I received a housing lottery with over 5,000 candidates. Now I pay $1,260 a month for a brand-new house.

• Angela Santiago, a 33-year-old single mother, received a New Jersey housing lottery in 2024.

• The part-time content material creator pays $1,200 a month in hire for a brand-new two-bedroom residence.

• “We get up happier and have a greater general outlook on life,” she stated.

This as-told-to essay relies on a dialog with Angela Santiago, a 33-year-old single mother who received an residence with below-market-rate hire in Montville, a township about 30 miles west of Midtown Manhattan, by way of an inexpensive housing lottery program run by Piazza and Associates. She shared her expertise in a July TikTok video that has greater than 368,000 views. The dialog has been edited for size and readability.

I’m a single mother with a 10-year-old son who I’ve full-time.

Though his father pays little one assist, and I earn $43,000 a yr with a bachelor’s diploma, it is nonetheless been a wrestle managing payments and intensely excessive hire.

I’ve needed to work a number of aspect hustles to make ends meet, together with social media. Whereas I do not earn rather a lot, I’ve made some cash on Instagram by posting reels and not too long ago joined TikTok‘s Creator Fund, the place I additionally do product evaluations.

Nonetheless, paying for housing in New Jersey has felt unaffordable.

After I moved to my earlier residence advanced in Elizabeth in 2018, the hire for a two-bedroom residence began at $1,550 a month and elevated to $1,760 by 2024.

The advanced was outdated, and had bugs and no facilities. I wasn’t residing in an awesome space, both. The varsity district wasn’t one of the best, and there was crime, homelessness, and drug use on the streets.

I knew I needed to go away Elizabeth earlier than my son reached high-school age as a result of I needed him to be secure and obtain a greater schooling. I did not need him to be uncovered to the sorts of issues I used to be rising up. That form of setting forces children to develop up manner too quick.

I did not suppose I would win the housing lottery

In New Jersey, builders can construct massive, costly buildings so long as they reserve some models for low-income folks. This helps make it possible for everybody has a shot at affording a few of the nicer buildings.

In 2018, a former coworker instructed me about Piazza and Associates, an organization that helps low-income renters and residential consumers discover inexpensive housing.

Piazza and Associates runs a lottery program that helps these households get into houses or flats at discounted charges — relative to revenue — throughout New Jersey.

At first, this system sounded too good to be true. I additionally learn evaluations from different candidates who stated the method took a very long time and that it was tedious.

I needed to use however thought, “Yeah, proper, like I’ll win one in every of these flats.”

However final yr, a coworker of mine was shopping for a house by way of Piazza. He inspired me to use, and his success was motivational. I noticed that if he might do it, so might I.

The housing-lottery utility course of was tedious

I submitted my preliminary utility for an residence advanced in October 2023. I did not obtain a request to ship in my ultimate utility till late March. I used to be waitlisted as a result of my revenue was too excessive for the very low-income class, so I used to be moved to the low class.

In April, I obtained an e mail asking me to submit my ultimate utility. The entire course of required numerous paperwork. The stack of paperwork wanted was about three inches tall and included W-2s, six months of financial institution statements, and extra.

In July, I used to be given the OK to submit my ultimate utility for the residence advanced. I additionally needed to resubmit financial institution statements to Piazza. Later that month, I obtained my approval letter, signed my lease, after which moved into my new residence in August.

I principally hit the lottery. Within the constructing the place I dwell, solely six to 10 flats have been put aside for low-income tenants, but 5,128 folks utilized.

Our residence is new and delightful

My new residence is positioned in Montville, a really prosperous city.

The median home value is about $800,000, and the median revenue is round $134,000. The faculties are additionally superb.

My residence advanced has a number of courtyards with grills and a big rentable occasion house that features a pool desk, TVs, and a kitchenette.

Moreover, there’s an arcade, playground, gymnasium, rooftop lounge with a bar space, and a tanning part.

My residence prices $1,260 month-to-month, together with parking and a canine price.

I’ve a stunning two-bedroom, two-bathroom unit with a walk-in closet, a twin vainness within the rest room, and a balcony.

It additionally has an in-unit washer and dryer, a built-in microwave above the electrical range, and a dishwasher.

After I moved in, I removed many gadgets, together with my king-size mattress, which would not slot in my new place’s smaller bed room.

I used practically $500 from the income I earned from my movies on TikTok to purchase a sofa and a espresso desk from a neighborhood Habitat for Humanity retailer.

I’m okay with simply the fundamentals for now as a result of the chance is simply so nice.

My life has modified for the higher since profitable the housing lottery

Eradicating ourselves from the outdated constructing and city has finished wonders for our psychological well being.

Each my son and I’ve modified for the higher. We get up happier and have a greater general outlook on life.

My son is happy to discover the facilities and benefit from the sunshine. That is not like when he used to play within the car parking zone at our outdated advanced. It is nice to have a secure house for him.

The most effective a part of residing in my new constructing is simply having peace. I have never heard sirens since I moved in, and it is great to have a quiet setting with out arguments within the hallways or the disagreeable odor of medicine.

I’m additionally ready to economize to get a safer automotive now.

Lottery packages like Piazza’s are making a major impression and altering lives, which is superb.

It is particularly encouraging to see that most of the folks benefiting are Black and Brown girls, who’re getting an opportunity to be unbiased and dwell in luxurious.

Nonetheless, the method is not as quick or environment friendly because it could possibly be. Whereas they’re serving to many individuals, they’ve a lot on their plate making an attempt to get them into flats.

I consider extra packages like this, together with further assets, are wanted. Higher consciousness additionally must be raised to point out that they’re reputable and never scams.

I have been moved by feedback on my video from folks saying it gave them hope. It is heartbreaking to comprehend how many individuals are struggling and want such packages.

I simply want there have been extra alternatives accessible to those that want them.

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