Lottery For 90 Affordable Hell's Kitchen Apartments Opens

HELL'S KITCHEN, NY — A lottery for 90 below-market apartments in Extell Development's massive 555Ten tower in Hell's Kitchen is now accepting applications. The new development, located at 555 10th Ave. on the corner of West 41st Street, is renting studios, one-bedroom, two-bedroom and three-bedroom apartments.

Prospective tenants can apply for one of the available units through the city's Housing Connect website as of Tuesday, August 22. The apartments are renting at two different levels of affordability — 40 and 120 percent of the Area Median Income — according to Housing Connect.

The 40 percent AMI units represent affordable options for low-income earners whereas the 120 percent AMI units could still be considered pricey but are a bargain compared to the ultra-luxury market rate units within the building.

The minimum salary to be eligible for one of the building's cheaper units is $22,903 for an individual and $32,572 for a family of six. The maximum allowed salary for an individual is $26,720 and $44,280 for a family of six.

For the 120 percent AMI units, the minimum salary to be eligible is $68,709 for an individual and $101,143 for a family of six. The maximum salary to remain eligible is $80,160 for an individual and $132,840 for a family of six.

Here's a chart from Housing Connect that details the available units and levels of affordability:

At market prices, studios in 555Ten can rent for more than $3,000 per month and three-bedroom apartments cost nearly $10,000 per month.

Applications must be submitted by Oct. 23 and there will be no fee to apply. A mail-in application can also be submitted by sending a self-addressed letter to: 555TEN c/o Breaking Ground, PO Box 3620937, New York, NY, 10129.

In October the city announced it would be revising the rules of affordable housing lotteries to protect low-income residents from being discriminated against. Applicants to affordable housing lotteries will no longer be subject to rejection based solely on poor credit scores or past disputes with landlords in housing court.

Photo by Google Maps street view