Mitchell-Lama program: Affordable housing lottery for middle-income New Yorkers
NEW YORK (PIX11) -- Many New Yorkers use NYC Housing Connect to find affordable housing lotteries in the city.
People might not realize that Housing Connect isn't the only way to find affordable housing in New York City.
A program called the Mitchell-Lama was introduced in 1955. It was introduced as a bill aimed at creating and maintaining affordable housing for middle-income New Yorkers.
The Mitchell-Lama lottery is a four-step process, similar to the process of the NYC Housing Connect.
Once the lottery opens, New Yorkers can apply once per household for any of the eligible listings. According to the program's website, once the applications close, the development will conduct a lottery under the guidance of the New York City Development Corporation.
When a lottery entry is selected randomly, they receive a waiting list number. Each development sets its own limit for the number of people accepted on the waiting list, according to the website.
After the lottery, the development's management will reach out to the New Yorkers selected to inform them of their waiting list number. According to the website, applicants must fill out and submit a detailed application and pay an application fee of up to $200, depending on the development.
The website warns that applicants will be permanently removed from the waiting list if they do not fully complete the application or pay the application fee within 30 days.
When a unit becomes available for an interview, applicants will be contacted in the order of their waiting list number, the website said. During the interview, an applicants’ documents and income will be verified, along with their credit history and other information.
Once the interview is completed and the applicant is deemed eligible, the information will be sent to the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) for approval. The website said a lease or contract can only be signed after written approval from the HPD.
According to the website, if the applicant is not eligible, they will receive a rejection notice, and their application fee will be returned. Those who think they got rejected by mistake will get 30 days from the notice to file an appeal.
For more information on how to apply to the lottery that expires on July 10, click here.
Jonathan Rizk is a digital journalist who has covered local news in New York City and Washington, D.C. He has been with PIX11 since August 2022. See more of his work here, and follow him on X and Facebook @OfficialRizk. Get in touch at jonathan.rizk@pix11.com.