There are a number of resources available to help you find affordable rental apartments. This includes affordable housing programs that provide vouchers for rent assistance, and privately owned, nonprofit developments where residents have a voice in the way their rentals are run and maintained. Additionally, there are some programs that allow residents to be exempt from future rent increases.

It’s important to know what constitutes affordable housing in your area before you begin searching for an apartment. The federal government uses a measure called Area Median Income (AMI) to determine what is considered affordable in each region of the country. This measure is adjusted each year based on changes to the economy and housing prices.

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Generally, in New York City, you must earn at least 35 percent of the region’s AMI to be eligible for affordable housing. However, some programs are open to households making as little as zero percent of the region’s AMI. Other programs are available for seniors and victims of domestic violence. Some of these programs require that you be employed, while others do not.

The City of New York has several online resources to help you find affordable apartments and homes. Start by visiting NYC Housing Connect, which allows you to view upcoming housing opportunities and create an account. You can also sign up for the NYC Mitchell-Lama program, which provides affordable rental and cooperative housing to moderate and middle-income households through a lottery system. The process for both programs can be lengthy, but you can expedite the application and approval process by preparing ahead of time.