NYC’s new housing lottery guidelines will help vulnerable and low-income New Yorkers
Finding and applying for affordable housing in New York city can be a challenge for anyone. The application process can be confusing and daunting for those who need it most. Today the city’s Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) and Housing Development Corporation (HDC) announced new guidelines for the process that are intended to help provide access for low-income residents and protect people who have survived domestic abuse.
Basic updates include clarifying eligibility guidelines, limiting options to reject applicants based on credit history and debt, reducing document requirements where possible and introducing additional protections for domestic violence survivors.
“As we accelerate and expand the goals of Housing New York, we are also looking to speed up the delivery of the affordable housing we are producing at record pace and ensure those homes serve the New Yorkers who need them most,” said HDC Board Chair and HPD Commissioner Maria Torres-Springer. “These updated marketing guidelines will further level the playing field for low-income New Yorkers applying for affordable housing opportunities; make sure victims of domestic violence get the protections they need; and reduce the documentation requirements to increase efficiencies.”
The new guidelines go into effect July 1, 2018, and apply to all projects. Developers have been made aware of new marketing policies and procedures associated with the changes and must adhere to them when finding qualified applicants for the affordable housing units they are offering. The updates have already been integrated into the Housing Connect Marketing Handbook for developers. The new guidelines will be applied to apartments and applicants currently open through Housing Connect.
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