May 19, 2025
As real estate agents in New York City, one of the biggest frustrations we’ve seen is the number of affordable housing units sitting empty — even though thousands of New Yorkers are desperate for a place to live. The issue wasn’t that the units weren’t desirable. It was the city's red tape.
Until now, landlords of affordable apartments had to go through the Housing Connect lottery system every time a tenant moved out — even for older buildings and re-rentals.
That process slowed things down like crazy, often leaving perfectly good apartments vacant for months.
Good news: starting May 1, 2025, NYC’s Department of Housing Preservation and Development is rolling out a one-year waiver. This means that for re-rentals, landlords can list available affordable units directly on platforms like StreetEasy or rent them out through their management offices — no lottery waiting game needed.
Applicants can still go through Housing Connect if they want, but they’re no longer bottlenecked by it.
This shift could immediately free up thousands of units citywide, from nonprofits to private owners who have been stuck holding vacancies.
Think two-bedrooms in the Bronx for $1,250 a month — real opportunities that were just collecting dust under the old rules.
From my side of the table, this is a huge win — not only for tenants, but for owners and communities. We can get qualified families into homes faster, and owners can stop losing income month after month.
Of course, it’s a temporary solution — just a 12-month fix for now — while the city works on revamping Housing Connect long-term.
Leaders like Councilmember Pierina Sanchez and groups like the New York Housing Conference are already pushing for deeper, permanent changes.
At the end of the day, New Yorkers need real action, not more bureaucracy. And as realtors, seeing faster move-ins and fewer empty apartments is exactly the kind of progress this city needs.
Disclaimer: This content is meant for informational purposes only and is not intended to be construed as financial, tax, legal, or insurance advice.
