How affordable housing income limits actually work
Every affordable unit listed through NYC Housing Connect is tied to a percentage of the Area Median Income (AMI) for the New York City metro area, recalculated annually by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. A studio might be reserved for applicants at 50% AMI, while a two-bedroom in the same lottery is reserved for 90% AMI—so “low income” and “affordable” cover a much wider income range than most renters expect.
| AMI band | Income category | 2026 max, single applicant |
|---|---|---|
| 30% AMI | Extremely low income | up to $29,100 |
| 50% AMI | Very low income | up to $48,500 |
| 80% AMI | Low income | up to $77,600 |
| 120% AMI | Moderate / middle income | up to $116,400 |
Limits rise with household size. For 2026, 100% AMI for the NYC metro area is $152,700 for a 3-person and $169,600 for a 4-person . Every listing on NYC Housing Connect states the exact income range for its household size before you apply.
Gross income decides eligibility. Take-home pay decides what you can afford.
NYC Housing Connect income limits are measured against gross household income—the same salary figure on your offer letter, before federal, state, city, and FICA taxes. That number determines which lotteries you can enter. It doesn’t tell you whether a given unit’s rent actually fits your budget, because rent has to be paid out of what lands in your account after taxes.
Run your salary through the paycheck calculator to see your net monthly take-home pay, then compare that figure to a listing’s monthly rent—not the gross income figure that got you into the lottery in the first place.
See this math worked through for a real NYC salary in Can an NYC teacher afford NYC? on the blog.
How to apply for affordable housing in NYC
All city-affiliated affordable housing—new construction and many re-listed units, across Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and Staten Island—is listed through NYC Housing Connect, the city’s Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) portal. Applying is free and takes place through the same account for every lottery:
- 1. Create a Housing Connect profile with your household size and gross annual income.
- 2. Browse open lotteries and check each listing’s specific AMI band and household-size requirements.
- 3. Apply to any lottery where your income falls inside the listed range—applying to more than one does not hurt your odds elsewhere.
- 4. If selected, submit documentation: pay stubs, tax returns, and asset statements to verify the income you applied with.
Selection is by lottery, not first-come-first-served, so a single application isn’t a strong signal either way. Most successful applicants apply to many listings over an extended period.