Renters

Who rents in New York, where they live and what they have to put up with.

Highlights

They Moved to Queens, and Then the Apartment Sprang Its First Leak
Persistent leaks in a family’s Sunnyside apartment have led to pests, water-stained mattresses and years of frustration.
By D.W. Gibson and Marissa Alper
Credit
With a Payout, She Left San Francisco Behind and Moved Back Home
A woman left the city she loved to return to Chico, Calif., where dozens of cousins and extended family were waiting for her.
By Achy Obejas
CreditAndri Tambunan for The New York Times
1. A Return to New York Was a Much-Delayed Dream
  Daira Jackson moved away from New York City when she was 8. When she returned nearly 40 years later, it was with her own family and to a new building in Inwood.
  By D.W. Gibson
  CreditKatherine Marks for The New York Times
2. A Leasing Officer Prefers to Rent in New Jersey
  Andrew Forsyth, who works in commercial real estate, is bullish about his industry and just a bit ambivalent about renting, at least for now.
  By D.W. Gibson
  CreditYe Fan for The New York Times

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A Couple Moves to Queens and Brings Along Their Dining App
After living in Madrid and growing their restaurant-finding platform, Alexandra Papadopoulos and David Martin Suarez found an apartment in Long Island City.
By D.W. Gibson and James Estrin
A Race-Car Driver Cruises Manhattan for His First Apartment
Jaden Lander didn’t want to leave the Upper East Side, where he grew up, but he found what he was looking for in the Financial District.
By D.W. Gibson and Katherine Marks
He Left Manhattan for a Cat in Gowanus
Dimitrios Petsas never once considered living north of Bleecker Street, let alone outside of the city — until a tiny, furry creature came along.
By D.W. Gibson
In Southampton, N.Y.: A Long Wait for Section 8 Housing
An assistant at the Shinnecock housing office says that perseverance and the personal touch, however unlikely, can work in landing vouchers.
By D.W. Gibson and Karsten Moran
An Educator Found Her Calling (and Some Laughs) in Oakland
Micia Mosely founded a group to support Black teachers transforming schools across the country. She also tells a joke or two.
By Achy Obejas
She Saved Up for Her New York Dream and Found It in Coney Island
After first landing in Williamsburg, a marketer found a one-bedroom apartment in a (somewhat) quieter part of Brooklyn, and has taken up surfing.
By D.W. Gibson
To Afford Montauk, He Went on ‘Jeopardy!’
Stevie Ruiz, a restaurant server who also runs small businesses, has used his game show winnings to stay afloat in the expensive Long Island hamlet.
By D.W. Gibson and Eric Striffler
A Scramble for a Woman, 77, Who Lost Her ‘Forever’ Apartment
When Patricia Brennecke returned to the rental market in the Bay Area, she was frustrated by how expensive apartments were, in an almost entirely digital market.
By Achy Obejas
Disillusioned With Finance, She Gave the Furniture Business a Try
For Josefina Londono, a career move after reconnecting with her family’s furniture business also called for a move to a new Brooklyn apartment.
By D.W. Gibson and Marissa Alper
A Long Life in Harlem, Made Possible by an Affordable Apartment
Owen Levy says the social fabric has remained strong in the often-tumultuous 46 years he has lived in the neighborhood.
By D.W. Gibson