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Apply for Housing
Thank you for your interest in the supportive housing residences owned and/or managed by Common Ground Community
Current Residences | Application Status |
 | The Times Square Manhattan 652 units | Accepting |
 | The Prince George Midtown Manhattan 416 units | Accepting |
 | The Christopher Chelsea, Manhattan 207 units | Accepting |
 | The Aurora Midtown, Manhattan 178 units | Accepting |
 | Windham House Willimantic, Connecticut 60 units | Accepting |
 | Kossuth Street New Haven, Connecticut 2 units | Fully Occupied |
 | Montrose Veterans Residence Westchester County, New York 96 units | Accepting |
 | Schermerhorn House Downtown, Brooklyn 217 units | Applications Not Currently Accepted |
Under Construction
 | The Lee Lower East Side, Manhattan 263 units | Not Yet Accepting Applications |
 | The Andrews The Bowery, Manhattan 146 units | Not Yet Accepting Applications |
 | The Hollander Foundation Building Hartford, Connecticut 80 units | Rental Apartments and Retail Space For Lease |
 | Cedarwoods Willimantic, Connecticut 70 units | Not Yet Accepting Applications |
 | Brook Avenue South Bronx 190 units | Not Yet Accepting Applications |
 | Hegeman Avenue Brownsville, Brooklyn 124 units | Not Yet Accepting Applications |
 | The Domenech Brownsville, Brooklyn 72 units | Not Yet Accepting Applications |
 | King Place New Haven, Connecticut 2 units | Not Yet Accepting Applications |
 | Scattersite Program | Click here for more information |
About Our Housing
We offer affordable housing for working professionals and the formerly homeless, some of whom live with HIV/AIDS, mental illness, or physical disabilities. In addition, each of these buildings offers support services, provided by The Center for Urban and Community Services (CUCS), The Actors Fund or another social service provider. Our buildings offer amenities such as rehearsal space, exercise rooms, computer labs, roof top terraces, and on-site laundry facilities. Each fully furnished apartment has a private bath, and a kitchenette with cooking facilities and a refrigerator. Property management and social service staff are located on-site during normal business hours and 24-hour security is featured in all buildings.
If you have questions or concerns:
Please see our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ), or
You can reach our Intake Department at our toll-free number: 1-800-324-7055 or intake@commonground.org
Housing Application Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
The Application Process
How do I apply for Common Ground housing?
You may call the Central Intake Hotline (1-800-324-7055) for an application,. To download an application, please click on the link for the building that you are interested in and follow the instructions. (return to building list). Please note that The Times Square, The Prince George and The Christopher share an application process and applicant list. Regardless of which building you apply for, if you are approved for an apartment, you will be offered one in the first of those three buildings that becomes available.
Once you have completed the application, attach all documents and mail your application to:
Common Ground Community
Central Intake Unit
255 West 43rd Street
New York, NY 10036
Do you have any available apartments?
Common Ground Community is continually filling vacancies at all of its apartment buildings. We maintain an Applications Received List for vacant units. You must have an application on file in order to be eligible for a studio apartment.
How long does it take to get an apartment?
Once you have completed and submitted an application, your name will be placed on the Applications Received List for all the buildings for which you indicated a preference and/or for which you are eligible. Since there is no way to anticipate how quickly vacancies will occur or how many of the people on our Applications Received List will find other housing, there is no way to tell you exactly how long this process will take. However, we encourage you to apply since we tend to move quickly through the applications we have received.
All applications are reviewed for eligibility and applicants will be notified of their status by mail. Applicants will be asked to participate in at least two interviews. At the time of the interviews, Common Ground's Central Intake Unit will review your financial, credit, housing and employment histories. Please be aware that acceptance for our housing is based on all of these criteria. Please see Criteria section for additional information on how applicants are accepted for our housing.
Is there any way I can speed up the process?
The best way to expedite your application is to make sure that you submit all the requested information in a timely fashion. Incomplete applications will be deemed ineligible. Please also keep Central Intake staff informed as to your current mailing address and phone number. The sooner we can reach you after a vacancy occurs, the sooner you can be considered for an apartment. Being flexible about your building preferences also improves your chances of finding an apartment quickly.
I am homeless—can you give me a place to stay?
If you are homeless and living in a shelter or receiving services through a drop-in shelter, you may be eligible for placement into one of our units reserved for homeless individuals. In order to be eligible for one of these units, your Department of Homeless Services (DHS) caseworker must send a referral packet to our social service partner, The Center for Urban Community Services (CUCS).
In addition, if you are a recipient of services or assistance from the HIV/AIDS Services Administration (HASA), the Office of Mental Health (OMH) or the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH), please contact or have your caseworker contact CUCS, our social service partner, at (212) 768-1570 to see how you may be eligible for our housing.
To learn more about emergency housing options available through the Department of Homeless Services (DHS), please call 3-1-1.
The Apartments and Buildings:
Where are your buildings?
Visit Current Residences for details on all of our housing opportunities.
What kind of apartments do you rent?
Most units in Common Ground Community's permanent housing sites are studios, with private baths and kitchenettes.
Can I see a model apartment?
Because of the high-demand for our housing, we cannot keep model apartments open at our buildings or give tours to prospective applicants. However, applicants are shown units at the beginning of the interview process.
Do you have 1 or 2-bedroom apartments?
Common Ground Community does not rent one or multi-bedroom apartments at this time.
What amenities do you offer?
Common Ground Community sites offer an outstanding range of amenities and services to our tenants. 24-hour security personnel, superintendents and maintenance teams staff all of our buildings. Amenities vary from building to building, but all sites include social service and recreational programming staff, on-site laundry, fitness centers and computer labs.
View event calendars for our housing here.
To learn more about the amenities at our buildings, please visit the pages for our buildings.
Are your apartments furnished?
Yes, all units in Common Ground buildings are fully furnished. Most units include an efficiency kitchen, table, chairs, dresser and a bed.
Can I bring in my own furniture?
Furniture provided by Common Ground at The Prince George and The Times Square may be placed in storage if you wish to furnish the apartment yourself. However, furnishings provided at The Christopher cannot be removed, and additional furniture cannot be added.
Can I have a pet?
One pet per unit is allowed at The Times Square and at The Prince George. No pets are allowed at our other sites.
Financial Questions:
What are the income requirements for your buildings?
To learn more about the income requirements at each of our buildings, click see our housing application.
All applications are thoroughly reviewed on a case-by-case basis. At no point in the application process are you guaranteed an apartment until you have signed a lease and received the keys. Please see the Criteria section for additional information on how applicants are accepted for our sites.
If I make less than the minimum requirement, can I still qualify for housing?
If you earn less than the minimum requirement and you are a recipient of services or assistance from the HIV/AIDS Services Administration (HASA), the Department of Homeless Service (DHS), the Office of Mental Health (OMH) or the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH), please have your caseworker contact CUCS at (212) 768-1570 to see how you may be eligible for our housing.
If you are not a recipient of services or assistance from HASA, DHS,OMH or DOHMH, and you make less than the minimum requirement, you may qualify for our housing. If an applicant has other means of assuring that their financial obligations can be met, then an exception to the minimum income requirements may be possible. For example, an applicant may have an individual Section 8 voucher to subsidize rent payments. All applications will be thoroughly reviewed on a case-by-case basis. Please see Criteria section for additional information on how applicants are accepted for our sites.
I am on Public Assistance, Social Security, veteran's benefits and/or a pension. I don't have Section 8 nor do I receive services from HASA, OMH, DOHMH or DHS. Can I still qualify for Common Ground housing?
If you meet the income requirements for our sites, you may qualify for our housing. Please see Criteria section for additional information on how applicants are accepted for our sites.
I'm a freelancer—am I eligible?
Yes, but only if you meet the income requirements. We require your last three years of income tax returns, as well as proof of current income in order to verify your eligibility. Please see Criteria section for additional information on how applicants are accepted for our sites.
If I make more than the maximum, can I still qualify for housing?
Common Ground Community follows federally mandated guidelines to determine income-eligibility for housing at our buildings. If you earn more than our maximum at the time of application, you are not eligible to be a tenant and we cannot offer you housing at this time.
How much is the rent on one of your units?
Tenants that do not have a rental subsidy (i.e. individual or program-based Section 8) pay rents ranging from $470 - $730, according to their income and the size of the unit. Each year, rent will increase according to Rent Stabilization Guidelines.
Tenants that do have subsidies pay 30% of their income. The rent amount is adjusted each year according to the tenant's income. If a tenant with a subsidy is receiving Public Assistance, their share of the rent is $215.
Do you accept Section 8 vouchers?
Yes, we accept Section 8 vouchers.
On your application, it states that assets must be evaluated to determine eligibility. Is there a limit to the amount I can hold in assets?
No. There is effectively no limit to the amount you can hold in assets. However, we are required to add the income earned or 2% of the value of those assets to your annual income. If you are close to our minimum or maximum income, this may affect your eligibility for housing.
Criteria for Eligibility/Building Population:
Who lives in your buildings?
Common Ground Community houses a diverse population, and is committed to providing a safe and supportive environment for all of our tenants. Our building tenants include the formerly homeless, low-income individuals, performers and artists, people who have mental illnesses or physical disabilities and people living with HIV/AIDS.
How do you determine who is accepted into your buildings?
Common Ground Community conducts its intake process in accordance with federal fair housing laws and applicable state and local regulations. Applicants are evaluated on the basis of their ability to abide by the terms of our lease. Factors such as history of financial obligations, employment history, legal history and acceptance of building diversity are all considered when determining whether to offer an applicant housing. At no point in the application process are you guaranteed an apartment until you have signed a lease and received the keys.
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| Contact Common Ground Intake Departmenr at: 1-800-324-7055 | or Email Us |  |
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