Mitchell-Lama Housing
Mitchell-Lama is a New York State housing program that provides
newly constructed, subsidized housing for tenants in New York of
low, moderate, and middle incomes. Mitchell-Lama, together with
the federal subsidy programs (Section 8, 236, and 221d3),
provide the bulk of New York's privately
owned subsidized housing. There are currently about 120,000
units of housing in the Mitchell-Lama program.
Mitchell-Lama apartments are in buildings constructed between
1955 and the late 1970s. About half the units are subsidized
and supervised by the city, the other half by the state. About
half of the city-supervised units are in co-ops, and the
remainder are in rentals.
Tenants looking for available apartments must apply directly to
the development. There is no master list or single place to apply
for an apartment. Lists of buildings are on the city's
housing website, and on the state
housing website.
The law authorizing the program allows owners to "opt-out" or
"buy out" after 20 years by paying off the subsidized mortgage
and refinancing with a regular market-rate loan. Once out of the
Mitchell-Lama program, owners are no longer required to rent to
tenants of limited income. The buy-out provisions in the law are
currently a tremendous threat to this very successful housing
program, and thousands of units have already been lost from the
city's stock of affordable housing.
If you would like
more information about fighting for the preservation of the
program, or your own development, contact the Mitchell-Lama
Residents Coalition:
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