When enthusiastic young volunteers for Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign decided to hop on board the former First Lady’s juggernaut political bandwagon, they should have been warned to read the fine print about the cost of apartments in New York City and even Brooklyn.
| Sampling of median rental prices YTD 2015 | ||
| Neighborhood | Median Asking Rent | Total Rental Inventory |
| Brooklyn | $2,750 | 14,273 |
| Downtown Brooklyn | $3,225 | 578 |
| Brooklyn Heights | $3,330 | 107 |
| Carroll Gardens | $3,575 | 75 |
| East Village | $3,625 | 1,043 |
With the Clinton headquarters located in Brooklyn Heights, it took less than a New York minute for volunteers fresh out of Iowa or Nebraska or Florida to realize: ‘Wait, what? I’d be lucky to find a broom closet for under $1,700!’
But a presidential campaign’s heady allure — even at the expense of ridiculous rental costs — was the subject of a New York Times story this week. It turns out that sleepless nights and a steady diet of phone banks and congealed pizza are all worth the sacrifice of having nowhere affordable to find a temporary home.
Carroll Gardens rentals proved fruitful for Clinton campaigners, as well as rentals in the East Village, but there’s no getting around the harsh reality that the median asking price for Brooklyn rents are $2,750. And if you try to live close to campaign headquarters, the price goes up in Brooklyn Heights ($3,330) and Downtown Brooklyn ($3,225).
Avalon Fort Greene, a rental building near HQ has been a saving grace for some staffers, according to the NYT.
We did a little exploring to see if we could dig anything up and found some interesting possibilities. Take a look:
Brooklyn Heights: Studio, 1 bath – $1,750 (below):
Cheapest apartment in Brooklyn Heights is this $1,750/month studio.
Bensonhurst: 3-bed, 2-bath – $2,250 (below):
Available now! Perfect for three young staffers. Maybe six because this is NY where people are used to being packed in!
Carroll Gardens: Studio, 1 bath – $1,700 (below):
Carroll Gardens studio: Room enough for a bed and a bike to get to campaign headquarters.
Lower East Side: Furnished 1-bedroom – $2,850 (below):
Why schelp your furnishings when you can rent a furnished place?