In Midtown East, a new affordable housing lottery is offering something New Yorkers do not see every day: dozens of Manhattan apartments with advertised rents under $1,200 a month. The units are in a recently completed building that combines supportive shelter services with income-restricted rentals and a slate of resident amenities. Eligibility is tied to household size and income bands, and applications are now live on the city's housing portal. In a market where four-figure rents usually start with a two or a three, the numbers here have quickly caught the eye of tenants and housing advocates.
Details from the official listing
According to NYC Housing Connect, the property, listed as Willow Tree Residence, includes about 130 residential units, with 51 reserved for lower-income households. The posting notes that some studio apartments are priced in the low $1,100 range and specifies that heat and hot water are included, while tenants pay for electricity. The listing calls out a community room, an outdoor terrace, a shared laundry room, elevator service, air conditioning, and upgraded countertops and finishes. Income bands on the page show eligibility roughly between about $42,275 and $77,760 for one- and two-person New York City households.
Supportive-housing mix and who’s behind it
The project is structured as a mix of shelter and affordable apartments, with on-site services that include a ground-floor clinic and a commercial kitchen linked to a workforce program. As reported by 6sqft, the development team includes Monadnock Development working with Project Renewal, with design led by Dattner Architects. Coverage notes that the shelter component will serve single adult women and that many of the affordable apartments are reserved for people exiting homelessness. The financing package, according to that reporting, relied on city supportive-housing loans along with Low Income Housing Tax Credits.
Why these rents catch attention
Deeply subsidized apartments with rents in the low four figures almost always trigger a rush of interest and often draw hundreds of applications for each available unit. Recent coverage by Hoodline of unusually low-priced lotteries has shown how quickly demand can pile up, and research from the NYU Furman Center has documented verification and offer-processing bottlenecks that can slow move-ins even after applicants are selected. In that context, a Midtown East listing advertising rents under $1,200 was bound to ripple across city housing feeds. For many renters, it reads as a rare chance at an affordable foothold in Manhattan's market rather than just another listing.
How to apply and what to know
The official posting and local coverage state that applications are being accepted through July 3, 2026, and that interested households must apply through the city's online portal. PIX11 highlighted the lottery and its unusually low advertised rents in its report on the complex. Applicants will need to meet both household-size and income requirements and are directed to consult NYC Housing Connect for full details, including eligibility bands, preference categories, and required documentation. For questions about the process, the city advises calling 311 or using the Housing Connect help resources linked from the official listing page.
Even if only a fraction of would-be tenants end up with keys, the listing is a reminder that targeted city financing and supportive-housing partnerships can still produce genuinely low rents in Manhattan. Officials, advocates, and neighborhood groups are likely to watch how quickly offers go out and whether selected households can move in without getting stuck in long verification delays. We will continue monitoring the official listing and any updates on the lottery outcome as offers are issued.
