Do you rent or own? Share your story with us for a chance to be featured in a future installment of Unlocked: forms.gle/jXxFsQnUtHNSHBDu6

The fact that this apartment would be over 5 grand a month if she hadn't won the lottery is crazy. Nobody should have to pay that much rent.

@qikstar

Ай бұрын

You can get a 2 or 3 bedroom luxury apt in downtown Chicago or Miami Brickell for that price

@thehungrygoldfish

Ай бұрын

@@qikstarCool, how long wound the commute to NYC be? I have to wake up at 5 and be there at 7.

@qikstar

Ай бұрын

@@thehungrygoldfish change companies, transfer, or work remote like all the other smart ppl, genius!

@thehungrygoldfish

Ай бұрын

@@qikstar But what if you actually like your job and your co workers and you don’t want to change jobs? And you’d probably have your take a drastic pay cut as well.

@totesgene

Ай бұрын

But no one has to live in New York City.

Winner here as well, and this have allowed me to not only increase my income, but I can actually save close to 1000 dollars per month and pay off all my debt! It is really like winning the lottery!

@blutru1328

Ай бұрын

Congratulations and God's continued best to you and your family always ! Enjoy your blessing !

@Pinkkermit17

Ай бұрын

Shouldn’t have to be that way.. those apt are not worth that much,, even the “ lottery price” is overpriced .

@HappilyCarnivore

Ай бұрын

@@Pinkkermit17 Re: even the lottery price is overpriced. Not really. I live in a small town in Texas where the cost of living is MUCH lower than in NYC. I live in a really old and trashy trailer park. I've been here for 12 years and am thankfully grandfathered in at $450/month, but recently I asked my landlord how much the rent was for a new tenant and he's renting these old frankentrailers for between $800 and $900/month. Which I'll admit he's probably overcharging, but I just did a quick search and 1 bd 1 bth apartments don't go lower than $900, and the ones that low are not ones near as big and nice as the one this woman is in. Sadly rent and mortgage is just grossly unaffordable right now.

@jessicab331

Ай бұрын

@@Pinkkermit17NYC is seriously a ridiculous place!

@alanamonique84

13 күн бұрын

Congratulations!!! That’s amazing!

Thank you so much guys, I had a wonderful time being interviewed by you ! ❤❤

@Princess-Jellyfish

Ай бұрын

So happy for you, also you are gorgeous

@billjohnson7904

Ай бұрын

So is it about 725 sq ft total?

@billjohnson7904

Ай бұрын

@@Princess-Jellyfish Thank you

@claygardner4732

Ай бұрын

Good for you! The place looks awesome. Enjoy your peace 😌

@pcos3607

Ай бұрын

Where can we apply? I’m single mother with 2 kids in Harlem , struggling

My daughter has recently been applying for the New York housing lottery. I sent this to her for inspiration on not loosing faith. Congratulations on finding your safe place.

My life would change so much if i had that extra $900 monthly. I could eat properly. Buy essentials when i need them. Restart my 401k. Not stress month to month. The list goes on. Good for her!

🙋🏽‍♀️ NYC housing lottery winner here and I can say rent control for my 2 bedroom apartment in BedStuy, Brooklyn is amazing, I love it 🙏🏽

@cocabrat

Ай бұрын

how long did you wait?

@tiffanyi5645

Ай бұрын

I’ve actually won twice, the first time was for low income housing back in 2009 it took me a little under 2 years from the time I began applying. The second lottery was for middle income housing and went much faster! I began applying in Jan 2021 and was moved in by Nov 2021. I think the trick is a good credit score, once I authorized the credit check I was offered the apartment the same week and of course my rent and security deposit were ready to go. I pay $2200 for a 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom, in-unit washer/dryer and (my favorite!) a small balcony 🙏🏽❤️ my income at that time was $94k. I hope you get your Dream apartment good luck!!

I won as well. It's one of my biggest blessings! Congrats Nkenge! By the way I love your KZread channel.

@itsnkenge

Ай бұрын

CONGRATS TO YOU TOO! And thank you! 🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾

@candylove49

Ай бұрын

Congratulations! Such a blessing ❤❤❤

@Rashaadthegr8

Ай бұрын

Congrats! Why not just move to more affordable housing then you never have to worry about winning.

@St.Raphael-wh7dr

Ай бұрын

@@Rashaadthegr8 That's why she applied, and this time she won. She now has the housing she wanted so that she can make her dreams come true.

@Rashaadthegr8

Ай бұрын

@@St.Raphael-wh7dr maybe.

After over 15 years I was finally called and my studio apartment is $1178 it will let me save so much money

@rarejourneys

Ай бұрын

After 15, that’s wild

@msbrooke1488

Ай бұрын

Congratulations! People won't understand until they've lived in NYC. Very happy for you!

@michelewilliams2920

Ай бұрын

@@msbrooke1488 thanks

@sidny0426

Ай бұрын

Waited 15 years for a studio apt??

@michelewilliams2920

Ай бұрын

@@sidny0426 didn’t want a studio but the rent was to good to turn down.

$997 monthly rent with 5% increases every two years, yeah if I was her, I wouldn't move out for any reason, she's got it too good here!!

@lillypaul7514

Ай бұрын

Thought the same thing! I would live there for at least a decade or more

@kevinb8881

Ай бұрын

@@lillypaul7514 Yes!!!

@milagroelguerayllescas9091

Ай бұрын

Exactly!

She truly won because rent in the Flatiron district is insane

@irvinperez2987

Ай бұрын

I TRULY do not understand why anyone even says this anymore, is there ANYWHERE in NYC where the rent isnt insane??? Therefore that becomes the average/norm and not really insane anymore lol

@oshinofalakoju5749

Ай бұрын

@@irvinperez2987 There are definitely places in NYC where the rent is a lot cheaper than Flatiron. Places in the Bronx go as low as $600 for a 2 bedroom, but it heavily depends on what you're willing to give up in exchange for lower rent bc the neighborhoods... are not jogger friendly, if I'm phrasing it lightly. Regardless, NYC is def an EXPENSIVE city to live in.

@jessicab331

Ай бұрын

@@irvinperez2987i think you’re correct! And what’s even more insane are the bs reasons ppl have for staying in that city!

@AkinolaAdeyemi-pu6vq

29 күн бұрын

The rent here in NYC has always been on the high side. But it's worth it

I love this for her. A safe, beautiful bright affordable space in the city you were born and raised has a tremendous impact on your well being. It's hard for those big city kids whose parent(s) couldn't get on the property ladder when prices were more affordable. They watch their neighborhoods become gentrified at a pace they can't keep up with.

One-bedroom apartment market rates in her building $5903-$8153 a month, LORD JESUS!!!

@wintersantiago2274

Ай бұрын

The people paying market rent should move out if they’re struggling to pay for the same or similar floor plan.

@kevinb8881

Ай бұрын

@@wintersantiago2274 I KNOW RIGHT!!!

@byiza9484

Ай бұрын

What the market will bear. Some people make a lotta money

Not me immediately Googling to see if there's a housing lottery in my state. So happy for this lady!

Congratulations on winning the apartment lottery and being able to achieve your financial goals.

Congratulations to her for actually winning the lottery! I have been applying for a NYC Housing Connect apartment as a Native New Yorker for three years and still no luck! One day my application will be selected!

@jsmith5509

Ай бұрын

@BeccaSupreme, keep applying!!! There are so many new buildings becoming available for the lottery!

@dredayful

Ай бұрын

I pray this happens for you. Wait well. God’s Timing is everything. ❤

@grainofsalt2113

Ай бұрын

it will! i hope that for you

@azulparra2339

Ай бұрын

8:06

@mickiemang2621

Ай бұрын

Keep at it! I applied from 2003 -2010 when i finally got my apt. I've been living there since. It will change your life for the better.

Congratulations lady Nkenge and the 9,999 other families who won the New York City Housing lottery in 2023 !!! God's continued best to you all always !

You should not need to win a housing lottery to be able to afford rent anywhere.

@CP-ke5pr

Ай бұрын

Right it’s so sad

@1rotimi

Ай бұрын

Welcome to America

@MPPG663

Ай бұрын

Exactly. Reading the comments... it's almost like people don't see how strange and unnerving this is.

@iomis2001

Ай бұрын

@@MPPG663 Yeah having to win a lottery so you can afford a roof over year head is really not a positive.

@maryomoimole

Ай бұрын

The people praising the method in the larger comment section are enablers.

My best friend in NY was telling me how his younger sister won a housing lottery, I was like wow I didn't know those things existed. Good for her

I've applied to over 1,000 A.F. housing apartments! Something in me refuse to stop😂😂😂 congratulations girl🙌🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾

Absolutely insane that people need to hit a housing lottery in NY to afford to exist there. The way things work is NOT normal and neither is folks willing to pay $6000+ to live in NY.

@thehungrygoldfish

Ай бұрын

There are other options but living alone in a nice apartment has always been a luxury in hcol areas.

@lovejones0686

Ай бұрын

I miss the Mitchell Llama Apts. Those weren't lotteries. They were truly income based but stock was limited as well. Plus your rent when scored one included EVERYTHING (rent +utilities)

*DONALD NATHAN SCOTT.*

I was earning only 40k a few years ago and I applied for these rent lotteries. I finally heard back from one them last year saying I won one. But I earned more after 3 years wait so I no longer qualified. I almost cried out when I was reading that rent offer letter, and there was a moment that I seriously considered if I should just quit my job to move in that apt....

@conejita

Ай бұрын

Omg this is what i fear i would be so so peeved

@saaunique

Ай бұрын

You need to update your pay each year on the website after you do you taxes.

@stockholmpublishings2937

Ай бұрын

had you been smart you would've talked to your employeer and asked them to lower your salary.

@vonettadevo

Ай бұрын

@@stockholmpublishings2937LOL, really?

@lolad6083

Ай бұрын

@@stockholmpublishings2937it doesn’t work like that. They calculate your income average. The employer already paid out the salary.

Congrats to Nkenge, Stay Blessed. Good luck to all waiting patiently.

Super happy she won , it’s tons of people like myself and others who are born and were raised their whole life in nyc but can’t get an apartment through housing connect it sucks. I love the pricing and amenities that come with her apartment. Must be nice I hope to win soon.

She has excellent taste

@patriceacker1504

Ай бұрын

No forreal! Her space is so so beautiful

I done this in downtown Dallas and my apartment was $910 at the time and the market rent was $1500. It was such a steal and we call them in town units!

This is super inspiring and gives me some kind of hope.

I love your style and furnishings, especially al the plants. Beautiful.

Love this for you! ❤❤❤❤

So happy for her, this is awesome.

Wonderful! You really did win the lottery!

This is fantastic! So happy for you, Nkenge!

You give me hope. I have been waiting for 3 years.

I am happy for you!! This is amazing ! May you continue to flourish ❤

Wow I had no idea affordable housing in NYC could be so nice! Congrats to her 🎉 hopefully, others will get the opportunity since the city’s so unaffordable for many.

@JuiCebaYbeE

Ай бұрын

Thats not the normal price. The other people in the building is paying as much as $8k a month.

@Gabriela.H

Ай бұрын

Yes but thats lottery housing through Housing Connect. Normal low income housing in NY is the projects - which is not nice at allll lol

@elenavelasquez208

Ай бұрын

@@JuiCebaYbeEobviously I watched the video and saw the market rental rates for others living in the building! I specifically said I didn’t know affordable housing could look like that because it’s usually in rougher neighborhoods from my understanding.

Beautiful home. Nicely designed by her.

Absolutely love ❤ this!!! Well done 👍🏾

Beautiful apt, beautifully decorated. Happy for you!

yay extremely happy for her ❤everyone deserves a nice place to stay

My three favorite channels: CNBC Make It, Stock Brotha, & How Money Works. Make my week complete! 🔥 🔥 🔥

Congrats 💯💯💯

So happy for you! Very tasteful decoration too!🎉

Fantastic ! Congratulations 😊

Congrats we need more of these stories! 🙌🏾 I’m throwing my hat in to for the NYC lottery 😉

Love to see it

I love it they gave it to the right person because I see people win those and the place look crazy plus being SOLO is a Plus keep going queen 👑

THERE ARE NYC LOTTERY APARTMENTS FOR PEOPLE MAKING OVER $150K. IT'S NOT JUST FOR LOWER INCOMES! You need to apply to buildings you're qualified for based on YOUR INCOME AND FAMILY SIZE!

@BeccaSupreme9197

Ай бұрын

EXACTLY!

@local3mechanic

Ай бұрын

They want you to pay 2k+ how is that affordable even if you make 150k

@africanbeauty7

Ай бұрын

@@local3mechanicTHANK YOU!! Because if you’re single and have no children like myself your $130K gross salary is really only $75K net.

@dubreil07

Ай бұрын

Idk why I look at market rate apartments all the time and see apartments that 150K earners can afford.

beautiful home!! love the greenery in this apartment!

I hope she says there for as long as she can. Very nice place in a beautiful part of the city

FELICIDADES👏 Your home is as beautiful, warm, bright, and welcoming as you and your really gorgeous smile. My first time learning about the housing lottery.

Loved it

My daughter won a lottery getting into an apartment downtown Bklyn…it was hellacious..having to prove status every 4-6 months, cold water, ( we found out that lower incomes were on separate water lines.) and the only access to immenities was to pay a separate fee that was exorbitantly high. We were told that the status proving was random, but my daughter was selected 3-4 times a year. Complaints fell on deaf ears. My daughter worked in the area so saved a lot on carfare , but eventually after 3 years left and has since purchased a home. I am happy for Ms. Nkenge and hope she continues to enjoy her lovely home and neighborhood.

Nkenge, so happy for you. ENJOY!!!!!

Go girl! Good 4 u! 🎉🎉

Great video 😊

Great location! Happy for you, sis!🙌🏾💖

I left a rough home at 17 and was very poor for a very long time. Housing was always a struggle and I lived in some appalling and precarious situations. Sometimes, I had to stay with sexual predators, in filth and surrounded by drugs, just so I wouldn't be on the street. I finally built a career for myself and was doing okay, when middle age approached and all those injuries from the child abuse caught up to me and I became physically disabled and unable to work. This happened just as housing prices in my city sky rocketed above those in NYC. Imagine the terror! A few years later, I met my husband, who was also poor, and a single father too. He started a small business that is now doing very well and two years ago we bought a house! I cannot tell you how wonderful it is to feel secure in my housing for the first time in my life. But here's the thing: I'm 53 and I still have nightmares about homelessness. In these nightmares, I struggle horribly to find an apartment I can afford and somehow make into home that I will never leave. Those years of poverty stick with me. In these nightmares, I long for something exactly like what this woman has. It makes me feel calm and relaxed just watching how calm and relaxed she is knowing that she has a really decent home that she can afford and can keep as long as she wants. Her story would be the perfect ending to my nightmares, turning them into dreams come true for my younger self.

The housing lottery is definately a game changer, especially in NYC.

This is so good.

Amazing!!!! Beautiful taste!!!

Congratulations to you, awesome!!

Amazing! Good for her!

God Bless you, Sis!! What a beautiful space!

This is a great story worth being told! We look forward to seeing her step into home ownership in the next few years ❤

@manonamission2000

Ай бұрын

LMAO

Beautiful and Congratulations!

I absolutely love this for her!

I’m so happy for her, that’s amazing. Good for her!

So happy to see it work for someone! For those not from NYC the lottery prices can vary greatly. It varies on building, location, income, family size and apartment size. For me personally most I have looked at applying for would actually be more than the place I found but I still keep my eye out as a native NYer. Regardless she got truly blessed and so happy for her.

@maryomoimole

Ай бұрын

Yeah, after years of suffering.

Beautiful home!

So beautiful, I love your story ❤

Congrats young lady in so many levels! Great location, luxury building, affordable rent, a nice comfy unit illuminated by much natural light! ENJOY for years to come!

Omg. I was just looking into this! It’s a sign!

Yay 😁 that’s so awesome. I wish more people get this!! So cool

She is awesome. I’m so happy for her.

I love how she decorated her place. So cute.

You have a wonderful cozy apt and I see you have beautiful plants and pretty cats😊 congratulations 🎊🎉🎈

I'm super happy for her. However, so many people abuse the system which is why I don't like it. There are countless people who win these lotteries and then rent the apartment and live somewhere else. I worked with a Portuguese woman who did that.

The housing affordability crisis nationwide is so bad you have to win a lottery to get something you can afford just think about that. I pay 4011 a month for a 2 bed 2 bath in SF at 1100 sq ft. It's insane.

She looks so prosperous. More people need low rent so they can access happiness.

Congratulations!!!

Happy for her! I wish we had this in South Florida. The prices here are outrageous!

I know you say you want to save to buy a house but please never give up your beautiful and affordable apartment!!! That is priceless 🤩🤩

I wish the US would stop sponsoring wars everywhere and focus on the wellbeing of its own people like her. Provide your own people with affordable housing, free or affordable education and free healthcare. It's Americans like her who are paying taxes, they deserve ALL of it back!

I lived in NYC for 13 years and got called back many times from lottery housing. First couple times I lost my job so I couldnt move forward in the process. The ones after, I had already gotten my own luxury apt in the Bronx (yes, there are many luxury buildings there) so I wasn’t going to break my lease. Right before I moved to Florida at the end of 2023, I got called back like 10 times for different buildings but didnt take them because the rent was what I was already paying since my income had gone up. I also wanted to leave NYC. But its crazy how once I started making more money, the more call backs I was getting. I think its because the lower income brackets have so much competition.

Good for her everyone deserves a safe, comfortable home they can afford. And she has really made the space her own.

She was really persistence and i love this for her. More cities should do this!! Also where did you get that thing for her jewelry? I love that

I also live in an apartment i won through the lottery. Its been a life saver. With my income i wouldn't be able to afford to stay in NYC. Unfortunately there are a lot of hurdles just to get the apartment.

🎉🎉 congratulations🎉🎉

Congratulations

What a blessing ❤

Good for her. I love the lighting and the way she decorated.

Nice apartment. Congratulations on your win!

It is beautiful! Congratulations!

Congratulations!

Love her style and interior design

OMG, I am from Brooklyn! Cool NYC apartment! You go girl.

Great for you! Your place is beautiful.

Nice video 📹

Congratulations to you!!! With the housing market high and struggling to make ends meet that's great your application is selected!!!!