New York, March 6, 2026 – The lottery application for the Willets Point Commons, a large affordable housing project in Queens, New York, has closed on February 25th. The New York City Housing Preservation and Development Department (HPD) has reported an “overwhelming” number of applications, with the first batch of residents expected to move in this spring.
The project consists of two affordable housing buildings, totaling 880 units, with 747 units available for lottery and the remaining 133 units allocated through a city program to accommodate homeless individuals. The units range from studios to three-bedroom apartments, with the New York City FC’s new soccer-specific stadium located nearby.
The lottery application process opened in December 2025 and closed on February 25, 2026. Monthly rents start at $486 for studios and go up to $4,244 for the highest-priced three-bedroom units. Approximately half of the units are reserved for applicants with incomes at or below 120% of the area median income, while the remaining 219 units are set aside for low-income families earning 60% of the AMI or less, reflecting a broad range of housing needs from very low income to middle-class households.
Dina Levy, the Commissioner of HPD, stated, “The number of applicants far exceeded the available slots, demonstrating the high demand for high-quality, affordable housing.” However, she did not disclose the total number of applications received.
Eric Enderlin, President of the New York City Housing Development Corporation (HDC), described this as a “transformational moment” for the Willets Point community.
Queens Borough President Donovan Richards emphasized that this “transformative redevelopment” will enhance the lives of thousands of New Yorkers: “With the first 880 families expected to move in this spring, we look forward to accelerating the development of the remaining 1,600 affordable units together with the government and private sector.”
The project is led by the Queens Development Group, a joint venture between Related Companies and Sterling Equities, in collaboration with HPD and HDC.
The overall redevelopment plan for Willets Point will deliver 2,500 permanent affordable units, including the third building set to start construction this spring – 220 units of affordable housing for seniors, a new public school, over 150,000 square feet of open space, a new hotel, and the Etihad Park soccer stadium capable of accommodating 25,000 people.
This project not only marks the largest 100% affordable housing initiative in New York City in the past 40 years but also symbolizes a milestone in Willets Point’s transformation from industrial wasteland to a livable, mixed-use community.