Finding suitable apartments to rent in New York City can be an intimidating experience, especially in today’s real estate climate, where unpredictable prices can fluctuate every other month. It can also be challenging to navigate the city’s rental market to find safe, affordable, and long-term family housing. 

Our mission is to ensure that New Yorkers like you are empowered in their financial journeys by maintaining a financial plan and accessing resources to help them pay for essential needs outside of their budgets. In addition to our free tax prep NYC and financial counseling NYC services, we’re excited to offer our Ready to Rent program to help you be ready to apply for affordable housing. 

Ready to Rent helps New Yorkers prepare and apply for affordable housing through the NYC Housing Lottery. Applying for this program can help you ease the financial burden of rent costs, but it is in very high demand. Preparing your application and additional information, such as your credit history, is essential! You’ll want to get your application right the first time to avoid losing your place in the lottery line. 

At Ariva, you’ll receive free one-on-one financial counseling and assistance with affordable housing applications. Here’s how Ready to Rent works:

Step 1: Verifying Your Income
Our Certified Financial Counselors will review your income with you to ensure that you’re applying for apartments that you’re eligible for. One of the main reasons affordable housing applications are denied—even after being selected in the housing lottery—is that income was incorrectly calculated. This first step is important.

Step 2: Credit Report Check
Next, we’ll review your credit history with you. A good credit history helps with eligibility, but don’t worry if you’re not there yet. Our financial expert advisors can help you with the following:

  • Learn how to improve your credit score;
  • Create a repayment plan for any outstanding debt;
  • Assist in correcting errors in credit reports;
  • Find the right financial products for you to establish or improve your credit

Ready to Rent? Our free financial counseling is confidential and available in English and Spanish both in person and over the phone. The Ready to Rent program and our NYC free tax prep services are offered at our offices in the Bronx and partner locations in Brooklyn, Queens, and Manhattan.

We can help you secure an affordable place you and your family can call home! Check our frequently asked questions for more information, and schedule a free session today.

Ready to Rent is a collaboration between Ariva, the Department of Housing Preservation & Development (HPD), and the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection’s Office of Financial Empowerment (DCWP OFE)& is funded by the New York City Council. Additional information about the program can be found here.