Long Island affordable housing lotteries: What to know, how to apply

Housing lotteries on Long Island offer a way for renters to land apartments at lower prices than what's available on the open market.

But information about housing opportunities can be hard to find and application periods are typically limited to just a few weeks.

The stakes are high as Long Islanders are more likely than others in New York and the United States to pay more than 30% of their monthly income toward housing expenses. More than half of all Long Island renters, 53.5%, spent that percentage of their incomes on their housing costs in 2023, according to the latest census data.

“So many people need decent, safe, affordable housing, and there's not enough of it” said Peter Elkowitz, president and CEO of the nonprofit Long Island Housing Partnership in Hauppauge, which administers housing lotteries.

Here’s how to find information about housing lotteries and ensure common application mistakes don't hurt your chances.

Who’s eligible for housing lotteries?

Criteria are based on income and household size. Some affordable housing developers receive state and federal support to offer apartments at rents that are well below what’s available on the open market.

Those units may target individuals and families earning 50% of area median income or less, which is $54,700 for an individual or $66,000 for a couple. Other units may be offered at as high as 130% of area median income, or $150,050 for an individual or $214,350 for a family of four.

Where can you find information about housing lotteries on Long Island?

Affordable housing nonprofits, developers and the state's affordable housing agency all advertise lotteries and waitlists for future available units. Some nonprofits including Community Development Long Island and the Long Island Housing Partnership also offer assistance with applications by phone or in person, where paper applications and translation services are available.

Long Islanders can find more information on these organizations' rental opportunities on their websites.

• Community Development Long Island
• Concern Housing
• Conifer Realty
• Georgica Green Ventures
• Long Island Housing Partnership
• New York State Homes and Community Renewal

How do lotteries work?

After a multiweek application period, the organization running the housing lottery will hold a random drawing to select the order in which applicants will be contacted. Once the organizations find enough eligible tenants, they use the list from the lottery drawing to form a waitlist.

What about after an application period has closed?

Sometime after the drawing, property managers will open waitlists for buildings to fill units as they become available.

But prospective renters who didn't initially apply go to the end of the queue. 

“You might get a call a year or two from now, and you don't think about it now, but a year or two can go by quickly,” said Ralph Fasano, executive director at affordable housing developer Concern Housing in Medford. “When you get that call, you might really be in a position to need that housing.”

How many people typically apply?

Nonprofits report receiving hundreds or even thousands of applications for what’s typically a few dozen or fewer apartments.

But applicants shouldn’t be discouraged. Fasano said many individuals who apply do not meet eligibility standards, so the odds aren’t as long as they appear. 

What are some common application mistakes to avoid?

Don't misrepresent your income in the hopes you will qualify, Fasano said. 

“Eventually, all income is verified so we encourage people to be as accurate as possible," he said. 

Missing the deadline to apply is also disqualifying, said Gwen O’Shea, president and CEO of Community Development Long Island in Melville.

What is affordable housing?

The federal government’s definition requires occupants pay no more than 30% of their gross income toward housing costs, including utilities. 

But that criteria won’t fit all households who face other significant monthly expenses, such as groceries and car payments, and families may still find it difficult to afford rents designed to be affordable, LIHP's Elkowitz said. 

“We always get hit with this question constantly — ‘Affordable to whom?' ” he said. “It may not be affordable to you even though you’re below the income [maximum].”

What are the rents?

It varies by development. 

Certain all-affordable buildings financed through low-income housing tax credits offer units well-below market rents. For example, rents at Estella in Hempstead, a 96-unit building developed by Concern Housing, started at $1,256 for a one-bedroom unit.

In other situations, developers of market-rate housing set aside a portion of their buildings, around 10% to 20%, in exchange for tax breaks provided by a county or town industrial development agency. Those units tend to have higher income limits and rents. At Royal Blue in Mineola, where market-rate units are listed for $4,200 or more, the six lottery units available in a lottery that closed Monday started at $2,205 for a studio.

What happens if your income changes after you move in?

Some organizations that manage affordable housing must recertify annually that renters meet income qualifications.

Others including Concern Housing, say that once a person qualifies, there is no requirement to move if they start earning more than the initial requirements, Fasano said.

If a family no longer qualifies based on income, they may be able to stay in the building if they still qualify for another income-restricted unit. The property manager may also be able to convert that unit to a market-rate rent and set aside the next available unit as affordable for a new tenant.

For the best chance of finding another unit, it’s important to notify the building’s property manager of your change of income to assess your options, said CDLI’s O’Shea.