I won a housing lottery with over 5,000 applicants. I am now paying $1,260 a month for a brand new home.

Angela Santiago won an apartment at well below market rent through a New Jersey affordable housing lottery program.

Courtesy of Angela Santiago

• Angela Santiago, a 33-year-old single mother, won a New Jersey housing lottery in 2024.
• The part-time content creator pays $1,200 a month in rent for a brand new two-bedroom apartment.
• “We wake up happier and have a better overall outlook on life,” she said.

This essay, as stated, is based on a conversation with Angela Santiago, a 33-year-old single mother who won an apartment. with below-market rent in Montville, a town about 30 miles west of Midtown Manhattan, through an affordable housing lottery program run by Piazza and Associates. She shared her experience in a July TikTok videos which has over 368,000 views. The conversation has been edited for length and clarity.

I am a single mother with a 10 year old son that I have full time.

Although his father pays child support and I make $43,000 a year with a bachelor’s degree, it was still a struggle to manage the bills and extremely high rent.

I had to do several side hustles to make ends meet, including social media. Although I don’t earn much, I have made some money on Instagram by posting reels and recently joined the TikTok Creator Fund, where I also do product reviews.

Still, paying for housing in New Jersey felt out of reach.

When I moved into my previous apartment complex in Elizabeth in 2018, rent for a two-bedroom apartment started at $1,550 per month and went up to $1,760 by 2024.

The complex was old, had bugs and no amenities. I didn’t live in a great area either. The school district was not the best and there was crime, homelessness and drug use on the streets.

I knew I had to leave Elizabeth before my son reached high school because I wanted him to be safe and get a better education. I didn’t want him to be exposed to the kind of things I was growing up. This type of environment forces children to grow up way too fast.

I didn’t think I’d win the housing lottery

In New Jersey, developers can build large, expensive buildings as long as they reserve some units for low-income people. This helps ensure that everyone has a chance to afford some of the nicer buildings.

In 2018, a former coworker told me about Piazza and Associates, a company that helps low-income renters and homebuyers find affordable housing.

Piazza and Associates runs a lottery program that helps these households get into low-income houses or apartments in New Jersey.

At first, the program sounded too good to be true. I also read reviews from other applicants who said the process took a long time and was tedious.

I wanted to apply, but I thought, “Yeah, right, like I’m going to win one of these apartments.”

But last year, a colleague of mine was buying a house in Piazza. He encouraged me to apply and his success was motivational. I realized that if he could do it, so could I.

The housing lottery application process was boring

I submitted my preliminary application for an apartment complex in October 2023. I did not receive a request to submit my final application until the end of March. I was put on the waiting list because my income was too high for the very low income bracket, so I was moved to the low bracket.

In April, I received an email asking me to submit my final application. The whole process required a lot of paper. The required stack of documents was about three inches tall and included W-2s, six months of bank statements and more.

In July, I was given the OK to submit my final application for the apartment complex. I also had to send the bank statements again to Piazza. Later that month, I received my approval letter, signed my lease, and then moved into my new apartment in August.

I basically hit the lottery. In the building where I live, only six to 10 apartments were set aside for low-income tenants, but 5,128 people applied.

Our apartment is new and beautiful

My new apartment is located in Montville, a very wealthy city.

The median home price is about $800,000 and the median income is about $134,000. The schools are also amazing.

My apartment complex has several courtyards with barbecues and a large event rental space that includes a pool table, televisions and a kitchenette.

In addition, there is a games room, a playground, a gym, a rooftop lounge with a bar area and a tanning section.

Santiago apartment complex entertainment room.

Courtesy of Angela Santiago.

My apartment is $1,260 per month including parking and a dog fee.

I have a gorgeous two bedroom two bath unit with a walk in closet, a double sink in the bathroom and a balcony.

It also has an in-unit washer and dryer, a built-in microwave over the electric stove, and a dishwasher.

When I moved, I got rid of many items, including my king-size bed, which wouldn’t fit in the smaller bedroom of my new place.

I used almost $500 of the revenue I earned from my TikTok videos to buy a couch and coffee table from a local Habitat for Humanity store.

I’m only fine with the basics for now because the opportunity is so great.

My life has changed for the better since I won the housing lottery

Our removal from the old building and city has done wonders for our sanity.

My son and I have both changed for the better. We wake up happier and have a better overall outlook on life.

My son is excited to explore the facilities and enjoy the sun. This is unlike when he used to play in the parking lot at our old complex. It’s great to have a safe space for him.

The best part of living in my new building is just having peace. I haven’t heard any sirens since I moved in and it’s great to have a quiet environment without fights in the hallways or the bad smell of drugs.

They can also save money to get a safer car now.

Game room at Santiago apartment complex.

Courtesy of Angela Santiago

Lottery programs like Piazza’s make a significant impact and change lives, which is amazing.

It is especially encouraging to see that many of the beneficiaries are black and brown women who have the chance to be independent and live in luxury.

However, the process is not as fast or efficient as it could be. While they help a lot of people, they have so much on their plate trying to get them into apartments.

I think more programs like this are needed, along with additional resources. Also, more awareness needs to be raised to show that they are legit and not scams.

I was overwhelmed by the comments on my video from people saying it gave them hope. It’s heartbreaking to realize how many people are struggling and need programs like this.

I just wish there were more opportunities available to those who need them.