How the checker works
NYC affordable housing lotteries are priced for households at a set share of Area Median Income (AMI). HPD publishes a chart each year that turns those percentages into dollar limits by household size. The checker divides your gross household income by the 100% AMI figure for your household size, then shows every AMI level whose maximum you are under.
Every lottery unit has an income range, not just a ceiling. The maximum comes from the AMI chart. The minimum comes from the unit’s rent: the HPD-HDC Marketing Handbook says the agency sets minimum incomes based on 35% of the unit’s gross annual rent. If you enter a listing’s rent and leave its minimum blank, we estimate it as monthly rent × 12 ÷ 0.35. The figure printed on the listing always wins.
At a glance
- 100% AMI, 3-person household (2026)
- $152,700
- 80% AMI, 1 person (2026)
- $95,040
- Minimum income basis
- 35% of gross annual rent
- Marketing Handbook §5-7
- Voucher holders
- Exempt from minimum income
Worked example
A three-person household earns $68,000 a year. The 2026 100% AMI figure for three people is $152,700, so the household is at $68,000 ÷ $152,700 = about 45% of AMI. That is in HPD’s very low-income category (31–50%).
The 40% AMI limit for three people is $61,080, so they are over that level. The 50% limit is $76,350, so they fit any lottery at 50% AMI or higher, as long as they also clear the minimum. Say a 60% AMI one-bedroom rents for $1,650 a month. The estimated minimum is $1,650 × 12 ÷ 0.35 = $56,571, and the 60% maximum is $91,620. At $68,000 they are inside the range, and a one-bedroom allows one to three people, so they can apply.
Which unit sizes you can apply for
HPD and HDC use this occupancy chart for both rentals and homeownership lotteries:
| Unit size | People allowed |
|---|---|
| Studio | 1–2 |
| 1 bedroom | 1–3 |
| 2 bedrooms | 2–5 |
| 3 bedrooms | 3–7 |
| 4 bedrooms | 4–9 |
If your household fits more than one size and qualifies by income for both, the handbook says your family chooses. Some programs, such as senior housing, have their own statutory rules.
Things that trip people up
- Gross, not take-home. Use income before taxes for everyone who will live in the unit.
- Income is verified during processing, after you are selected. A raise or a new household member can move you out of range.
- Vouchers. With tenant-based Section 8 or another qualifying subsidy, you don’t need to meet the minimum, but you must still be under the maximum and the subsidy must cover the rent.
- Asset limits and preferences (community board, municipal employees, people with disabilities) vary by project and are listed on each lottery.
What to do next
- 1
Create a Housing Connect profile
Applications are filed online at housingconnect.nyc.gov, where open lotteries are listed with their income ranges. - 2
Filter by your AMI range
Look for lotteries at or above your % of AMI whose minimum income you clear. - 3
Gather documents early
When your number comes up, the marketing agent asks for proof such as consecutive pay stubs and tax returns.
Read our Housing Connect lottery guide for the full process. If you hold a voucher, estimate your share with the Section 8 rent share calculator, and check market-rate options with the take-home pay rent budget calculator.