BY SCOTT STIFFLER | Don’t let those last two digits scare you: 2013 is going to be a very lucky year for the winners of an affordable housing lottery. Applications are being accepted for apartments in the Chelsea Park building currently under construction at 260 West 26th Street (at Eighth Avenue).
A total of 41 affordable housing rental units are being made available, through the 80/20 Program of the New York City Housing Development Corporation (in exchange for tax-exempt bonds to finance construction, 20 percent of the apartment units are reserved for low-income tenants earning no more than 50 percent of area’s median income). For more info on the program, visit nyc.gov/housing.
The monthly rent for a studio is either $492 or $635. One-bedrooms go for $529 or $682, and two-bedroom units for $644 or $828. The maximum annual income ranges from $18,789 to 41,500. Gas, for heat and cooking, is included in the rent. The building will have an intercom system and laundry facilities, and the super will live on-site.
Preference for 50 percent of the units will be given to those living within the Community Board 4 area. Those displaced by Hurricane Sandy get preference for 25 percent of the units. New York City Municipal employees and households including persons with mobility impairments both receive five percent— and persons with visual and/or hearing impairments will receive preference for two percent of the units.
The winners, chosen by lottery, should be able to occupy the units by April 2013. There is no broker’s or application fee. Unlike Powerball, you get only a single chance to play this lottery (submit more than one application per family, and you’ll be disqualified). To request an application by mail, send a self-addressed envelope to 37 West 65th Street, 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10023.
A table listing all of the specific monthly rents, the minimum and maximum income ranges and the allowable household size (1-4 persons depending on the type of apartment) can be accessed at 26StreetAffordable.com. There, you can download an application and mail it in. Completed applications must be received by January 30, 2013. Register to receive information from the building owners, at chelseaparkrentals.com or by calling 212-206-0709.
