She was still in college when she started applying for the housing lottery. Now, she pays $1,600 for a 1-bedroom apartment in NYC.

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A close-up of the living area in the apartment.
Ceronne Mitchell won an apartment in Queens through the affordable-housing lottery.

Molly Stromoski for NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development

I won a housing lottery with over 5,000 applicants. Now I pay $1,260 a month for a brand-new home.

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Angela Santiago on the roof of her apartment complex.
Angela Santiago won an apartment with rent well below market rate through a New Jersey affordable housing lottery program.

Courtesy of Angela Santiago

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