Medium-form · ~1,000 words
Affordable housing lotteries are not pure randomization. Before the general pool is processed, marketing agents fill a sequence of set-asides and preferences — reserved portions of the building’s units for specific applicant categories. Knowing whether any of these apply to your household can materially change your odds.
The order matters
Marketing agents process applications in this sequence:
- Disability set-aside units (5% mobility + 2% vision/hearing).
- Community Board preference (20% of units).
- Municipal Employee and Military Veteran preference (10% combined).
- Borough preference where applicable (approximately 30%, automatic based on your current address).
- NYC residents ahead of non-residents.
- General pool — everyone else, in log-number order.
Within each tier, applications are still processed in log-number order. A low log number plus a set-aside qualification puts you near the front.
Disability set-asides
Under Section 504 and the Uniform Federal Accessibility Standards (UFAS), every affordable building must reserve accessible units for applicants with disabilities:
- 5% of units for applicants with mobility disabilities. These units include accessible layouts — wider doors, under-counter cabinets, grab bars, accessible bathrooms.
- 2% of units for applicants with vision or hearing disabilities. These units include features like flashing alarms and vibration alerts for doorbells.
To qualify for a set-aside, a qualified service provider must sign a Certification of Eligibility for an Accessible Unit. Starting in April 2025, HPD expanded the acceptable documentation for this certification, making the process more accessible to more applicants. Doctors, social workers, and certain licensed professionals can certify.
Since January 2022, approximately 2,000 newly built or renovated units have been made available under the disability set-aside. Nine Housing Ambassador organizations specialize in disability-applicant services — the HPD Housing Ambassadors map marks them with a purple pin. Funding from Citi has supported this expansion since 2020.
Community Board preference
Each affordable housing lottery reserves 20% of its units for applicants who currently live in the Community Board where the project is located. Before a 2024 legal settlement, this preference was 50%. Under the Winfield/Noel v. City of NY settlement, approved by federal judge Laura Taylor Swain on January 22, 2024, the preference was reduced to 20% effective late April 2024 — and it will drop to 15% on May 1, 2029.
To claim a Community Board preference, you need proof that you live in that Community Board. Acceptable documents include:
- A current lease.
- Recent utility bills in your name at that address.
- A photo ID showing that address.
The preference applies only to first occupancy — re-rentals do not use Community Board preference.
Municipal Employee and Military Veteran preference
Effective November 15, 2025, HPD and HDC consolidated two prior preferences into a single 10% preference combining municipal employees and military veterans. The preference reserves at least 10% of units (or one unit, whichever is greater) for qualifying households.
Who qualifies:
- Municipal employee — a household member paid by the City of New York. HDC employees are excluded. HPD employees may need a statement from the agency.
- Military veteran — a household member with a DD-214 or a Statement of Service.
Within this combined tier, NYC residents are processed before non-residents. Documentation: current paystub from the NYC agency, or DD-214 / Statement of Service for veterans.
Borough preference
Most HPD-financed lotteries give a roughly 30% preference to residents of the same borough. This preference is usually automatic based on the current address in your Housing Connect profile — you do not need to explicitly claim it.
Other preferences
Individual lotteries may include additional preferences, including:
- Homelessness preference — a ~5% set-aside for applicants referred through DHS or HRA homelessness programs.
- Referral-based preferences for specific community programs tied to the project.
These are specific to particular lotteries and are listed in the lottery details.
Homeless referrals
Households experiencing homelessness are served primarily through Department of Homeless Services (DHS) and Human Resources Administration (HRA) referrals, with approximately 5% of units reserved for these referrals across many affordable projects. If you are currently in the DHS or HRA system, your case manager can initiate a referral to available affordable housing.
April 2025 documentation updates
Under HOTMA compliance, HPD’s Marketing Handbook updated documentation requirements for many of these preferences in April 2025:
- Most notarization requirements have been eliminated — electronic or digital signatures are widely accepted.
- Disability documentation requirements were expanded to include additional qualified professionals.
- Bank statement requirements were reduced for applicants with under $50,000 in assets.
How to think about this
Preferences can meaningfully change your chances, but only if you actually qualify. Do not claim a preference you cannot document — it only causes rejection later in the process. If you do qualify, claim it — marketing agents cannot give you a preference you do not explicitly request in your profile.
Review your Housing Connect profile every few months. Preferences that applied to you when you created your account may no longer — or new ones may now apply (becoming a veteran, moving into a different Community Board, joining city employment). Keep your claims current.
