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

East Harlem

131 East 110th Street

$2,300 base rent

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South Harlem

239 Lenox Avenue

$2,500 base rent

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Washington Heights

80 Fort Washington Avenue

$2,357 base rent

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Washington Heights

471 West 165th Street

$2,375 base rent

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Hudson Heights

579 Ft Washington Avenue

$2,222 base rent

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East Harlem

405 East 117th Street

$2,450 base rent

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Hell’s Kitchen

305 West 45th Street

$2,500 base rent

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East Harlem

157 East 99th Street

$2,495 base rent

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Fort George

564 Audubon Avenue

$1,923 base rent

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Inwood

47 Cooper Street

$2,195 base rent

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Inwood

110 Seaman Avenue

$2,500 base rent

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South Harlem

274 West 115th Street

$2,500 base rent

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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

Midwood

1589 Ocean Avenue

$1,750 base rent

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Sunset Park

4219 Seventh Avenue

$2,450 base rent

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Ditmas Park

596 East 19th Street

$2,500 base rent

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Farragut

802 East 39th Street

$1,600 base rent

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Bushwick

1501 Broadway

$2,475 base rent

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Weeksville

1332 Sterling Place

$2,250 base rent

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East Flatbush

1634 Flatbush Avenue

$2,414 base rent

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Flatbush

115 Erasmus Street

$2,500 base rent

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Flatbush

1400 Flatbush Avenue

$2,500 base rent

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Kensington

349 Ocean Parkway

$2,250 base rent

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Flatbush

1457 Flatbush Avenue

$2,470 base rent

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Fort Hamilton

155 87th Street

$2,000 base rent

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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

Ridgewood

923 Onderdonk Avenue

$2,400 base rent

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Jackson Heights

37-21 80th Street

$2,400 base rent

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Ditmars-Steinway

18-22 21st Avenue

$2,150 base rent

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Elmhurst

83-02 Cornish Avenue

$2,300 base rent

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Astoria

34-18 33rd Street

$2,500 base rent

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Forest Hills

103-26 68th Avenue

$2,400 base rent

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Ditmars-Steinway

21-16 35th Street

$2,500 base rent

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Fresh Meadows

67-11 197th Street

$2,000 base rent

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Sunnyside

43-16 48th Street

$2,450 base rent

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Sunnyside

43-12 47th Street

$2,250 base rent

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East Flushing

140-18 Ash Avenue

$2,100 base rent

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Briarwood

142-02 84 Drive

$2,457 base rent

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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

Schuylerville

1544 Gillespie Avenue

$1,925 base rent

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Mott Haven

276 Grand Concourse

$2,231 base rent

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Mott Haven

276 Grand Concourse

$2,140 base rent

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Mott Haven

25 Bruckner Boulevard

$2,375 base rent

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Bedford Park

3175 Grand Concourse

$1,750 base rent

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Mott Haven

25 Bruckner Boulevard

$2,333 base rent

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North New York

138 Bruckner Boulevard

$2,357 base rent

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North New York

138 Bruckner Boulevard

$2,357 base rent

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North New York

138 Bruckner Boulevard

$2,357 base rent

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Mott Haven

276 Grand Concourse

$2,298 base rent

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North New York

138 Bruckner Boulevard

$2,357 base rent

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North New York

138 Bruckner Boulevard

$2,357 base rent

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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

South Beach

16 Palisade Street

$1,475 base rent

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Tottenville

203 Main Street

$1,950 base rent

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South Beach

16 Palisade Street

$1,775 base rent

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Saint George

30 Daniel Low Terrace

$2,000 base rent

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Saint George

52 Westervelt Avenue

$2,150 base rent

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New Springville

190 Wellington Court

$1,600 base rent

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Travis

3954 Victory Boulevard

$2,100 base rent

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Saint George

5 Stuyvesant Place

$2,344 base rent

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Great Kills

33 Elmwood Avenue

$2,500 base rent

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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.