SWYM - NYC

SWYM - NYC SWYM stands for: "Say What You Mean"

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06/05/2026

How to Buy Your First Home in NYC

A lot of people think homeownership is only for people making six figures. That’s not true.

There are programs that can help with down payments, closing costs, lower interest rates, and first-time homebuyer assistance.

Some programs worth looking into:

📍 HomeFirst NYC (up to $100,000 toward down payment & closing costs)
https://www.nyc.gov/site/hpd/services-and-information/homefirst-down-payment-assistance-program.page

📍 SONYMA Achieving the Dream
https://hcr.ny.gov/achieving-dream-program

📍 SONYMA Low Interest Rate Program
https://hcr.ny.gov/low-interest-rate-program

📍 SONYMA Down Payment Assistance Loan (DPAL)
https://hcr.ny.gov/down-payment-assistant-loan-dpal

📍 FHA Loans
https://www.hud.gov/buying/loans

📍 VA Loans
https://www.va.gov/housing-assistance/home-loans

📍 Habitat for Humanity NYC
https://habitatnycwc.org

📍 Good Neighbor Next Door (Teachers, EMTs, Firefighters & Law Enforcement)
https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/housing/sfh/reo/goodn/gnndabot

In this video, I’m showing a small piece of the Homeownership section from my NYC Housing Survival Guide. If you’re serious about becoming a homeowner, start learning the programs that are available.

📖 NYC Housing Survival Guide:
https://dalexandre.gumroad.com/l/NYCLHSG

Comment HOME if becoming a homeowner is one of your goals. 🏡

06/04/2026

Trying to find affordable housing on Long Island? Start here 👇

These are 3 websites I recommend checking regularly for affordable rentals, workforce housing opportunities, housing lotteries, and income-restricted apartments across Nassau & Suffolk Counties.

🏠 Long Island Housing Partnership (LIHP)
https://www.lihp.org/rentals/

Affordable rental opportunities, housing lotteries, waitlists, workforce housing programs, and affordable apartment developments throughout Long Island.

🏠 Community Development Long Island (CDLI)
https://www.cdli.org/rental-opportunities

Affordable rental listings and leasing opportunities across Nassau and Suffolk Counties. You can often find property management contacts and current housing opportunities here.

🏠 Suffolk County Affordable & Workforce Housing
https://www.suffolkcountyny.gov/Departments/Economic-Development-and-Planning/Real-Estate/Affordable-and-Workforce-Housing

Affordable and workforce housing resources, developments, and housing opportunities available throughout Suffolk County.

The biggest mistake people make is checking these sites once and never going back. New opportunities, waitlists, and lotteries open throughout the year.

Save this post and send it to somebody looking for housing on Long Island.

Comment “HOUSING” if you want more Long Island housing resources. 🏠
HousingAssistance

06/03/2026

How to Find Housing in New Jersey (Without Just Relying on Zillow)

If you’re serious about finding housing in NJ, start with the government websites first. They usually have the most reliable information, affordable housing opportunities, waiting lists, vouchers, homeownership programs, and resources that many people never hear about.

These are the sites I recommend and trust after going through a ton of them:

NJ Housing Resources (State of New Jersey)
https://www.nj.gov/ooie/ichoose/housing.shtml
Affordable housing programs, Section 8 information, senior housing, disability housing, rental assistance programs, and housing vouchers.

Affordable Homes New Jersey
https://www.affordablehomesnewjersey.com
Apply for affordable rentals and affordable homeownership opportunities, join waiting lists, and update your housing profile.

NJ 211 Housing Resources
https://nj211.org/affordable-housing
Housing assistance, emergency housing resources, rental help, shelters, and connections to local programs.

Hanover Township Affordable Housing Opportunities
https://www.hanovertownship.com/249/Affordable-Housing-Opportunities
Local affordable housing opportunities, applications, and information on income-restricted units.

The housing search can be frustrating, but the people who find opportunities are usually the ones digging through the resources most people don’t know about.

06/01/2026

If you really tryna find housing in Westchester, stop relying on just Zillow and Apartments.com.

These are some of the sites I use to find affordable housing opportunities, rentals, homeownership programs, Section 8 resources, down payment assistance, housing workshops & more:

🏠 Housing Action Council
Affordable housing opportunities, housing counseling, first-time homebuyer support, lotteries, and affordable rental listings throughout Westchester.

🏠 Affordable Westchester Rentals
Current affordable rental listings, affordable homes for sale, housing workshops, and first-time homebuyer resources.

🏠 Westchester HomeSeeker
Westchester County’s official affordable housing portal where you can apply for affordable rentals and homeownership opportunities.

🏠 New Rochelle Housing & Community Development
Affordable housing lotteries, rental opportunities, housing resources, and community development programs.

A lot of people don’t know these resources even exist. Take some time, make profiles, sign up for alerts, and stay on top of new opportunities because the best units go fast.

05/30/2026

Summer in NYC can get expensive, but your library card might be one of the most underrated resources in the city.

Most people think libraries are just for books. Whole time, your library card can unlock hundreds of dollars worth of free activities, services, and experiences throughout the year—especially during the summer.

With a NYC library card, you can access:

• Free admission to museums, botanical gardens, historical sites, and cultural institutions through Culture Pass
• Free ebooks, audiobooks, movies, TV shows, and music
• Free online classes and learning platforms
• Free resume help, career coaching, and job search assistance
• Free language learning programs
• Free computer, Wi-Fi, and technology access
• Free printing and scanning at select locations
• Free notary services at select branches
• Free tutoring and homework help
• Free workshops, classes, and activities for kids, teens, adults, and seniors
• Free author talks, performances, and community events
• Free business resources for entrepreneurs and small business owners
• Free newspaper and magazine subscriptions

Special shoutout to Children’s Librarian Maribel at Arlington Library for collaborating with me on this video and helping share some of the many resources available through our public libraries. If you’re in the area, stop by and connect with her—she’s incredibly knowledgeable and always willing to help families, youth, and community members make the most of everything the library has to offer.

Whether you’re looking for free things to do this summer, activities for the kids, opportunities to learn a new skill, or ways to save money while still enjoying the city, your library card is a great place to start.

🗽☀️😎

05/29/2026

Everybody fighting over Housing Connect and Zillow…

Meanwhile, there’s another lane a lot of people aren’t using.

The NYC Rent Guidelines Board has public lists with thousands of buildings that contain rent-stabilized apartments across all 5 boroughs. (Rent Guidelines Board)

Find buildings in neighborhoods you actually want to live in, then head over to HPD Online and research the address. Check for violations, complaints, and building history.

Scroll to the bottom and you’ll usually find ownership or management information. From there, do your homework, find their contact information, and start calling or emailing about vacancies.

It takes more effort than refreshing Zillow all day, but sometimes the hidden gems go to the people willing to do the extra work.

Stop waiting. Start researching.

05/28/2026

This how quick stuff gettin done when you send your 311 to your elected officials. !

05/28/2026

A lot of people in NYC complain there’s “nothing positive” in their neighborhood meanwhile there’s a whole community garden 5 blocks away waiting for volunteers.

NYC community gardens are FREE to join through NYC Parks GreenThumb. You can help grow fruits & vegetables, get fresh produce, attend free events, learn gardening skills, bring your kids around nature, volunteer, network with neighbors, and some gardens even allow community events and gatherings.

I recently went to an Eid event at Crystal Garden in East New York and it was really a vibe. Henna tattoos, food, arts & crafts, prayer, networking, families, music, and just peaceful energy in the middle of the city.

These spaces really be hidden gems in NYC. Tap into your local garden this summer.

05/28/2026

NYC tip that can save you months of frustration:

A lot of people report issues to 311 and then just wait… meanwhile the complaint gets buried in the system.

If you dealing with:
• Abandoned cars
• Potholes or sinkholes
• Broken street lights
• Missing signs
• Illegal dumping
• Flooding
• Dangerous sidewalks
• Rat conditions
• Noise complaints
• Vacant lots
• Homeless encampments
• Illegal construction

Make the 311 complaint FIRST. Then save the request number and send it to your local City Council office so they can escalate it directly to the agency and follow up.

Some issues even involve multiple agencies.

Example:
• Derelict cars with no plates usually go to DSNY
• Cars with plates usually go to NYPD
• Multiple abandoned vehicles may require a joint tag & tow operation.

The city system is layered. Knowing who to contact and how to escalate makes a huge difference.

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