How I won a one bedroom through NYC's housing lottery and finally have an apartment to myself
- Kayla was renting with roommates when she won a $1,482 rental in the Bronx
- She watched the construction of her new building from her former apartment
Kayla with her dog in her new, rent-stabilized apartment in the Bronx.
Photo courtesy Molly Stromoski
Kayla McMillan is a 27-year-old, life-long New Yorker working in healthcare management in Manhattan. After years of renting with roommates in every borough but Queens, Kayla wanted the freedom of living by herself. She began applying to NYC’s affordable housing lottery. In 2021, Kayla was selected for an apartment on the same block where she lived. Eleven months later, she moved in. This is her story, as told to Celia Young.
Before I won my apartment, I was renting a room for about a year in the Bronx. I was just tired of renting rooms with strangers and taking monthly subleases. I was living within walking distance from the apartment I won. After I got called to submit documents for this building, I was able to see it being built, because I lived across the street. And the move-in process was super easy.
[Editor’s note: Brick Underground's Inside Stories features first-person accounts of dramatic, real-life New York City real estate experiences.]
Taking applying more seriously
I grew up in the city, so I like to say I’m a true New Yorker. I was born in Brooklyn, and my family and I moved around a lot—in Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Staten Island.
I’ve always known that there was a [housing lottery], but I never took it seriously until I was renting rooms and getting very frustrated. I was unhappy where I was renting—with the rooms, the roommates, and the strangers—I was feeling uncomfortable and just wanted my own space. I started taking it more seriously during the pandemic, and applying more frequently, but I’ve been applying since around 2019.
I wasn’t nitpicky at all—I was applying to all boroughs. I was willing to go anywhere; I just wanted to have my own place. I was getting to that point where I wanted more privacy.
Watching the building across the street
I saw this building being built because I lived across the street. Once the application opened online in 2021, I applied. Several months later, I got an email saying that my application was selected for further processing, and they asked me to submit more documents.
Once I submitted the documents, I hadn’t heard from them, but I saw that the construction workers were still working on the building. So I emailed the project manager and owner to follow up, and they actually gave me an update saying they had received my documents, but they were still finishing the apartments.
That was discouraging, but I waited. I watched the building be built. And a year after I originally submitted documents, I got an email asking for new documents. At that time, I was in a new job making more money, so all the documents that I sent in before were no longer valid. It was like I was back to the beginning. But the process moved more quickly because by that time the building was done.
[In July] I got to view the apartment. I loved it. I told them yes immediately. And over the next several days, I went to their management office, gave them the deposit, and picked up my keys.
Loving living alone, even with a higher price
I pay $1,482 a month, before utilities. Before this, I was just renting a room, so it's way more expensive. But I know compared to market prices right now, I am really lucky. I have friends that are looking now, and they're paying $1,800, $1,900, even $2,000 for a one bedroom just to have a shoebox.
I love living alone. I was looking forward to this my whole life. When I was renting rooms, I just couldn't wait to live on my own but have privacy and host game nights and just be on my couch, without being worried about anyone's opinion. I feel like everyone should experience living alone at some point in their life.
I hosted a July 4th cookout. I’ve had plenty of girls' game nights and movie nights. I’ve definitely gotten my money’s worth out of the apartment.
A place to save and plan for the future
If I had a regular apartment, my rent would go up no matter what. The landlord can do anything he wants to do. So I’m happy that it’s rent stabilized.
I'm happy that I'm able to live all the rest of my days here comfortably, but I do see myself leaving New York, and seeing what life is like outside of the city. But for now, I am going to stay and save up and prepare myself for a big move and big change. But whether that's in two years, three years, or one year, I'll still be in my Bronx apartment and safe here.
Advice to others applying
Everyone’s experience will be different. My advice is have all your documents ready and accessible because when they call you, they want you to reply the same day. Get your pay stubs, make sure you have access to your tax returns, your bank account statements, things like that.
And I will always say to check your emails. Check spam. Check your profile and make sure you’re reading every message.
