The city has announced that some affordable housing in East Williamsburg is up for grabs.
Three new one-bedroom units at 126 Boerum St. are available through the NYC Housing Lottery from today until Feb. 21, city records show.
The apartments each cost $2,253 per month, which doesn’t include heat, hot water, or electricity. Add those up, slap a lousy internet service on there, and you’re talking around $2,400 for a one-bedroom.
That’s not exactly a bargain, even with the six weeks free rent you get if you qualify for an affordable housing unit. On Street Easy, similar one-bedrooms in the neighborhood go for around the same price — some cheaper — with a few as “cheap” as $1,800. Many of those also include heat and hot water, which is a pretty standard deal these days.
To qualify for the affordable housing units on Boerum Street, single applicants must earn between $77,246 and $86,840 a year; two people renting together must earn between $77,246 and $99,320 a year.
Affordable housing is based on a household’s percentage of the Area Median Income (AMI), which is set by the federal government. Housing is considered affordable if it costs about one-third or less of what the people living there make, and is regulated so the rent can’t go up dramatically over time.
But everything in life is relative. If you meet the income requirements for these East Willy apartments, you’re income is already on the better side of moderate, which starts at $53,441, according to the city. In fact, if you’re making over $80k, you’re living in middle-income land.
Historically, affordable housing in New York City has been for people living on low income — not the lower end of middle income. Applicants with hearing or vision disabilities get 2 percent of the selection; mobility-disabled applicants get 5 percent.
Find out how to apply on the NYC Housing Connect website.
Cover image courtesy of Google Maps