Originally published in City Limits on October 23, 2025.
With a mayoral election and City Council races on the horizon, New York’s leaders are promising bold action on affordability. But for families like mine, the housing system is already broken.
In New York City, one of the most common ways to pursue a highly coveted “affordable apartment” is through the Housing Connect lottery. Like many New Yorkers, I check the listings regularly, hoping to find something that fits my household of six. With my Housing Choice Voucher in hand, the process should be straightforward: apply as a working family with rental assistance, and finally secure stability.
After months of checking, I found a listing that seemed like the perfect fit—a three-bedroom apartment near my children’s schools. On paper, it should have worked. Instead, I was rejected because the rent was higher than my voucher allowed.