QUEENS, NY — Twenty-seven so-called “affordable” apartments in Long Island City are now in the NYC housing lottery, but applicants must earn at least $104,023 a year.
The 37-story mixed-use building at 23-02 42nd Road is offering units through the city’s affordable housing program, but the high income requirement underscores how out of reach many of these apartments are for typical residents.
The 21 available studio apartments carry monthly rents of $2,890 to $3,190 and are limited to applicants earning well over $100,000 a year—even though the typical Queens resident earns about $86,136 annually.
As of 2023, median gross rent in the borough rose 6.6 percentage points faster than median household income. That same year, 27.6 percent of renter households in Queens were considered severely rent burdened, spending more than half their income on rent, according to a study by the NYU Furman Center.
The lottery units come with a range of amenities, including a dog-washing station, bike storage, a gym, yoga and dance studio, a business center, rooftop terrace, and an on-site resident manager. Apartments include dishwashers, energy-efficient appliances, air conditioning, hardwood floors, USB charging outlets, and brand-name kitchen finishes. Tenants are responsible for electricity, according to the listing.
Housing advocates say these income requirements often exclude the people who need it most from “affordable” housing, raising questions about who the lottery programs truly serve.
During a Queens Community Board 5 meeting last month, Board Member Daniel Heredia, who chairs the Zoning and Land Use Review Committee, raised the issue while updating the community on several housing-related bills former Mayor Eric Adams vetoed before leaving office. “There are so many developments being built that are not affordable for the communities they’re in,” he said.
Prospective renters must meet specific income and household-size criteria to qualify, and applications must be submitted online or postmarked by Feb. 25, officials said.