Better search experience

We hooked into NYC's Housing Connect API to populate a database with a proof-of-concept data set. We then built a form with only two inputs: income level and housing size, the most important two criteria in determining all eligibility.

Instead of having to manually parse multiple PDFs, renters could now see only those lotteries they were eligible for, in a friendly, well-understood card format, displaying the most relevant information: rent range, units remaining, and when they lottery opened and closed.

Better information design

In addition to being unsearchable, the PDF applications were hard to scan. Each had a its own design, the information was in different places, etc...

Our first concern in building the apartment page was clarity and consistency: we pulled out the most salient info - nearby transport, amenities, the often-arcane eligibility requirements the lottery, and offered clear calls-to-action: "apply" or "more info". The application process still had to go through Housing Connect, but we built a robust FAQ for each lottery that made it easier to get questions answered.

We also supported favoriting, so the already-difficult process of sorting and applying would be made a little easier.

Engagement and reminders

Winning a lottery apartment is a marathon, not a sprint, and those who finish the race need to be organized.

Since we knew our users' income and household data, and we knew lottery application deadlines, we could build customized emails not only alerting them to upcoming closings, but also new lotteries in the pipeline.

UPDATE: After our initial contact with the city, NYC Housing Connect redesigned the lottery search and application flow; it's now a user-friendly and (mostly!) painless process.