Mosaic South in Albany's South End: 166 Affordable Apartments From $1,013 a Month Around Second Avenue and Broad Street

20 min readBy VoucherMatch Editorial Team
Rendering of a row of three-story buildings with gray, blue and green siding, front stoops with black railings and a brick building at the right, seen from the street
Rendering of new buildings at Mosaic South in Albany's South End. Photo: Mosaic South, from the leasing site, marketing image, via mosaicsouthalbany.com (cropped).
Quick answerAs of October 6, 2026, the waitlist for Mosaic South in Albany, New York is open on the State's housing search site, with no deadline and no application fee. Mosaic South is 166 income-restricted apartments in 62 new buildings around Second Avenue, Broad Street and South Pearl Street in the South End. Rents run from $1,013 to $2,635 a month for one to four bedrooms. The listing says its minimum income "may not apply" to applicants with Section 8. Completion is expected in December 2027.

Last checked: October 6, 2026, against the NYS Housing Search listing, HCR000272, the leasing site, the City of Albany Industrial Development Agency's project record and September 18, 2025 release, the Albany County Land Bank's project page, the State's environmental notice of September 11, 2024, City of Albany building permits BLDG26-68481 and BLDG26-71842, a Times Union report of October 5, 2026, and HUD's fiscal year 2027 fair market rents. The State listing sets the rents; confirm there before you apply.

Mosaic South in numbers
  • 166income-restricted apartments, in 62 new buildings
  • $1,013the lowest rent, for a one-bedroom at 50% of area median income
  • $30,390the lowest qualifying income without a rental subsidy
  • Aug. 6, 2026the waitlist start date in the State's record; the deadline reads "Ongoing"
  • December 2027the expected completion date on the State's construction sign
  • 0.1 milesfrom the middle of the sites to the BusPlus Blue Line stop at Second Avenue

What Mosaic South Is and Who Is Building It

Mosaic South is 166 new rental apartments in 62 two- and three-story buildings on 64 vacant or underused lots in Albany's South End, and every apartment is income-restricted.

  • Names: Mosaic South on the State listing, the leasing site and the construction sign. The Albany County Land Bank also calls it the South End Cluster Co-Development, and the State's environmental notice calls it the South Albany Scattered Site Project. The owner of record is South End Second Ave, LLC.
  • Who is behind it: the City of Albany Industrial Development Agency (IDA) names the Land Bank and "the Joint Venture of MDG-RNY Real Estate Partners, LLC and Novis Living, LLC". The Land Bank's page names Toporovsky & Sons Realty Corporation with MDG Design & Construction, and its newsletters spell the partner "Novus Living". The logo on the construction sign reads Novis Living.
  • Builder and leasing: the IDA application names Pike Construction Services as general contractor. The listing's contact address is at wingatecompanies.com.
  • Cost: $97.3 million according to the IDA and the Land Bank. The State's December 2025 financing announcement lists "$87 million for Mosaic South in Albany". The Times Union, on October 5, 2026, called it "a $100 million project to build 167 new residential units" with "an official price tag of $97 million".
  • Program: federal and State low-income housing tax credits and State financing, with a property tax agreement from the IDA. The application says the affordability agreement runs "generally no less than 30 years".
Blue and white construction sign reading New York State Homes and Community Renewal, Mosaic South, expected completion date December 2027, South End Second Ave LLC, with Albany County Land Bank, Novis Living and MDG logos
The State's construction sign at Mosaic South, photographed March 31, 2026. Photo: Albany County Land Bank Corporation, project photograph, via albanycountylandbank.org (cropped).
Mosaic South, from vacant lots to an open waitlist
  • September 11, 2024the State publishes the City Planning Board's finding of no significant environmental impact.
  • September 18, 2025the City of Albany IDA approves a tax agreement for the owner.
  • December 2025financing closes, according to the Land Bank.
  • March 31, 2026the City issues new-construction permit BLDG26-68481 for 137 Broad Street.
  • June 8, 2026the Land Bank reports that "walls are going up on more and more new homes".
  • July 20, 2026lottery run date in the State's listing record.
  • August 6, 2026waitlist start date in the same record.
  • December 2027expected completion.

What it means: the first lottery has been drawn, so a new application joins a waitlist for apartments that are still under construction.

Source: Environmental Notice Bulletin, September 11, 2024; City of Albany IDA project record; Albany County Land Bank project page and June 8, 2026 newsletter; City of Albany permit portal, read October 6, 2026, which also shows permit BLDG26-71842 for 15 Teunis Street, issued July 8, 2026; NYS Housing Search listing HCR000272.

A three-story wood-framed building wrapped in green sheathing behind a construction fence with a Pike Construction Services banner, between two brick buildings
A Mosaic South building under construction in the South End, photographed June 8, 2026. Photo: Albany County Land Bank Corporation, project photograph, via albanycountylandbank.org (cropped).

Where the 62 Buildings Are

The buildings stand on scattered lots within a few blocks of Second Avenue and Broad Street in the South End, in ZIP code 12202.

StreetAddresses in the State's notice
Broad Street85-89, 129-133, 137-145, 151, 155 and 159
Clinton Street117, 134-138 and 145-147
Second Avenue10, 23, 33, 38, 44, 47 and 51-53
South Pearl Street325, 329 and 331
Teunis Street1, 4, 8-16, 15-35 and 24-28
Third Avenue29, 33-35, 36 and 49-57

What it means: an apartment could be on any of these blocks. The listing does not say which sizes are at which address, so ask the leasing office.

Source: Environmental Notice Bulletin, September 11, 2024, negative declaration for the "South Albany Scattered Site Project". The Land Bank's page adds Stephen Street; the State's notice and the IDA do not. Ten of these addresses, run through the Census Bureau's geocoder, all returned ZIP code 12202.

The IDA says "All of the parcels are located within a half-mile of each other in an historic district."

Aerial rendering of South End blocks with the new Mosaic South buildings shown in color among existing buildings shown in gray
Aerial rendering, dated July 2025, of where the Mosaic South buildings sit among existing blocks. Photo: City of Albany Industrial Development Agency project file, project rendering, via albanyida.com (cropped).

Rents and Income Ranges at Mosaic South

The State listing prices 72 apartments for households at 50% of the area median income, 75 at 60% and 19 at 80%, with one rent for each size and level.

ApartmentsRentPeopleYearly income
32 one-bedrooms, 50% AMI$1,0131 to 2$30,390 to $49,250
24 two-bedrooms, 50% AMI$1,2242 to 3$36,720 to $55,400
16 three-bedrooms, 50% AMI$1,4083 to 5$42,240 to $66,500
18 one-bedrooms, 60% AMI$1,2441 to 2$37,320 to $59,100
35 two-bedrooms, 60% AMI$1,5012 to 3$45,030 to $66,480
18 three-bedrooms, 60% AMI$1,7283 to 5$51,840 to $79,800
4 four-bedrooms, 60% AMI$1,9204 to 6$57,600 to $85,680
5 one-bedrooms, 80% AMI$1,7051 to 2$51,150 to $78,800
10 two-bedrooms, 80% AMI$2,0552 to 3$61,650 to $88,650
3 three-bedrooms, 80% AMI$2,3693 to 5$71,070 to $106,400
1 four-bedroom, 80% AMI$2,6354 to 6$79,050 to $114,300

What it means: find the row for the size you need, then check your household's maximum below.

Source: NYS Housing Search listing HCR000272, read October 5 and October 6, 2026; the two readings matched. Rent includes water, sewer and trash removal. The top of each range is for the largest household allowed.

Apartments at Mosaic South by size and income level, number of apartments
50% AMI60% AMI80% AMI
View the data table
Size50% AMI60% AMI80% AMI
1 bedroom32185
2 bedrooms243510
3 bedrooms16183
4 bedrooms041

What it means: two-bedrooms at 60% are the largest group. Only five apartments have four bedrooms, and none is at 50%.

Source: the same listing.

Household size50% AMI maximum60% AMI maximum80% AMI maximum
1 person$43,100$51,720$68,950
2 people$49,250$59,100$78,800
3 people$55,400$66,480$88,650
4 people$61,550$73,860$98,500
5 people$66,500$79,800$106,400
6 peoplenot offered$85,680$114,300

What it means: your household's yearly income before taxes has to be at or under the number for your size. County figures are on the Albany County income limits page.

Source: the same listing. The 50% and 80% columns match HUD's fiscal year 2026 income limits for the Albany-Schenectady-Troy area, where the median family income is $123,100.

Watch outevery minimum in the listing equals 30 times the monthly rent, so the rent is 40% of income at the bottom of each range. Without a rental subsidy, a household earning under $30,390 does not qualify for any apartment here. There are no studios, and a household of six can apply only for the five four-bedrooms.

Using a Section 8 Voucher at Mosaic South

The State listing says the minimum income "may not apply" to voucher holders, and federal tax-credit law bars a building like this one from turning a renter away for holding a voucher.

The rules, quoted
  • The State listing"Minimum income listed may not apply to applicants with Section 8 or other qualifying rental subsidies. Asset limits may apply."
  • Federal tax-credit lawthe building's agreement must be one "which prohibits the refusal to lease to a holder of a voucher or certificate of eligibility under section 8" (26 U.S.C. 42(h)(6)(B)(iv)).
  • The Albany Housing Authority"The family may choose a unit with a higher rent than the payment standard and pay the owner the difference."
  • The federal limit on that differenceat move-in, "the family share must not exceed 40 percent of the family's adjusted monthly income" (24 CFR 982.508).

What it means: the maximum income still applies with a voucher, and the rent still has to fit it.

Source: listing HCR000272; the Albany Housing Authority's voucher questions page; the statute and regulation linked above.

The Albany Housing Authority does not post its payment standards. Its Section 8 Administrative Plan commits to keeping them "between 90 and 110 percent of the published FMR for each unit size". The chart shows that range, not the Authority's own figure.

Monthly rent at Mosaic South against 90% and 110% of HUD's fiscal year 2027 fair market rent for the Albany area, in dollars
Rent at Mosaic South90% of HUD's rent110% of HUD's rent
View the data table
ApartmentRent at Mosaic South90% of HUD's rent110% of HUD's rent
1 bedroom, 50% AMI$1,013$1,283$1,568
1 bedroom, 60% AMI$1,244$1,283$1,568
1 bedroom, 80% AMI$1,705$1,283$1,568
2 bedrooms, 50% AMI$1,224$1,540$1,882
2 bedrooms, 60% AMI$1,501$1,540$1,882
2 bedrooms, 80% AMI$2,055$1,540$1,882
3 bedrooms, 50% AMI$1,408$1,835$2,243
3 bedrooms, 60% AMI$1,728$1,835$2,243
3 bedrooms, 80% AMI$2,369$1,835$2,243
4 bedrooms, 60% AMI$1,920$2,024$2,474
4 bedrooms, 80% AMI$2,635$2,024$2,474

What it means: all 147 apartments at 50% and 60% rent for less than the bottom of the range. All 19 at 80% rent for $126 to $173 more than the top of it.

Source: rents from the State listing; HUD's fiscal year 2027 fair market rents for the Albany-Schenectady-Troy area ($1,425, $1,711, $2,039 and $2,249 for one to four bedrooms, utilities included), in effect since October 1, 2026; 90% and 110% calculated by VoucherMatch and rounded to the dollar.

  • Ask for the real number. Call the Authority at 518-641-7500 for the payment standard for your voucher size. See the Albany Section 8 guide.
  • Utilities are counted. The listing does not say who pays for heat and electricity. What you pay yourself is added to the rent before it is compared with the standard. See how the utility allowance works.
  • Voucher size matters. The standard follows the bedroom size on your voucher. See a two-bedroom with a one-bedroom voucher.
  • The State law is in court. On March 5, 2026 the appeals court that covers Albany held New York's source-of-income protection unconstitutional as it applies to Section 8; the Attorney General has appealed. The federal tax-credit rule is separate. See the Commons West ruling. Complaints go to the City's Fair Housing Office, 518-807-1998.
Rendering of a kitchen with navy blue cabinets, white subway tile, a stainless steel refrigerator and an electric range on a wood-look floor
Rendering of a kitchen at Mosaic South. Finishes in a finished apartment should be confirmed with the leasing office. Photo: Mosaic South, from the leasing site, marketing image, via mosaicsouthalbany.com (cropped).

How the Rents Compare With Typical Rents in ZIP Code 12202

The 50% apartments are well under what HUD estimates an ordinary apartment rents for in ZIP code 12202, the 60% apartments are just under it, and the 80% apartments are $425 to $605 over it.

Monthly rent at Mosaic South against HUD's fiscal year 2027 fair market rent for ZIP code 12202, in dollars
Rent at Mosaic SouthHUD fair market rent, ZIP 12202
View the data table
ApartmentRent at Mosaic SouthHUD fair market rent, ZIP 12202
1 bedroom, 50% AMI$1,013$1,280
1 bedroom, 60% AMI$1,244$1,280
1 bedroom, 80% AMI$1,705$1,280
2 bedrooms, 50% AMI$1,224$1,540
2 bedrooms, 60% AMI$1,501$1,540
2 bedrooms, 80% AMI$2,055$1,540
3 bedrooms, 50% AMI$1,408$1,840
3 bedrooms, 60% AMI$1,728$1,840
3 bedrooms, 80% AMI$2,369$1,840
4 bedrooms, 60% AMI$1,920$2,030
4 bedrooms, 80% AMI$2,635$2,030

What it means: the 50% apartments are $267 to $432 under HUD's figure and the 60% apartments are $36 to $112 under it. The 19 apartments at 80% cost more than HUD's figure for an ordinary apartment in the same ZIP code.

Source: rents from the State listing; HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents for fiscal year 2027, HUD's estimate of the 40th-percentile rent in the ZIP code with utilities included.

  • The 60% gap can close. HUD's figure includes all utilities. A tenant-paid heat or electric bill of more than $36 a month would put a 60% one-bedroom above it.
  • Why "affordable" can cost more than the area figure. Tax-credit rents are set from the region's median income, not from rents on the block. In a lower-rent ZIP code, the 80% level lands above local rents.
  • HUD raised this ZIP code's figure. For fiscal year 2027 the one-bedroom figure for 12202 went from $1,180 to $1,280. The fair market rent change report covers other areas.

Accessible Apartments, What the Rent Covers and the Bus Lines

Thirteen apartments are adapted for disabilities, the rent covers water, sewer and trash removal, and the nearest rapid bus stop is about a tenth of a mile from the middle of the sites.

Set-asides and screening rules on the listing
  • 9 apartmentsadapted for mobility.
  • 4 apartmentsadapted for hearing.
  • Credit and background"Applicants will not be automatically rejected based on credit or most criminal background check info."
  • Residency preferencenone is stated.

What it means: ask for an adapted apartment on the application if your household needs one.

Source: NYS Housing Search listing HCR000272.

Included, not stated and still to ask
  • Included in the rentwater, sewer and trash removal, according to the listing.
  • In the apartmentscentral air conditioning, washer and dryer hookups and free broadband, according to the leasing site.
  • Shareda community room, a playground for residents, an on-site management office and 24-hour emergency maintenance.
  • Laundrythe leasing site lists hookups in each apartment; the IDA describes "a community room with a central laundry room".
  • Petsthe leasing site says "pet-friendly" and posts no size limit, deposit or pet rent.
  • Not statedwho pays for heat and electricity, parking, and the smoking policy.

Source: the State listing and mosaicsouthalbany.com, read October 6, 2026; City of Albany IDA release, September 18, 2025.

ApartmentBathroomsSize on the leasing site
1 bedroom1700 square feet
2 bedrooms1850 square feet
3 bedrooms1.5950 square feet
4 bedrooms21,100 square feet

What it means: the site gives one size for each bedroom count; layouts across 62 buildings may differ.

Source: mosaicsouthalbany.com, read October 6, 2026.

Rendering of a bathroom with white subway tile, a bathtub with a shower curtain, grab bars and a gray tile floor
Rendering of a bathroom at Mosaic South. Photo: Mosaic South, from the leasing site, marketing image, via mosaicsouthalbany.com (cropped).
StopLinesStraight-line distance
Second Ave Station, South Pearl Street and Second AvenueBusPlus Blue Line; routes 106, 107, 801 and 805about 0.1 miles
Elizabeth Station, Second Avenue and Elizabeth StreetBusPlus Blue Line; routes 106, 801 and 805about 0.1 miles
Albany Bus TerminalBusPlus Red Line and Purple Lineabout 0.7 miles

What it means: the Blue Line stops beside the sites, and the Red and Purple lines stop about 0.7 miles away.

Source: stops and routes from the Capital District Transportation Authority's schedule data, valid September 20 to November 28, 2026; distances calculated by VoucherMatch in a straight line from the middle of ten project addresses, so the walk is longer. Those addresses are 0.05 to 0.28 miles from Second Ave Station, the stop the listing names.

Rendering of five attached two- and three-story buildings in gray, cream and green with colored canopies over the doors, seen straight on from across the street
Rendering of a row of Mosaic South buildings. The leasing site does not say which street it shows. Photo: Mosaic South, from the leasing site, marketing image, via mosaicsouthalbany.com (cropped).

How to Apply to the Mosaic South Waitlist

Applying is free and can be done online or on paper, and the listing gives no closing date.

Applying to Mosaic South
  1. 1Check your rowopen listing HCR000272 and find the size and income level that fit your household.
  2. 2Make an accountNYS Housing Search asks you to register for a NY.gov ID account, which saves your household details.
  3. 3Apply onlineuse the "Register/Login to Apply" button, and state any voucher or other rental subsidy.
  4. 4Or ask for a paper applicationcall 518-621-5660, email mosaicsouth@wingatecompanies.com, or go to the temporary leasing office at 2431 3rd Avenue, Watervliet, NY 12189.
  5. 5Keep your details currentthe State's site says an account lets you "Track your status and waitlist position".
After you apply
  • Nowthe listing reads "Waitlist", status open, deadline "Ongoing". Your application follows the households drawn in the July 20, 2026 lottery.
  • While you waityour account shows your status and position.
  • Before a leasethe listing's rules are "Income Restrictions Apply" and "Asset limits may apply", so have proof of income and assets ready.
  • Not publishedwhen the first apartments will be ready, and how many households are on the list.

What it means: with completion expected in December 2027, move-in could be more than a year away.

Source: NYS Housing Search listing HCR000272 and its "About" page, which describes a waitlist as a way to "Apply to housing developments still accepting applications after the lottery period".

What to have ready
  • Income for every adult. recent pay stubs, benefit letters and your latest tax return
  • Everyone who will live there. names and dates of birth, because each apartment has a household-size rule
  • Assets. bank and other account statements
  • Rental subsidy. your voucher and your housing agency's contact details
  • A working phone, email and mailing address. so the leasing office can reach you

Source: VoucherMatch's list, built from the criteria the listing states: income range, household size, asset limits and rental subsidies. The listing does not publish a document list, so ask the leasing office for its own.

Watch outthe paper-application address is in Watervliet, about seven miles in a straight line from the sites. It is a temporary leasing office, not where the apartments are.

What Is Known and What Is Not Yet Published

The State listing settles the rents, the income ranges and how to apply; the timing and several costs are not published.

Known and not yet known, as of October 6, 2026
  • Known55 one-bedrooms, 69 two-bedrooms, 37 three-bedrooms and 5 four-bedrooms, at rents from $1,013 to $2,635.
  • Knownno application fee and no broker's fee; the waitlist is listed as open with no deadline.
  • Not publishedwhich address has which apartments, and when each building will be finished.
  • Not publishedthe asset limit, the security deposit, and who pays for heat and electricity.
  • Not publishedthe Albany Housing Authority's payment standards and utility allowances.

If You Need an Apartment Sooner

Mosaic South is not finished, so a household that needs to move this year should apply elsewhere at the same time.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Mosaic South waitlist open?

Yes, according to the State. On October 6, 2026, NYS Housing Search listed Mosaic South as an open waitlist with the deadline "Ongoing". Its record shows a lottery run on July 20, 2026 and the waitlist starting on August 6, 2026.

How much is rent at Mosaic South?

From $1,013 a month for a one-bedroom at 50% of area median income to $2,635 for a four-bedroom at 80%. Two-bedrooms are $1,224, $1,501 or $2,055. Rent includes water, sewer and trash removal.

How much do you have to earn for Mosaic South?

At least $30,390 a year for the cheapest one-bedroom, unless you have a rental subsidy. One person can earn up to $43,100 at 50%, $51,720 at 60% and $68,950 at 80%. For four people the maximums are $61,550, $73,860 and $98,500.

Does Mosaic South take Section 8?

The listing says its minimum income "may not apply to applicants with Section 8", and federal law bars tax-credit buildings from refusing a renter for holding a voucher. The 50% and 60% rents are under 90% of HUD's fair market rent; the 80% rents are over 110% of it.

Is Mosaic South the same as the South End Cluster project?

Yes. The Albany County Land Bank calls it the South End Cluster Co-Development and the State's environmental notice calls it the South Albany Scattered Site Project. It is 62 buildings on Broad, Clinton, South Pearl and Teunis streets and Second and Third avenues, in ZIP code 12202.

When will Mosaic South be finished?

December 2027 is the expected completion date on the State's construction sign and in the developer's application to the City's Industrial Development Agency. No move-in date for the first buildings has been published.

Are the rents at Mosaic South below market?

Most are. HUD's fiscal year 2027 figure for ZIP code 12202 is $1,280 for a one-bedroom and $1,540 for a two-bedroom. The 147 apartments at 50% and 60% rent for less. The 19 at 80% rent for $425 to $605 more.

Sources for this article (17)
  1. NYS Housing Search listing, HCR000272 (housingsearch.hcr.ny.gov)
  2. leasing site (mosaicsouthalbany.com)
  3. project record (albanyida.com)
  4. September 18, 2025 release (capitalizealbany.com)
  5. project page (albanycountylandbank.org)
  6. environmental notice of September 11, 2024 (dec.ny.gov)
  7. building permits (albanyny-energovpub.tylerhost.net)
  8. Times Union report of October 5, 2026 (timesunion.com)
  9. 26 U.S.C. 42(h)(6)(B)(iv) (law.cornell.edu)
  10. 24 CFR 982.508 (law.cornell.edu)
  11. voucher questions page (albanyhousing.org)
  12. Section 8 Administrative Plan (albanyhousing.org)
  13. Fair Housing Office (albanyny.gov)
  14. Small Area Fair Market Rents (huduser.gov)
  15. schedule data (cdta.org)
  16. application page (albanyhousing.org)
  17. NYS Housing Search (housingsearch.hcr.ny.gov)
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Every rule, date and dollar amount in this article is checked against the agency document it comes from, and the sources are listed above. How VoucherMatch articles are researched and corrected

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