Magdalena Waz

@ThrowBigWords

Applications officially opened yesterday for the 20 affordable apartments at the former St. Mark’s Evangelical Lutheran Church and School at 616 Bushwick Ave., as Brownstoner first reported.

Nooklyn, the broker handling rentals for owners Cayuga Capital Management, posted photos online of a fully-furnished model unit complete with vintage wood and leather finishes and an open sunny kitchen and living room combo, surprisingly roomy for a new construction.

Image courtesy of Nooklyn.

The road from house of worship to apartment building was a long and rocky one. In 2012, the vacant space of the church was turned into an art and performance space which hosted a Rubulad party, aerial performances and a Bushwick Open Studios party. Then, when Bushwick Daily first reported that the church would become luxury apartments, the anticipated completion was October 2015 according to signs posted outside. 

Qualifying for these units is a little tricky since the documents you need to prove you meet the stringent income requirements are not the easiest to compile, especially if you freelance or have inconsistent income. Furthermore, it’s no secret that demand for affordable housing throughout the city is unbelievably high. NY Daily News reports that on average 1,000 people apply for every available affordable apartment. 

In order to even qualify to enter the lottery, you will have to make between $28,183 and $54,360 depending on the size of your household and the size of the apartment you’re looking for. 

Courtesy of NYC Housing Connect.

Residents of Community Board 4, take note: 10 of these units are reserved for people who already live in the neighborhood. The deadline for submitting applications is June 9, 2017.