Latest news with #HousingConnect
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
New Homey app helps simplify affordable housing lottery application
NEW YORK (PIX11) — Two men set out on a mission to make applying for affordable housing easier for New Yorkers. Co-founders Wout Stienaers and Piet Goris launched the app Homey in March to shorten and simplify the process for applying for New York City housing lotteries. More Local News 'Homey is sort of like a translator in between our users and then the housing connect system,' said Stienaers in an interview with PIX11 News. App users create a profile and answer questions based on those asked by NYC Housing Connect. Homey focuses on asking the questions most needed to assess someone's eligibility for the lottery and eliminates some of the more detailed questions about things like one's assets. More: Latest News from Around the Tri-State After a Homey profile is created, a mirror profile is created on NYC Housing Connect using the information from the app. Users will then get alerts for any housing lotteries they're eligible for and can have Homey apply on their behalf. Applicants can continue to track their submissions and get real-time updates on their lotteries through the Homey app. How to apply for affordable housing in NYC 'We get all the emails and all the information from Housing Connect, we translate that to our users, and then we translate the input from our users to Housing Connect, and that way it makes it way easier for the users to actually use the system,' Stienaers said. The co-founder says the idea came from his own experience of trying to navigate NYC Housing Connect to apply for affordable housing. He's now working on adding new features to apply for Section 8 and housing vouchers. 'New Yorkers are busy. Between work, family, and life, they don't have time to constantly monitor new lotteries or deal with confusing paperwork,' said Stienaers. The Homey app is one of the recent services aimed at making affordable housing easier to obtain for New Yorkers. The NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development has recently launched a new website that makes it easier to find affordable housing rentals after a previous lottery winner has moved out. Dominique Jack is a digital content producer from Brooklyn with more than five years of experience covering news. She joined PIX11 in 2024. More of her work can be found here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
New website launches for affordable housing rentals without lotteries
NEW YORK (PIX11) — A new website has launched to allow renters to get affordable housing apartments without applying for the housing lottery. Thanks to new policy changes, residents can now find vacant affordable housing units on a new website operated by the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development. The site will be updated with apartments that become available after a previous lottery winner moves out. More Local News 'It's still in the early stages, but we're updating it regularly as more re-rental and re-sale units become available,' said HPD Deputy Press Secretary Natasha Kersey. Through the website, residents can find both affordable rentals and apartments for sale that are available directly through housing property managers. Those interested can bypass the affordable housing lottery application when applying for the apartments. It's part of a host of changes meant to address a backlog of re-rentals, or affordable housing units that become available after a lottery winner leaves their apartment. Units can be listed on both property manager websites or on popular rental sites like StreetEasy. More: Latest News from Around the Tri-State Those vacancies were previously only made available to lottery applicants who opted into receiving alerts for re-rentals and re-sales. 'This temporary change helps people get matched with the right home at the right time as we revamp Housing Connect and its functionality,' said Kersey in a previous statement to PIX11 News. This easier application method for re-rentals and re-sales is temporary, but will remain in effect for at least a year. Dominique Jack is a digital content producer from Brooklyn with more than five years of experience covering news. She joined PIX11 in 2024. More of her work can be found here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11.
Forbes
02-05-2025
- Politics
- Forbes
Inside NYC's New Housing Policy with Ahmed Tigani
The Eliza at 4790 Broadway in Inwood, Manhattan. New York City's housing landscape is at a critical tipping point. Vacancy rates are at historic lows. Construction costs are climbing. And across the five boroughs, residents—especially those in long-standing Black and Brown communities—are asking a vital question: Who is this city really being built for? To get answers, I sat down with Ahmed Tigani, Acting Commissioner of the Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD). It was clear from the beginning of our conversation: this role is more than a title for him. It's personal. 'My mother raised two kids as a single parent in New York City,' Tigani shared. 'We relied on nonprofits and city programs to stay afloat. I never forgot what it meant to be supported by the system—and now I'm working every day to ensure it works better for others.' But in a city facing one of its most severe affordability crises in recent memory, good intentions aren't enough. I asked Commissioner Tigani the hard questions about how HPD is ensuring that its policies reach the people who need them most—and what's being done to make the housing system more equitable, more transparent and more responsive to the needs of underserved communities. Let's start with the scale. NYC's rental vacancy rate is just 1.4%, the lowest in nearly 60 years. That statistic becomes even more stark when you consider that for homes priced at or below $1,100/month, the vacancy rate drops to under 0.4%. For Black and Latino residents—who represent the largest share of low-income renter households and shelter populations—these numbers translate into a daily struggle for dignity and stability. The lack of affordable housing options isn't just an inconvenience—it's a barrier to opportunity, education and economic mobility. 'There's a real supply and access issue,' Tigani acknowledged. 'But we're working to change that—not just through more construction, but by removing the unnecessary hurdles that keep people from moving into homes.' Among the improvements: streamlining Housing Connect (the city's affordable housing portal), eliminating credit check requirements for voucher holders and automating document processing for households already in public systems. Ahmed Tigani, Acting Commissioner of the Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) As part of its ongoing commitment to housing equity, the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) recently introduced a major policy shift aimed at expanding access to affordable homes—particularly for those who may have struggled with the complexities of the traditional application process. Launched on May 1st, the updated policy allows affordable re-rental units—apartments that become available after previous tenants move out—to be leased without going through the Housing Connect lottery system. Instead, these units can now be marketed and leased through a wider range of accessible platforms, including HPD's official website, authorized property management firms, and popular rental platforms such as StreetEasy and Craigslist. This streamlined approach will be in effect for at least one year, and is designed to remove administrative burdens that have historically delayed or deferred applicants. By allowing eligible New Yorkers to view and apply for units directly, the city is increasing both the transparency and efficiency of the affordable housing process. For households from marginalized communities—who may face digital divides, language barriers, or hesitancy in navigating government systems—this change opens a new, more intuitive pathway toward housing stability. Commissioner Tigani noted that this effort reflects HPD's broader mission to improve equity through systemic reform. 'If the process itself is inaccessible, then affordability is just a number on paper,' he said. 'This is about giving people more direct tools to access housing in real time.' The policy also represents a broader pivot toward using existing inventory more effectively, recognizing that new construction alone cannot meet the urgent demand. One of the most encouraging themes that emerged from our discussion was HPD's growing emphasis on preservation, not just production. While new housing remains essential, keeping current residents in their homes—especially in gentrifying areas—must be part of the long-term strategy. Yet, significant challenges remain. Disparities in housing access, awareness gaps in underserved communities and rising market pressures continue to threaten the long-term stability of Black and Brown residents across the five boroughs. HPD is investing in programs like HomeFix, which helps low-income and senior homeowners with repairs. The revived J-51 tax abatement provides landlords with incentives to maintain buildings without displacing tenants. Meanwhile, the Homeowner Help Desk—initially a pilot in Bed-Stuy—is now a citywide tool connecting New Yorkers with legal services, housing counselors and mortgage guidance. 'Preservation is a form of protection,' Tigani said. 'If we don't help legacy homeowners and long-time tenants, we risk erasing the very culture that makes these communities strong.' This approach has been embedded into HPD's neighborhood planning framework. In Brownsville, over $1 billion in collective investment has supported not only affordable housing construction but also upgrades to local parks, infrastructure, and youth facilities. In East Harlem and the South Bronx, community-led plans have helped shape zoning decisions and resource allocation. NYC HPD Plan for affordable housing When it comes to city-led planning, skepticism among communities of color is warranted. From redlining to urban renewal to unchecked gentrification, history has shown how easily voices can be dismissed and displacement justified in the name of 'progress.' So I pressed Tigani: How is HPD building lasting trust with the communities most impacted by housing policy? He pointed to HPD's Neighborhood Planning Playbook, a public tool that outlines the agency's approach to inclusive development. Engagement begins with surveys and multilingual community meetings. The findings are compiled into 'visioning reports,' which directly inform developer RFPs and city investments. 'For any RFP we release, we require that at least 25% of the development team be either a nonprofit or MWBE,' Tigani explained. 'It's not enough to build in a community—you need to build with the community.' HPD has also broadened its outreach strategy: 'These aren't just buildings,' Tigani said. 'They're reflections of what people told us they needed.' The Eliza at 4790 Broadway in Inwood, Manhattan. Zoning reform may not sound exciting, but it's one of the most powerful levers in shaping equity across a city. NYC's 'City of Yes' initiative is aiming to do just that—modernize outdated zoning laws to allow more deeply affordable housing across all neighborhoods, not just those already burdened. But some community leaders have expressed concerns: Will this lead to more luxury towers in historically Black neighborhoods? Will the benefits actually reach those most in need? To address that, the city has developed the Equitable Development Data Explorer (EDDIE). Any large development or rezoning proposal must now include a racial impact study and displacement risk index, ensuring that decisions are made with full transparency about who might be affected. Tigani expressed, 'It's about leveling the information field. If communities have the data, they can have a stronger say in the future of their neighborhoods.' What struck me most throughout our conversation was Tigani's insistence that housing is about more than walls and roofs—it's about healing, stability and future-building. When asked what he hopes his leadership brings to the city, his answer was both personal and profound. 'I want people to feel our urgency. We can't wait when families are struggling this deeply,' he said. 'But I also want them to feel seen. To know that this system isn't just reacting—it's evolving.' And for many residents across Harlem, Flatbush, Jamaica and the South Bronx, that evolution can't come soon enough. Because equitable housing is not just an economic issue—it's a cultural one. It's about who gets to plant roots, pass down wealth and build futures in the city they call home. Tigani's work highlights a pivotal transformation in New York City's housing strategy—shifting the focus from mere development to prioritizing access, equity and the preservation of communities. Under Tigani's leadership, the Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) has initiated substantial reforms aimed at simplifying the affordable housing process and enhancing community engagement. While HPD has established more robust frameworks for neighborhood involvement and housing preservation, the continuation of this progress will depend on sustained oversight, effective inter-agency collaboration, and supportive legislation. The success of New York City's evolving housing landscape will not only be measured by the quantity of housing units produced but also by the inclusivity of those who benefit, the stability of long-standing residents and the empowerment of historically underserved communities to flourish.
Time Out
01-05-2025
- Business
- Time Out
This useful new app automatically applies for affordable housing units that you qualify for
If you've ever tried applying for New York City's affordable housing lottery and ended up rage-scrolling rental listings instead, you're not alone. A few months ago, Wout Stienaers decided to give the Housing Connect portal a try. 'I figured it'd take, what, 30 minutes?' Stienaers wrote on LinkedIn while chronicling his experience. 'Instead, I ended up drowning in forms, wondering whether it's even worth it to try finishing the application process.' That frustration led to Homey, a new mobile app that cuts through the red tape and actually helps New Yorkers apply for the affordable housing units they qualify for. Think of it like TurboTax, but for the housing lottery—and about 90% less painful. Unlike Housing Connect, which was designed for desktop (despite nearly a quarter of NYC households lacking one), Homey is mobile-first. It takes about seven minutes to set up a profile, skipping the redundant and privacy-invading questions that bog down the official site. Instead of listing every financial account in your household, you just confirm that your total assets fall under the limit, with a built-in safety buffer to protect your eligibility. But the best part? Homey automatically applies to all the lotteries you qualify for—no need to check back constantly, sift through fine print or risk missing deadlines. The app inputs your information into the Housing Connect system and tracks your application status in one place. And yes, it's already helping.
Time Out
28-04-2025
- Business
- Time Out
You don't need a lottery application for these affordable housing units in NYC
If you've ever stared at NYC's Housing Connect lottery system and sighed, good news: snagging an affordable apartment just got a lot easier. Thanks to a big policy shift by the city's Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD), re-rental affordable housing units—aka apartments that become vacant when tenants move out—can now be listed publicly and rented without a Housing Connect lottery application. Instead, you can find them directly on HPD's site, through property management companies or even on regular rental platforms like StreetEasy and Craigslist, at least for the next year or so. Yes, that's pretty huge news. Starting May 1 and running through April 30, 2026, these vacant units will be up for grabs on a first-come, first-served basis. If you see one you like, feel free to apply directly to the property's management instead of waiting in the endless Housing Connect line. Once you're income-verified and approved by HPD, the place is yours to move into. It's a temporary overhaul, but an overdue one: until now, landlords could only fill these units by quietly pulling from a dormant mini-waitlist of lottery applicants, leading to apartments sitting empty for months, sometimes over 80 days. Meanwhile, New Yorkers in desperate need of affordable housing were stuck in limbo. 'This temporary change helps people get matched with the right home at the right time,' Deputy Press Secretary Natasha Kersey told PIX11, noting the changes are part of a bigger push to modernize the city's affordable housing process. (And about time: NYC's rental vacancy rate is at a historic low.) Heads up, though: HPD will still audit the process to ensure landlords are following the first-come, first-served rule and not playing favorites. If you're ready to ditch the lottery drama and find your next apartment faster, check out HPD's new re-rental listings here. (Early listings show spots in Central Harlem, Bed-Stuy and even Midtown up for grabs.) In a city where finding affordable housing feels like winning the actual lottery, this change might just be the best odds you've had in years. What qualifies as affordable housing in NYC? Affordable housing in NYC typically means apartments priced for households earning between 30% and 130% of the area median income (AMI). Rents are capped relative to income levels, making units accessible for low- to moderate-income New Yorkers. How long does it take to get affordable housing in NYC? Traditionally, it can take months—or even years—to land a spot through the lottery. This new re-rental policy could speed things up dramatically, with units rented on a first-come, first-served basis once applicants are verified.
