Affordable Housing in Bay Ridge/Sunset Park – The Towers
June 2024 Update: The lottery has opened again. (Info here)
Many people are interested in living an apartment in the The Towers because they have heard it is inexpensive.
Co-ops in the Towers are far below the market value at $13,500 (for a studio) – $36,300 (for a three bedroom) PLUS a monthly fee of $400 for the studio to $1,000 for the three bedroom (covers maintenance, utilities and security).
The Bay Ridge Towers (also formerly known by: Bay Ridge Air Rights, Inc.) are part of the New York State Mitchell-Lama buildings program which are co-ops which are low cost and geared at middle income people. You must fall in the income limits seen here. The name Mitchell-Lama came from the two politicians who made the bill to create this type of housing in NYC. Purchasing a co-op makes you a shareholder in the building.
These apartments are done by application and then a lottery to get on a waiting lists. Yes, they are that coveted so there is a waiting lists which lasts for years (5-6+ years or until it reaches the end of the list). You can find information about these types apartments through both he NYC’s HPD website (HPD=Housing Preservation and Development) or NYS’s Mitchell-Lama Program (which is the program that the Towers fall in) and in major newspapers, like the Daily News, the Chief or even local newspapers like the Brooklyn Paper. People have said that they expect 5000 applications and will put 500 on the waiting list for The Towers.
Since this is not an investment property, it can not be inherited. In the event that a person dies, the apartment is sold to the next person on the list and the money is given to the deceased person’s estate. The only way someone can live there is if they are on the record and listed on the income affidavit. Ironically according to this article, Mitchell-Lama co-ops can be transferred as there are succession rights (see this article in the NYT)
When they accepted applications, people requested a lottery form by sending a self-addressed stamped envelope no smaller than 9-by-4 inches via United States Postal Service first-class mail by November 18th to: Election Services United, PO Box 7650, Garden City, NY, 11530.
Interested applicants submitted an application and then they are picked by lottery. If you make it this far, you have to pay $200. After available apartments are given, people remain on a wait list and the list is good for many years – until it is finished. If your income changes or you are no longer interested, you will lose the $200 deposit. If you get accepted to the waiting list, you will see your number on the waiting list here.
The apartment you get offered may need a new kitchen or bathroom if the former owner hasn’t updated it. Many people live there for decades. The Towers were built in 1970-1. You can see the original paperwork for The Towers here.
Stories – 30 (for 260 -65th Street – the building closer to the water – 410 apartments) 28 stories are in the tower closer to 4th Avenue. The view from the higher apartments allows you to see Manhattan, Staten Island and NJ. You can clearly see the Macys Fireworks from the top floor balconies. You can also see the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island too.
Elevators – 2 elevators per side. You can also walk to the other side and use those elevators
Apartments Being Offered
Studio apartment: $13,500–$17,300 ( maximum household income $47,000 annual)
One Bedroom: $18,700–$22,700 for households making no more than $61,400 a year.
Two Bedroom: they are not accepting anyone for the two bedroom co-ops at this time.
Three Bedrooms: $34,400–$36,300 for families earning $96,600 or less.
Co-op monthly fee: $400 for the studio to $1,000 for the large three bedroom apartments, but utilities (gas, electric and water – even if you use a lot of electricity) are included (phone and cable are not).
Has: A community room
Request Application by November 18th. Send in by: December 23, 2017 – – the PO Box will be closed after this and applications won’t be accepted)
UPDATE: SINCE SOME PEOPLE DIDN’T GET THEIR APPLICATIONS UNTIL LATE, THE DATE WAS EXTENDED TO JANUARY 3, 2017 (the P.O. Box box #7146 at 600 Franklin Ave, Garden City has been re-opened)
They also posted this update:
DHCR – Division of Housing & Community Renewal 718-430-0880
Bay Ridge Towers office: 718-492-5300
How many co-ops are in the Towers? Between the two towers there are 811 apartments.
Are the Towers considered part of Bay Ridge? Update: The Towers became part of Bay Ridge during redistricting. Now Justin Brannan represents this address at the city level and Senator Andrew Gounardes and Assemblywoman Marcela Mitaynes represent it at the state level. You can see the elected NYC politicians for the Towers here (260 – 65th Street is the address of one tower). Redistricting changed the zoning of the Towers (see info here) For more information on Bay Ridge borders see here.
Is the application online? No.
Can I go to an office to pick it up? No. It’s weird that it isn’t posted online. The only way you could get an application is to send a self-addressed stamped envelope no smaller than 9-by-4 inches via United States Postal Service first-class mail by November 18th to: Election Services United, PO Box 7650, Garden City, NY, 11530.
I didn’t get an application – is it still possible to get one? No it’s not.
Some people have said that they sent in self addressed stamped envelopes and didn’t receive an application.
Some people said their envelope was returned. The reason for that may have been because the mailbox was closed on the due date of November 18th.
Is there parking at the Towers? Yes, there is an outdoor gated lot cost $60 a month (there’s a wait list for this too). You can see a fantastic picture of the parking and outside area here.
Are pets allowed? Pets are allowed. There is a $150 annual fee for a pet.
Studio apartments can not have a dishwasher.
Apartments can not have a washer or dryer, but the building does have them.
Is there a doorman? No, but there is security. Security people doesn’t take packages or ring you to tell you someone is there to see you.
Can I rent or sublease these apartments? No, they are co-ops which have to be occupied by the names on the income affidavit.
Is this whole process a scam or filled with corruption? I don’t think it is a scam because ordinary people who don’t know anyone have been chosen from the lottery. I think it’s just a poorly run office because who would put a deadline near the holiday like that? Also the process seems outdated – no one asks you to send a SASE (self addressed stamped envelope) to get a form anymore. Everyone loads the applications to the web so anyone can get them. But maybe they are working on this old system because it limits the number of applications for the condos.
What can I do if I didn’t get an application? What can I do if I believe corruption is involved?
You can contact:
- Carolyn Spivack from the Bay Ridge Paper 718-260-2523 as she has written about it an might be interested in the drama of this story.
- Contact Shannon Watkins who works at Senator Savino’s office at 1-718-727-9406. Diane Savino represents the Towers – not Marty Golden.
- Contact the Public Advocate, Jumaane William – what do we have a Public Advocate for if you can’t ask her to advocate for you? GetHelp@pubadvocate.nyc.gov
What if I don’t get this? Is there any other affordable housing? Depending on your income, you may qualify for other types of affordabl housing – see here for more info.
Sadly there are NY’ers exploiting this type of housing in 2005. And the management had to be changed. The issue was also mentioned in this 2007 report.
If you are on the waiting list, you can check the waiting list here: see your number on the waiting list here.
You can see other affordable apartments through this state program here. You can see more about the city’s program here. Spring 2016 problems with the program.
December 29th UPDATE: Brooklyn PAPER
January – Yup this is a hot mess right here.
January 2017 Update- The names for the lottery have been drawn. You can see the numbers have been added to the waitlist here.
February 2017 – The money for deposit has not been returned to those not on the list yet.
March 17, 2017 Update – many of the people who applied received a letter stating that their check was cashed and they are now on the waiting list. Waiting list numbers given as well.
September 2017 – Why is there not more affordable housing and what is being done now? See: here
If your envelope was not selected to put you on the waitlist, you received your envelope and this letter stating your envelope was not selected and your cashier’s check has been returned – (you have to deposit the check into your bank account)
Hugs,
marlene
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