ROCKAWAY BEACH — A controversial oceanfront apartment building is now accepting applications for its affordable housing lottery — with rents starting as low at $690 per month — despite neighbors who tried to halt construction due to safety concerns.
The large brick building at 93-06 Shore Front Parkway, at the corner of Beach 94th Street, has 63 apartments for rent, according to the Department of Housing Preservation and Development.
Rents at the building, which is steps from the newly built boardwalk, range from $690 for a studio to $2,120 for a three-bedroom.
The property has been under construction for nearly a decade, with the original builder selling it to the current owner in 2012, before Hurricane Sandy, records show.
Neighbors started a petition against the structure, fearing the old foundation was compromised during the storm. But the project moved forward and completed construction this summer, with parking for an additional fee, storage, an indoor recreation space and laundry, officials said.
► READ MORE: How to Apply for Affordable Housing in New York City
► READ MORE: INTERACTIVE: What is AMI?
The majority of the available apartments are open to households making 130 percent of the area median income — including 25 one-bedroom apartments for residents making between $53,658 and $94,250, depending on how many people live in the apartment.
Ten apartments are available for residents making 50 percent AMI, including one, two and three-bedroom apartments. Rents are between $690 for the studio and $963 for a three-bedroom.
Three apartments — one studio and two one-bedrooms — are available to households within 40 percent AMI, from $18,275 to $29,000. The rents range from $494 to $532 in this range.
The 17 two-bedroom apartments for household incomes between $64,423 and $117,780 go for $1,838.
Priority is given to residents currently living on the peninsula, with half of the apartments reserved for those living within Community Board 14.
There is also priority given to municipal employees, mobility-impaired applicants, and those with vision or hearing impairments, according to HPD.
The deadline to apply is Dec. 27, 2016, and applicants can apply online, or through the mail. For more information, visit HPD's site.
