Mitchell-Lama Program

The Mitchell-Lama program provides affordable rental and cooperative housing to moderate- and middle-income families. The program was sponsored by New York State Senator MacNeil Mitchell and Assemblyman Alfred Lama, and was signed into law in 1955. There are both New York City supervised Mitchell-Lama developments and New York State supervised Mitchell-Lama developments.

How to Apply 

Each development requires that you apply separately. There is no master list for applications. However, you can apply to more than one development at a time. Mitchell-Lama apartments are sold or rented through waiting lists kept by each development.  In order to apply to a Mitchell-Lama with an open waiting list, please contact the managing agent directly and request an application.  The link below will direct you to the developments with open waiting lists and will provide the name and contact information for the managing agents.  Many Mitchell-Lama waiting lists are closed because there are already enough applicants listed to fill vacancies expected for the foreseeable future. Periodically, these developments open their waiting lists and new applications are accepted based on a lottery system. Through Mitchell-Lama Connect, you can view Mitchell-Lama developments that are opening up their waiting lists and are currently accepting entries to their lotteries, create and update your account profile, and submit entries to Mitchell-Lama waiting list lotteries.

• Mitchell-Lama Waiting List: Last Numbers approved by HPD
• Mitchell-Lama Developments with open waiting lists
• Mitchell-Lama Developments with short waiting lists 
• New York City supervised Mitchell-Lama Developments
• New York State supervised Mitchell-Lama Developments 

If you are a veteran residing in New York State you may be entitled to a preference for Mitchell-Lama developments with an open waiting list.

Mitchell-Lama waiting list applicants who want to withdraw their application from a current waitlist must contact the development’s management office to request a refund of the application fee, minus a $50 administrative fee.  Requests for refunds must be put in writing and sent directly to the managing agent. As of August 2019, the application fee for new waitlist applicants is $75 and is non-refundable.

2019 Mitchell-Lama Income Verification Audit

Mitchell-Lama rules require that residents verify their household income annually, and residents whose household income exceeds the applicable limit are obligated to pay a surcharge in addition to their scheduled basic rent/maintenance. These surcharges enhance the financial health of the development and are a fundamental condition of Mitchell-Lama residency. Accordingly, HPD seeks to regularly compare the income reported by Mitchell-Lama residents on their annual income affidavits against tax return information maintained by the NYS Department of Taxation and Finance (DTF).

To help ensure that incomes are accurately reported, HPD has directed the managers of Mitchell-Lama developments to obtain and review the certified 2019 NYS tax returns for tenants whose income reported on their 2019 income verifications does not match the 2019 income listed in DTF’s records. HPD has also required management to request that those tenants supply documentation evidencing that their Mitchell-Lama apartment is their primary residence,as this is another fundamental obligation of tenants who live in Mitchell-Lama developments.Please consult our FAQs for additional details regarding the 2019 income verification audit.

2022 Mitchell-Lama Amendments to PHFL

Amendments to the New York State Private Housing Finance Law (PHFL) were recently signed into law by Governor Hochul and are now in effect.

• Chapter 749 (2021 N.Y. AB 7272), “chaptered” as of December 22, 2021
• Chapter 167 (2022 N.Y. SB 7830), “chaptered” as of March 18, 2022

Among other things, the modifications to the PHFL impact:

• Voting, election and referendum procedures;
• Requirements applicable to housing companies considering exiting the Mitchell-Lama program via dissolution and/or reconstitution; and
• The duties of boards of directors of Mitchell-Lama cooperatives as to the conduct of meetings and maintaining a public record of board resolutions.

The following “FAQ’s” regarding the law were developed by HPD and the NYS Division of Housing and Community Renewal.

• FAQ’s

All managing agents and housing company attorneys working with Mitchell-Lama cooperatives must ensure their co-ops’ boards of directors understand and comply with the new PHFL requirements

External Waiting List Status 

Through Mitchell-Lama Connect, you can view the waiting list number and date the last application was approved for each Mitchell-Lama development.  This information will allow you to monitor your progress on the waiting list.  The waiting list information gets updated each time we approve an application.

• Mitchell-Lama Waiting List: Last Numbers approved by HPD
• Important Notice to Luna Park Applicants on the 1990 to 2003 Waiting Lists

Eligibility Requirements

All Mitchell-Lama developments have eligibility requirements related to income limits, family size, and apartment size.

Income Limits

Maximum income limits differ for federally-assisted rental and cooperative developments, and non-federally-assisted developments. The waiting list specifies if a development is federally subsidized and if the development is a rental or cooperative. 

 Mitchell-Lama Property Management RFQ

HPD is currently reviewing submissions to the Mitchell-Lama Property Management RFQ, for applicants to assume property management responsibilities for Mitchell-Lama developments in HPD's Division of Housing Supervision's portfolio. Learn more about the Mitchell-Lama Property Management RFQ. 

HPD established a list of Qualified Mitchell-Lama Property Managers. The list is intended to serve as a resource for City Mitchell-Lama housing companies to find eligible property managers.

Supplementary Material

• Mitchell Lama Rules
• Application for Succession Rights (The Application for Succession Rights and supporting documents must be submitted to the managing agent for your development)
• Instructions for Succession Right Application
• 2021 Income Affidavit (A fully completed income affidavit must be submitted to the management company of your development by April 30th of each year)
• Instructions for Income Affidavit
• Income Affidavit Questions and Answers
• Article II to Article XI Term Sheet
• Article II to Article XI Proxy Statement

Additional Resources

Senior Citizen Rent Increase Exemption Program (SCRIE): Senior citizens with yearly incomes below $50,000 who live in Mitchell-Lama, Article XI, or federally-assisted co-ops may be eligible for exemption from all or some increases in rents, carrying charges, capital assessment or voluntary capital contributions.

For questions regarding the City-sponsored Mitchell-Lama Program: 212-863-6500, or email Mitchell-Lama@hpd.nyc.gov.

For information on the NYS-supervised Mitchell-Lama housing program, please visit New York State Homes and Community Renewal or call 866-463-7753.