The New York City Council on Oct. 9 approved reforms to the city’s Housing Connect portal intended to reduce confusing or misleading information for applicants to affordable housing lotteries. Intro 12‑65, sponsored by Council Member Pirena Anna Sanchez, requires the Housing Connect site to provide email and text notifications about updates to applications and to permit users to designate a representative to receive notices on their behalf.
Council Member Sanchez told colleagues the lottery system currently produces an overwhelming volume of applicants for each unit and that applicants often receive misleading eligibility flags; she said the changes will limit unnecessary information, flag important actions, and create a representative role for applicants with limited technological proficiency.
The bill directs the Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) to solicit feedback from community‑based organizations that assist applicants and to make technical changes that reduce false hope and improve user experience. Sponsors cited citywide demand for affordable units — hundreds of applicants per available unit — and described the reform as a way to increase access and reduce barriers for older or less tech‑savvy applicants.
Intro 12‑65 was amended and coupled on the general orders calendar and adopted as part of the package the council approved on the floor; the clerk reported the general orders calendar passed. The council recorded that applications typically outnumber available units by several hundred to one, and debate noted that roughly 40% of applications are flagged as ineligible under current processes; the bill requires HPD to provide clearer notifications and to create a representative designation to receive updates on an applicant’s behalf.
Supporters said the changes will improve transparency and access for applicants and the community organizations that help them navigate lotteries; the bill also requires ongoing agency engagement with groups on the ground.