Gowanus Housing Lottery: 20 Apartments From $950 a Month at The Cornice, 224 3rd Avenue

What Is Being Built at 224 3rd Avenue

The Cornice is a new 11-story apartment building at the corner of 3rd Avenue and Sackett Street, and 20 of its apartments are income-restricted and offered through this lottery.

• Names: The Cornice in its marketing, Sackett Apartments on Housing Connect. The site is also addressed as 579 Sackett Street.
• Who built it: Department of Buildings permits for the lot (job B00727869) name Hershy Silberstein as the owner, most recently under Blue Shine Builders Inc., and Kao Hwa Lee as the architect. New York YIMBY reports the developer as BlueSky Developers.
• Size: the permits are for 11 stories and 82 apartments. New York YIMBY's report on the lottery counts 63 apartments.
• Who handles applications: Reside New York, the marketing agent, at residenewyork.com.
• Program: the advertisement says the building is "being constructed through the Inclusionary Housing Program" and is expected to receive the 485-x tax exemption.

Rents and Income Ranges for Each Apartment

Nine apartments are priced for 40% of the area median income, nine for 60% and two for 120%, and each has its own income range by household size.

Watch outthe ranges have gaps. One person earning between $47,521 and $58,457 is over the limit for the 40% apartments and under the minimum for the 60% studio, so no apartment fits without a voucher. Two people earning between $54,281 and $58,457 are in the same position.

Tenants pay for electricity, which in this building also runs the heat, the hot water and the stove. The advertisement lists no application fee or deposit to apply.

Can You Use a Voucher Here?

Yes: HPD says vouchers are accepted in Housing Connect apartments and that the minimum income does not apply to voucher holders.

The Housing Connect FAQ puts it this way: "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." It names Section 8 from HPD or NYCHA, CityFHEPS and VASH among the subsidies accepted.

• 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.
• Tenant-paid utilities lower the maximum. Because you pay the electric bill here, the program subtracts a utility allowance. The 40% and 60% rents sit $1,000 or more under the maximums, which leaves room for it. See Section 8 utility allowances in NYC.
• The maximum income still applies. A voucher removes the floor, not the ceiling.
• Expect to show proof. HPD says the marketing agent "will contact you for proof of the subsidy and the amount of rent it covers."

In your Housing Connect profile, answer "yes" to the question about rental assistance that will move with you. Not sure which program you have? See CityFHEPS vs Section 8 and HPD vs NYCHA Section 8.

How the Rents Compare With Typical Rents in Gowanus

Eighteen of the 20 apartments rent for less than half of what HUD estimates an ordinary apartment costs in ZIP code 11217.

• What HUD's figure is for: HUD publishes it as a basis for Section 8 payment amounts. It is the closest public measure of what an ordinary apartment in the area rents for.
• Utilities: the lottery rents here do not include electricity, so the real gap is smaller than the chart shows.
• Apartments in this ZIP code: see voucher apartments in ZIP 11217.

Who Gets Preference

Two groups are drawn ahead of other applicants for a share of the 20 apartments.

The Building and What Costs Extra

Some features come with the rent and others are sold as a $125-a-month package, so count that fee if you want the gym or the roof.

Getting Around From 3rd Avenue and Sackett Street

The closest subway stop is Union Street on the R line, about two tenths of a mile away.

How to Apply Before October 26

Applying is free, takes one online form, and the day you apply does not change your odds.

Watch outthere is an asset limit. For rentals it equals the four-person income maximum at the apartment's level: $67,840 for the 40% apartments, $101,760 for 60% and $203,520 for 120%. Retirement and college savings accounts are not counted toward it.

If You Need an Apartment Sooner

A lottery can take a year and a log number is not an offer, so keep searching while you wait.

• Voucher in hand: browse Section 8 apartments in Brooklyn and CityFHEPS apartments in Brooklyn from landlords who take vouchers.
• No voucher yet: read how to get a housing voucher in NYC.
• Still searching with CityFHEPS: see how to get a CityFHEPS shopping letter.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is The Cornice the same building as Sackett Apartments?

Yes. Both names refer to 224 3rd Avenue in Gowanus. Housing Connect lists it as "Sackett Apartments aka 224 3rd Avenue".

How much do you have to earn for the $950 studio?

Between $39,018 and $47,520 for one person, or up to $54,280 for two. With a voucher, the minimum does not apply.

Can I use CityFHEPS or Section 8 at 224 3rd Avenue?

Yes. HPD says both are accepted in Housing Connect apartments. The 18 apartments at 40% and 60% AMI are under the 2026 maximums; the two at $3,985 are not.

When is the deadline?

October 26, 2026.

Does applying early help?

No. Log numbers are assigned at random after the deadline.

Is there a fee?

Not to apply. If you are selected, a credit and background check can cost up to $20 per household.

Are the rents at 224 3rd Avenue below market?

Yes. HUD's fiscal year 2027 fair market rent for ZIP code 11217 is $3,890 for a studio, $4,100 for a one-bedroom and $4,460 for a two-bedroom. Eighteen of the 20 lottery apartments rent for less than half of those figures.