Sunnyside's The Barnett: 185 Affordable Apartments at 50-25 Barnett Avenue, From $545 a Month

Published October 13, 202618 min readBy VoucherMatch Editorial Team

Rendering of a seven-story orange-red brick apartment building with bay windows along a tree-lined street, with a cyclist, pedestrians and a woman crossing with two children in the foreground — Rendering of The Barnett at 50-25 Barnett Avenue in Sunnyside, Queens, from Phipps Houses' page for the building. The same rendering appears on the Housing Connect listing. Photo: Phipps Houses, project rendering, via Phipps Houses, The Barnett Housing Lottery page (cropped).

Quick answerThe Barnett, a seven-story building at 50-25 Barnett Avenue in Sunnyside, Queens, received its first certificate of occupancy on August 21, 2026. It has 185 apartments. NYC Housing Connect advertised 146 of them at rents from $545 for a studio to $3,031 for a three-bedroom, with applications due June 8, 2026. As of October 5, 2026, every one of those rents is under the 2026 CityFHEPS maximum for its size, and the advertisement says the minimum income may not apply to households with Section 8 or another rental subsidy.

Last checked: October 5, 2026, against the Housing Connect listing for lottery 7495, the advertisement posted by Phipps Houses, Phipps' page for The Barnett, Department of Buildings job 421134132 and certificate of occupancy 4430171-0000001, HPD's Affordable Housing Production by Building data, city property records (ACRIS) for Queens block 119, lot 143, the Housing Development Corporation's 2024 closings page, Queens Community Board 2's minutes of October 16, 2024, reports by Queens Post and New York YIMBY, the Housing Connect FAQ and the CityFHEPS payment standards in DSS-8r (effective April 1, 2026).

The Barnett in numbers

185apartments in the building, on city permits
146apartments advertised on Housing Connect
$545the lowest rent, for a studio at 30% AMI
$3,031the highest rent, for a three-bedroom at 80% AMI
June 8, 2026the application deadline
August 21, 2026first certificate of occupancy issued

What Was Built at 50-25 Barnett Avenue

The Barnett is a seven-story, 72-foot building with 185 apartments and a ground-floor community space, built by the nonprofit Phipps Houses on a lot that was a parking lot.

Size: Department of Buildings job 421134132 is for a seven-story new building, 72 feet tall, with 185 apartments and 176,785 square feet of floor area. Its description reads "residential and community facility uses".
Owner on the permit: Sunnyside-Barnett Associates LLC. On June 26, 2024 that company deeded the lot to 50-25 Barnett Housing Development Fund Corporation for $6,500,000, according to city property records.
Developer: Phipps Houses. The advertisement gives its office as the building's mailing address, and later permits for the lot list Phipps Houses as the owner's business.
Architect: the permit applicant is Herbert Mandel, a registered architect. A 2026 filing for the same lot lists his firm as MHG Architects, PC.
Builder: the new building permit names Mega Contracting GP LLC.
Programs: the advertisement names the Extremely Low & Low-Income Affordability (ELLA) program of HDC and HPD and HPD's Mandatory Inclusionary Housing program.
Before construction: Queens Post wrote in October 2020 that the lot was a parking lot with room for about 220 vehicles.

Watch outthe counts differ by source. The permit, the certificate of occupancy and HPD's data say 185 apartments, and HDC's 2024 closings page says "183 homes". The permit says seven stories, and New York YIMBY's report of April 10, 2026 says "an eight-story mixed-use building". The rezoning application and the first permit filing, in February 2022, were for 167 apartments. Queens Post reported in January 2021 that the plan then put 66 apartments at 90% AMI; HPD's data shows none above the 51 to 80% band.

50-25 Barnett Avenue, from rezoning to occupancy

October 5, 2020City Planning certifies a new application for seven stories and 167 apartments, according to Queens Post.
December 2020Queens Community Board 2 votes 28 to 13 in favor, with conditions, according to Queens Post.
March 2021the City Council approves the rezoning unanimously, according to Queens Post's report of March 29, 2021.
February 16, 2022the new building application is filed with the Department of Buildings.
June 26, 2024the deed and eight mortgages to HDC are signed. HPD lists this as the project start date.
July 3, 2024the new building permit is issued.
October 16, 2024the contractor tells Community Board 2 the job is "about 15% complete".
April 10, 2026New York YIMBY reports that the lottery for 146 apartments has opened.
June 8, 2026applications are due.
August 21, 2026the Department of Buildings issues the first certificate of occupancy for 185 apartments.

What it means: the building permit to the first certificate of occupancy took just under 26 months. The contractor had described "a two-year construction schedule" to the community board.

Source: Department of Buildings job 421134132 and certificate of occupancy 4430171-0000001; ACRIS records for block 119, lot 143; HPD project 65369; Community Board 2 minutes; Queens Post, October 13, 2020, January 7, 2021 and March 29, 2021; New York YIMBY, April 10, 2026.

A second certificate, 4430171-0000002, was issued on September 28, 2026 as a "Renewal With Change".

Photograph looking up at a seven-story red brick apartment building with projecting bay windows under a clear blue sky, with utility wires and a wooden pole in front — The finished brick facade of The Barnett, in a photograph from Phipps Houses' page for the building. Photo: Phipps Houses, marketing photograph, via Phipps Houses, The Barnett Housing Lottery page (cropped).

185 Apartments, 146 in the Lottery

HPD's data counts 185 apartments: 184 with income limits and one for the superintendent. The Housing Connect lottery covered 146 of them.

Income level	Studios	1 bedroom	2 bedrooms	3 bedrooms	Total
30% AMI	2	8	6	2	18
50% AMI	3	17	12	4	36
80% AMI	10	47	27	8	92
All levels	15	72	45	14	146

What it means: 92 of the 146 lottery apartments, or 63%, were at the 80% level.

Source: Housing Connect listing for lottery 7495 and the advertisement, which give the same counts. Totals added by VoucherMatch. AMI is the area median income.

Apartments at The Barnett by size: whole building in HPD's data against the 146 in the lottery

Whole building (HPD)Lottery (Housing Connect)

Studio

1 bedroom

2 bedrooms

3 bedrooms

View the data table

Apartment size	Whole building (HPD)	Lottery (Housing Connect)
Studio	20	15
1 bedroom	92	72
2 bedrooms	56	45
3 bedrooms	17	14

What it means: 39 apartments sat outside the lottery: 5 studios, 20 one-bedrooms, 11 two-bedrooms and 3 three-bedrooms.

Source: HPD Affordable Housing Production by Building, project 65369, read October 5, 2026; Housing Connect listing for lottery 7495.

The 39 apartments outside the lottery, by HPD income band

28HPD counts 46 extremely low income apartments (0 to 30% AMI). The lottery had 18.
10HPD counts 46 very low income apartments (31 to 50% AMI). The lottery had 36.
0HPD counts 92 low income apartments (51 to 80% AMI). The lottery had all 92.
1the superintendent's apartment.

Key pointno document opened for this article says how the 38 income-restricted apartments outside the lottery are filled. In January 2021, Queens Post reported that the plan then had 25 apartments "set aside for the formerly homeless at 40 percent AMI".

Photograph of an empty room with grey-brown plank flooring, white walls and three tall windows with lower hopper panes, sunlight falling across the floor — An unfurnished room at The Barnett, in a photograph from Phipps Houses' page for the building. Photo: Phipps Houses, marketing photograph, via Phipps Houses, The Barnett Housing Lottery page (cropped).

Rents and Income Ranges in the Housing Connect Advertisement

The 146 lottery apartments had 12 rents, from $545 to $3,031, and the lowest minimum income in the advertisement was $22,492 a year.

Monthly rent and yearly income range by apartment type
Apartments	Rent	People	Yearly income
2 studios, 30% AMI	$545	1 to 2	$22,492 to $38,880
8 one-bedrooms, 30% AMI	$693	1 to 3	$28,080 to $43,740
6 two-bedrooms, 30% AMI	$814	2 to 5	$33,635 to $52,500
2 three-bedrooms, 30% AMI	$925	3 to 7	$38,880 to $60,270
3 studios, 50% AMI	$1,031	1 to 2	$39,155 to $64,800
17 one-bedrooms, 50% AMI	$1,300	1 to 3	$48,892 to $72,900
12 two-bedrooms, 50% AMI	$1,543	2 to 5	$58,629 to $87,500
4 three-bedrooms, 50% AMI	$1,767	3 to 7	$67,749 to $100,450
10 studios, 80% AMI	$1,760	1 to 2	$64,149 to $103,680
47 one-bedrooms, 80% AMI	$2,211	1 to 3	$80,126 to $116,640
27 two-bedrooms, 80% AMI	$2,636	2 to 5	$96,103 to $140,000
8 three-bedrooms, 80% AMI	$3,031	3 to 7	$111,086 to $160,720

Showing the first 4 of 12 rows. View allCollapse table

What it means: the same one-bedroom layout rented for $693, $1,300 or $2,211 depending on the income level a household qualified under.

Source: the advertisement for The Barnett posted by Phipps Houses, applications due June 8, 2026. The top of each range is for the largest household allowed.

Watch outthe advertisement and the Housing Connect listing give the same rents and the same minimum incomes, and different maximum incomes. The listing, read on October 5, 2026, shows higher maximums at every household size. Both sets are printed below.

Household size	30% AMI: ad / listing	50% AMI: ad / listing	80% AMI: ad / listing
1 person	$34,020 / $35,640	$56,700 / $59,400	$90,720 / $95,040
2 people	$38,880 / $40,710	$64,800 / $67,850	$103,680 / $108,560
3 people	$43,740 / $45,810	$72,900 / $76,350	$116,640 / $122,160
4 people	$48,600 / $50,880	$81,000 / $84,800	$129,600 / $135,680
5 people	$52,500 / $54,960	$87,500 / $91,600	$140,000 / $146,560
6 people	$56,400 / $59,040	$94,000 / $98,400	$150,400 / $157,440
7 people	$60,270 / $63,120	$100,450 / $105,200	$160,720 / $168,320

What it means: yearly household income before taxes had to be at or under the maximum for the household's size. Neither document explains the difference, so a household between the two figures should ask Phipps Houses which one applies.

Source: first figure from the advertisement PDF on phippsny.org; second figure from the Housing Connect listing for lottery 7495, read October 5, 2026.

Where a household could fall between levels, using the advertisement's figures

Under $22,492below the lowest minimum, which was for the $545 studios, unless the household has a rental subsidy.
One person at $34,021 to $39,154over the 30% maximum and under the 50% studio minimum.
One person at $56,701 to $64,148over the 50% maximum and under the 80% studio minimum.
Asset limitsthe advertisement sets them at $48,600 for the 30% apartments, $81,000 for the 50% apartments and $129,600 for the 80% apartments.

Key pointthe advertisement says "Rent includes heat and hot water. Tenant responsible for electricity with electric stove". It also says "No fee to apply" and "No broker's fee".

Photograph of an open kitchen with light wood cabinets, a white electric range with a microwave above it, a white dishwasher and refrigerator, grey tile backsplash and a wall-mounted air-conditioning unit — A kitchen at The Barnett with an electric range, microwave and dishwasher, in a photograph from Phipps Houses' page for the building. Photo: Phipps Houses, marketing photograph, via Phipps Houses, The Barnett Housing Lottery page (cropped).

Which Rents a CityFHEPS or Section 8 Voucher Reaches

All 12 rents are under the 2026 CityFHEPS maximum for the same apartment size, and the closest is $361 under.

This was a city lottery on NYC Housing Connect, so HPD's rule applies. The Housing Connect FAQ says: "Minimum income requirements do not apply if you have a voucher or a rental subsidy. However, rent should be within maximum limits allowed by your voucher or rental assistance program." The advertisement for The Barnett says the same thing in a footnote: "Minimum income listed may not apply to applicants with Section 8 or other qualifying rental subsidies. Asset limits also apply."

Lowest and highest monthly rent at The Barnett against the 2026 CityFHEPS maximum for that apartment size, in dollars

Lowest rent (30% AMI)Highest rent (80% AMI)CityFHEPS maximum

Studio

$545

$1,760

$2,604

1 bedroom

$693

$2,211

$2,734

2 bedrooms

$814

$2,636

$2,997

3 bedrooms

$925

$3,031

$3,753

View the data table

Apartment size	Lowest rent (30% AMI)	Highest rent (80% AMI)	CityFHEPS maximum
Studio	$545	$1,760	$2,604
1 bedroom	$693	$2,211	$2,734
2 bedrooms	$814	$2,636	$2,997
3 bedrooms	$925	$3,031	$3,753

What it means: the 80% apartments are $844, $523, $361 and $722 under the maximum, from studio to three-bedroom.

Source: rents from the Housing Connect listing for lottery 7495; maximums from DSS-8r, effective April 1, 2026, all utilities included.

Watch outthe maximums assume the rent covers all utilities. Here tenants pay for electricity, including the stove, so a voucher program subtracts a utility allowance from its maximum. The two-bedrooms at $2,636 have the least room.

Your maximum follows your household, not the apartment. CityFHEPS sets it by family size: a studio or one-bedroom amount for one or two people, the two-bedroom amount for three or four, the three-bedroom amount for five or six.
The maximum income applies with or without a voucher. A subsidy removes the floor, not the ceiling.

Not sure which program you have? See CityFHEPS vs Section 8. For how allowances work, see Section 8 utility allowances in NYC.

Photograph of an empty room with light wood-look flooring, white walls, a wall-mounted air-conditioning unit and a large two-pane window looking over low rooftops toward brick apartment buildings — A room at The Barnett in a photograph Phipps Houses files as a bedroom, from its page for the building. Photo: Phipps Houses, marketing photograph, via Phipps Houses, The Barnett Housing Lottery page (cropped).

How the Rents Compare With Typical Rents in ZIP Code 11104

Every advertised rent is below what HUD estimates an ordinary apartment costs in ZIP code 11104, by $684 to $3,275 a month.

Lowest and highest monthly rent at The Barnett against HUD's fiscal year 2027 fair market rent for ZIP code 11104, in dollars

Lowest rent (30% AMI)Highest rent (80% AMI)HUD fair market rent, ZIP 11104

Studio

$545

$1,760

$2,900

1 bedroom

$693

$2,211

$3,050

2 bedrooms

$814

$2,636

$3,320

3 bedrooms

$925

$3,031

$4,200

View the data table

Apartment size	Lowest rent (30% AMI)	Highest rent (80% AMI)	HUD fair market rent, ZIP 11104
Studio	$545	$1,760	$2,900
1 bedroom	$693	$2,211	$3,050
2 bedrooms	$814	$2,636	$3,320
3 bedrooms	$925	$3,031	$4,200

What it means: the 80% two-bedrooms, at $2,636, are $684 under HUD's figure. The 30% three-bedrooms, at $925, are $3,275 under it.

Source: rents from the Housing Connect listing for lottery 7495; fair market rents from HUD's Small Area Fair Market Rents for fiscal year 2027, in effect since October 1, 2026. HUD's figure is its estimate of the 40th-percentile rent in the ZIP code with utilities included.

Utilities: HUD's figure includes all utilities. Rents here leave out electricity, so the real gap is smaller than the chart shows.
ZIP code: HPD's data, Department of Buildings records and the Housing Connect listing all place 50-25 Barnett Avenue in 11104.
Apartments in this ZIP code: see voucher apartments in ZIP 11104.

How The Barnett Was Financed

City property records show eight mortgages on the lot, all dated June 26, 2024 and all made to the New York City Housing Development Corporation (HDC).

Recorded document	Amount
Mortgage to HDC	$52,507,961
Mortgage to HDC	$14,698,934
Mortgage to HDC	$11,101,066
Mortgage to HDC	$7,437,266
Mortgage to HDC	$6,500,000
Mortgage to HDC	$3,505,841
Mortgage to HDC	$2,287,734
Mortgage to HDC	$1,000,000
Deed from Sunnyside-Barnett Associates LLC	$6,500,000

What it means: the eight mortgages add up to $99,038,802 by VoucherMatch's addition. The records do not say which mortgage carries which program's money.

Source: ACRIS records for Queens block 119, lot 143, documents dated June 26, 2024 and recorded July 15, 2024. The borrower and buyer is 50-25 Barnett Housing Development Fund Corporation.

PincusCo's headline: the real estate data site published a report on July 16, 2024 under the headline "Phipps Houses signs $98M construction loan for 185-unit affordable in Sunnyside". The rest of that report is behind a paywall and was not read.
HDC on the program: "Financing employs tax-exempt bonds, 4% tax credits, and Corporate reserves".
Not published in any document opened here: the total development cost and the amount of tax credit equity.

Preferences, Building Features and Transit

The lottery set aside 5% and 2% of apartments for applicants with disabilities and gave preference for 20% and 10% to two other groups.

Set-asides and preferences in the advertisement

5%set aside for applicants with a mobility disability.
2%set aside for applicants with a vision or hearing disability.
20%preference for residents of Queens Community Board 2.
10%preference for municipal employees and military veterans.
General preference"Applicants who live in New York City receive a general preference for apartments."

What the building has: listed, extra cost, restricted, not stated

Listed in the advertisementa part-time concierge, an on-site resident manager, a fitness center, a community room, a children's playroom, a package room, a landscaped outdoor courtyard, and a dishwasher and microwave in each apartment.
Added by the Housing Connect listingair-conditioning, high-speed internet and an elevator. The listing names a recreation room and no fitness center.
Extra costthe laundry room is card-operated and "additional fees apply". Tenants pay for electricity.
Restricted"Smoke-free building".
Petsthe advertisement says "Pet Friendly". It gives no size, breed or fee rules.
Ground floora permit issued August 20, 2026 (job Q01382331) covers fitting out 5,058 square feet of community facility space for a daycare.
Roofa permit issued February 9, 2026 (job Q01352147) covers installing solar panels.
Not statedwhether there is parking for tenants.

Station	Lines	Straight-line distance
52 St	7	about 0.4 miles
Northern Blvd	M, R	about 0.4 miles
46 St	M, R	about 0.4 miles
46 St-Bliss St	7	about 0.6 miles
61 St-Woodside	7	about 0.6 miles

What it means: three stations are within half a mile, one on the 7 and two on the M and R.

Source: station names and lines from the MTA's station data; distances calculated by VoucherMatch in a straight line from the building's coordinates in Department of Buildings records, so the walk is longer.

In the advertisement: "MTA 7 train, Q32, Q39, Q60".
On Phipps' page: the M and R trains at Northern Boulevard, the 7 train at 52nd Street, and the Q104, Q18 and Q32 buses.

Photograph through a corner of floor-to-ceiling windows with roller-shade chains, showing bare treetops and a cluster of distant high-rise towers under a hazy sky — The view from a corner window at The Barnett, in a photograph from Phipps Houses' page for the building. Photo: Phipps Houses, marketing photograph, via Phipps Houses, The Barnett Housing Lottery page (cropped).

What Happens After the Lottery and How to Find the Next Opening

Applications for the 146 apartments closed on June 8, 2026, and the advertisement says applicants "are usually contacted from 2 to 10 months after the application deadline".

How the 146 apartments are filled, in the advertisement's words

1Lottery"After the deadline, applications are selected for review through a lottery process."
2Invitation"If yours is selected and you appear to qualify, you will be invited to submit documents".
3Timingtwo to 10 months after June 8, 2026 runs from August 2026 to April 2027, by VoucherMatch's count.

If you applied, have these ready

Identity. proof of identity for every member of the household
Household size. proof of everyone who will live with you
Income. proof of all earnings, which the advertisement lists as "salary, hourly wages, tips, Social Security, child support, and other income"
Voucher. your shopping letter or voucher, showing the rent it covers

What it means: the advertisement names the categories and not the exact papers, so wait for Phipps Houses' request.

Source: the first three items follow the advertisement's sentence on documents; the voucher line is VoucherMatch's addition.

Where the next openings are posted

Housing Connectcity lotteries are posted at housingconnect.nyc.gov. The Barnett was lottery 7495.
Phipps Houses waiting listson October 5, 2026, Phipps' waiting list page listed four open applications, among them Boston Tremont HDFC/Lambert Houses, La Casa de Felicidad and a General Waiting List. The Barnett was not on it.
Not publishedwhether The Barnett will keep a waiting list for apartments that turn over, and how many of the 146 have been leased.

If You Need an Apartment Now

The Barnett has no open application as of October 5, 2026, so a household that needs to move this year has to look elsewhere.

2 bedrooms apartment in Jamaica, Queens — Queens apartments on VoucherMatch that take vouchers, nearest to 50-25 Barnett Avenue first

3 bedrooms apartment in Jamaica, Queens — Queens apartments on VoucherMatch that take vouchers, nearest to 50-25 Barnett Avenue first

Voucher in hand: browse Section 8 apartments in Queens and CityFHEPS apartments in Queens from landlords who take vouchers.
No voucher yet: read how to get a housing voucher in NYC.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the rent at The Barnett in Sunnyside?

Studios were $545, $1,031 or $1,760, one-bedrooms $693, $1,300 or $2,211, two-bedrooms $814, $1,543 or $2,636 and three-bedrooms $925, $1,767 or $3,031, depending on income level. Heat and hot water are included.

How much do you have to earn for 50-25 Barnett Avenue?

The advertisement's ranges run from $22,492 a year for a $545 studio to $160,720 for seven people in an 80% AMI three-bedroom. The Housing Connect listing shows $168,320 as that top figure.

Can I use CityFHEPS or Section 8 at The Barnett?

Every advertised rent is under the 2026 CityFHEPS maximum for its size. The advertisement says the minimum income "may not apply to applicants with Section 8 or other qualifying rental subsidies".

Was The Barnett on NYC Housing Connect?

Yes. It was lottery 7495, for 146 apartments, with applications due June 8, 2026.

Does The Barnett allow pets?

The advertisement says "Pet Friendly" and "Smoke-free building". It does not give pet size limits or fees.

Are the rents at The Barnett below market?

Yes. HUD's fiscal year 2027 fair market rent for ZIP code 11104 is $2,900 for a studio, $3,050 for a one-bedroom, $3,320 for a two-bedroom and $4,200 for a three-bedroom. Every advertised rent is at least $684 lower.

Sources for this article (14)

Housing Connect listing for lottery 7495 (housingconnect.nyc.gov)
advertisement posted by Phipps Houses (phippsny.org)
page for The Barnett (phippsny.org)
Affordable Housing Production by Building (data.cityofnewyork.us)
2024 closings page (2024annual.nychdc.com)
minutes of October 16, 2024 (nyc.gov)
Queens Post (queenspost.com)
New York YIMBY (newyorkyimby.com)
Housing Connect FAQ (housingconnect.nyc.gov)
DSS-8r (nyc.gov)
Small Area Fair Market Rents (huduser.gov)
a report on July 16, 2024 (pincusco.com)
housingconnect.nyc.gov (housingconnect.nyc.gov)
waiting list page (phippsny.org)

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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