More than 53,000 Artists Apply for 89 Affordable Harlem Apartments
Submitted by Steve on August 1, 2014
From Emilia David, writing for DNAinfo New York:
More than 53,000 artists have applied for one of just 89 new units of subsidized living and working space in a former public school on E. 99th Street, organizers announced. Developers for the space, known as El Barrio’s Artspace PS 109 and located between Second and Third avenues, fielded 51,313 online applications via a city website by the July 14 deadline, officials said. That’s on top of more than 2,000 paper applications filed.
“Quality affordable housing is hard to come by in East Harlem and people are desperate for spaces,” said applicant Marina Ortiz, a poet and founder of East Harlem Preservation, which works to preserve El Barrio’s cultural identity.
Tenants will be chosen by lottery for a move-in date later this year. There are strict income eligibility requirements: A single person must make no more than $35,300 annually and there’s a $50,000 limit on families of four. Priority will be given to East Harlem residents.