Free help navigating NYC’s affordable housing lottery - from your neighbors.
North Brooklyn Angels was founded as a community-driven response to the pressures gentrification has placed on our neighbors - and those pressures haven’t let up. The same forces are still at work, touching our volunteers, the people who live on these blocks, the ones who have called this neighborhood home for years. Live Local is how we’re showing up for them: neighbor-to-neighbor support for one of the most consequential and unnecessarily complicated things a New Yorker can navigate.
New developments in Greenpoint and Williamsburg are legally required to include affordable units, but HousingConnect, the city’s application platform, has a well-earned reputation for being a nightmare to get through. Applications go in with errors, people give up, and neighbors who have every right to stay end up leaving anyway.
We’re here to change that.
How it works
We are training a cohort of North Brooklyn volunteers - in partnership with St. Nicks Alliance and HPD - to sit with neighbors and help them navigate HousingConnect, start to finish. Whether you’ve never opened an application, have one in progress, or aren’t sure where yours stands, we can help you think it through.
Our volunteers can help you:
- Create or update your HousingConnect account
- Find units that match your household size and income
- Understand local preference designations you may qualify for
- Review your application before submitting
- Understand next steps if you’re selected in the HousingConnect lottery
Everything is free and confidential. We’re here to help you put your best foot forward.
Who we serve
Residents and workers in Greenpoint and Williamsburg are welcome to apply. Income guidelines vary by unit - figuring out what you may qualify for is part of what we help with.
Get on our list
We’re preparing to open appointments to the community. To be notified when sessions become available, email livelocal@northbrooklynangels.org.
Volunteer with Live Local
We’re building a cohort of neighbors who want to help their community navigate the affordable housing process. All training is provided through our partnerships with St. Nicks Alliance and HPD. You don’t need any prior experience; we’ll teach you what you need to know.
Email livelocal@northbrooklynangels.org to get involved.
Partners
Live Local is a collaborative effort among North Brooklyn Angels, St. Nicks Alliance, and the North Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce.