There’s no doubt that COVID-19 shook the world. New York was one of the hardest hit, leaving residents concerned about their health and job security. Many New Yorkers who lost their jobs are also experiencing housing anxiety. How can you rent an apartment if the pandemic left you unemployed? First, it’s critical to know that you’re not alone. New York City’s unemployment rate reached 20.4% in June 2020. That’s twice the number during the peak of the great recession in 2009. The rental market responds with rent concessions and drastically lower rents, making life in the city more affordable. However, during an unemployment crisis, it doesn’t make renting a new apartment any easier. But it is possible when armed with some essential knowledge. Here’s how to rent an apartment without a job.

Manhattan Rentals Under $2,500 on StreetEasy Article continues below

Lenox Hill

1420 York Avenue

$2,350 No Fee

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1

East Harlem

1629 Lexington Avenue

$1,975 No Fee

2 |

1

Hell’s Kitchen

554 West 50th Street

$2,076 No Fee

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1

Hell’s Kitchen

554 West 50th Street

$2,450 No Fee

2 |

1

Lenox Hill

313 East 60th Street

$2,395 No Fee

Studio |

1

East Harlem

346 East 106th Street

$1,850 No Fee

1 |

1

Sutton Place

353 East 54th Street

$2,400 No Fee

Studio |

1

Washington Heights

81 Wadsworth Avenue

$2,250 No Fee

1 |

1

Central Harlem

1 West 126th Street

$2,500 No Fee

1 |

1

East Harlem

315 East 108th Street

$1,950 No Fee

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1

Lenox Hill

255 East 61st Street

$2,400 No Fee

Studio |

1

Hell’s Kitchen

419 West 56th Street

$2,295 No Fee

Studio |

1

How to Get an Apartment Without a Job? Secure a Guarantor

Pre-pandemic, a landlord would ask for a guarantor if someone couldn’t prove income or had terrible credit, says Becki Danchik of Warburg Realty. It still holds in the current market.

“It might not be the most convenient or comfortable way for someone to rent an apartment, but it’s one of the most effective,” she said. And there are two ways to go about finding one. 

1. Use a Personal, Tri-State Guarantor

“The guarantor would be someone whose income is a bare minimum of 80 times the monthly rent,” said real estate agent Bill Kowalczuk. “For example, if an unemployed person is looking at a rent of $3,000 per month, the guarantor would need to make a minimum of $240,000 a year and have excellent credit and low debt. When it comes to how to rent an apartment without a job, if you know someone who meets those requirements and lives in the tri-state area, ask them if they’d be willing to act as your guarantor.

2. Use a Third-Party Guarantor

If you don’t have someone local who meets the guarantor requirements, companies like Insurent will act as one. “To use a guarantor company, usually you have to pay a fee of about two months rent,” said Kowalczuk. “Companies like these typically guarantee rent payments. But, there’s a catch. You need stellar credit.”

Brooklyn Rentals Under $2,500 on StreetEasy Article continues below

Bay Ridge

265 74th Street

$1,850 No Fee

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1

Fort Hamilton

362 86th Street

$2,100 No Fee

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1

Flatbush

271 East 28th Street

$2,499 No Fee

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1

Prospect Lefferts Gardens

305 Clarkson Avenue

$2,458 No Fee

2 |

1

Midwood

1250 Ocean Parkway

$1,800 No Fee

Studio |

1

Greenpoint

101 Sutton Street

$2,500 No Fee

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1

Flatbush

1505 Nostrand Avenue

$2,499 No Fee

2 |

1

Flatbush

1505 Nostrand Avenue

$2,299 No Fee

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1

East Flatbush

1632 Brooklyn Avenue

$2,300 No Fee

2 |

1

Cypress Hills

44 Crescent Street

$2,400 No Fee

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1

Crown Heights

641 Saint Mark’s Avenue

$2,458 No Fee

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1

Bushwick

651 Bushwick Avenue

$2,434 No Fee

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How to Get an Apartment Without a Job? Get a Credit Letter 

If you saved substantially for a rainy day and can’t meet the apartment’s income requirements, you could set up a credit letter with a bank. In a nutshell, it guarantees that a tenant’s rent payments will be received on time and for the correct amount. In this example, it pays to have savings regarding how to get an apartment without a job.

“If the tenant is unable to make a payment on the rent, the bank will be required to cover the full or remaining amount of the rent,” said Kowalczuk. “The tenant supplies the bank with the full year’s rent, which is held by the bank, similar to a typical security deposit. The tenant would still be required to pay the monthly rent. The money held by the bank is used if the tenant is unable to pay the rent for any particular month. At the end of the lease, the leftover funds are returned to the tenant.”

According to agent Jeremy Kamm of Warburg Realty, another similar option is to secure a personal loan. “You could use a personal loan to cover the costs of living while unemployed and using those funds as proof of funds for a landlord,” he noted. “That being said, it may be challenging to secure a personal loan right now, and the interest fees might be very high.”

Queens Rentals Under $2,500 on StreetEasy Article continues below

Glen Oaks

245-10 Grand Central Parkway

$2,475 No Fee

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1

Flushing

140-21 32nd Avenue

$2,375 No Fee

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1

East Flushing

140-32 Franklin Avenue

$1,850 No Fee

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1

Astoria

34-18 33rd Street

$2,500 No Fee

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1

Jamaica

152-09 88th Avenue

$2,400 No Fee

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1

Jamaica

152-09 88th Avenue

$1,938 No Fee

Studio |

1

Jamaica Estates

87-01 Midland Parkway

$2,350 No Fee

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1

Forest Hills

111-38 76 Drive

$2,300 No Fee

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1

Oakland Gardens

64-56 223 Place

$2,300 No Fee

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1

Briarwood

139-21 85 Drive

$1,995 No Fee

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1

Flushing

143-16 Barclay Avenue

$1,900 No Fee

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1

Briarwood

139-21 85 Drive

$1,650 No Fee

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Don’t Forget Unemployment Benefits

Just because you lost your job doesn’t mean you have no source of income. Unemployment benefits max out at $504 a week in NYC, and it’s more than $600 in New Jersey, meaning you could have around $2,000 or more before taxes to spend. And as of July 2020, a law was signed that provides additional unemployment insurance. You can refer to the U.S. Department of Labor for the latest regarding Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation.

UPDATE: As of September 5, 2021, several federal unemployment benefit programs across the states will expire. Please check with your local unemployment office for more information.

Bronx Rentals Under $2,500 on StreetEasy Article continues below

Mott Haven

25 Bruckner Boulevard

$2,282 No Fee

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1

Spuyten Duyvil

2600 Netherland Avenue

$2,300 No Fee

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1

Fordham

2719 Morris Avenue

$2,186 No Fee

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1

Pelham Parkway

2160 Wallace Avenue

$2,400 No Fee

2 |

1

Concourse

1546 Selwyn Avenue

$1,900 No Fee

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1

Mott Haven

276 Grand Concourse

$2,413 No Fee

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1

University Heights

2643 Sedgwick Avenue

$2,100 No Fee

2 |

1

Mott Haven

276 Grand Concourse

$2,264 No Fee

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1

Mott Haven

276 Grand Concourse

$2,266 No Fee

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Fordham

2350 Creston Avenue

$1,899 No Fee

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1

Mott Haven

315 Alexander Avenue

$2,322 No Fee

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1

Mott Haven

329 East 132nd Street

$2,041 No Fee

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1

How to Get an Apartment Without a Job? Find a Roommate

If you’re having trouble securing an apartment on your own, consider finding a roommate. Apply for an apartment with a friend (or two) who perhaps are in a better financial situation than you. That way, your combined income could meet the landlord’s requirements. 

If you don’t have potential roommates lined up to share the cost, plenty of online services like Share a Room or Roomi have listings of people looking for roommates. Another option is to find someone subletting a vacant room in an already leased apartment on these sites or Craigslist. 

Staten Island Rentals Under $2,500 on StreetEasy Article continues below

Shore Acres

179 Hope Avenue

$2,400 No Fee

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1

Saint George

157 Daniel Low Terrace

$1,825 No Fee

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1

Saint George

30 Daniel Low Terrace

$1,650 No Fee

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1

Saint George

36 Hamilton Avenue

$1,700 No Fee

1 |

1

Stapleton

8 Navy Pier Court

$2,255 No Fee

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1

Stapleton

7 Navy Pier Court

$2,395 No Fee

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1

Consider Renting in a Co-Op

Although it’s not a tried and true method, some experts believe co-ops might be more lenient about renter restrictions given the market and economic climate. “I could see how some of the smaller buildings might be willing to take a chance on the tenant since the responsibility is on the shareholder,” said broker Becki Danchik.  

Apply For Cash Assistance or Rental Relief Programs

Not surprisingly, government agencies are recognizing that COVID-19 created an unprecedented crisis. Even the safety nets in place for residents weren’t enough. In response, additional programs were formed recently to help New Yorkers. These programs could help unemployed residents looking to rent an apartment. 

1. Cash Assistance Program

The Human Resources Administration is providing emergency cash grants to help you pay for rent and other necessities. Certain documents will be needed to apply.

2. COVID Rent Relief Program

The state set up the COVID Rent Relief Program to help households facing an increase in rent burden due to a loss of income during the pandemic. However, it ended. As of June 1, 2021, a new federally-funded rental assistance program opened. If you’re seeking help, please reach out to New York State’s Emergency Assistance Program (ERAP). It is important to note that the rental assistance grant from ERAP does not have to be repaid.