New York City briefly opened its housing voucher waitlist. But getting that assistance is as unlikely as getting into Harvard.

• New York City received over 630,000 applications to join its waitlist for federal housing vouchers.
• But the city will issue just 20,000 new vouchers, amid a severe housing affordability crisis.
• A third of New Yorkers spend more than 50% of their income on rent.

Finding an affordable apartment in New York City has become ever more challenging for low-income people — and an expansion of key federal assistance isn't likely to help much.