowing, it's like having a second job, so try not to let it take over your life. I couldn't agree more with that. Give them what they want and move on. If you can't get everything together on time, ask for an extension. If you submit incorrect information, especially anything affecting your income, you'll pay dearly for that mistake (meaning you'll get disqualified, and you won't prevail on appeal, because it's your mistake).
It doesn't seem to matter if you submit your application early or late in the cycle, as no log numbers are assigned until the application period ends. And supposedly it's random. Maybe it isn't -- that would be the only scenario in which the timing of your application would matter.
I will say that some of the marketing agents are misinformed, and don't know all the HPD rules, so read up on them. That's essential. You need to be the expert. If a marketing agent tells you, for example, that your retirement accounts put you over the $250,000 asset cap, refer them to I think it's page 36 of the HPD's marketing guidelines -- retirement accounts, although they count as assets, are excluded from the $250,000 cap, which makes sense, as that would truly discriminate against older applicants. Retirement accounts will be part of the .06% of assets that are added to income, but they are excluded from the cap -- if you're already drawing on them, those amounts would count as income. If you get rejected on those grounds, that would be a good case for appeal.
On the up side, for every development I've been rejected for, a better one comes up. Look at it that way. I hope this info helps someone. Good luck.
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