New York, NY September 16, 2026 – Forty-five New York City households successfully achieved first time homeownership in the first seven months of this year through a unique new program offered by the NYC Housing Partnership, supported by a multiyear grant from Airbnb. Another 32 households have secured mortgage pre-approvals and are on their way to homeownership.
Pathways to Homeownership for Gig Workers is designed to help New Yorkers translate entrepreneurial success into long-term housing stability and wealth creation. Self-employed individuals, from creatives to freelancers and contractors, typically encounter barriers to home purchase because the traditional mortgage market is built around predictable W-2 employment. This new program provides the tools and information needed to successfully buy their first homes.
Airbnb is providing a $600,000 grant over three years to enable the non-profit Housing Partnership to add staff and other resources for the Pathways to Homeownership program.
More than 190 self-employed and gig worker households are participating thus far in this first-of-its-kind homeownership readiness program specifically designed for borrowers with non-traditional income.
“Homeownership remains one of the most powerful ways to build long-term financial security, and gig workers should not be left behind in the opportunity to achieve that dream. Through our partnership with the NYC Housing Partnership, we’re helping connect more New Yorkers with the resources and support they need to navigate the path to homeownership and build a more secure future for their families, especially as the way people work continues to evolve,” said Michael Blaustein, Northeast Atlantic Policy Lead at Airbnb. “New York City is currently experiencing a housing crisis and Airbnb is dedicated to supporting initiatives that alleviate this issue, from advocating for local homeowners to creating housing and making homeownership more accessible to all.”
NYC Housing Partnership President & CEO Molly Wasow Park said “The workers who keep New York City afloat – whether keeping us moving, creating art and theater, or establishing innovative businesses – are too often excluded from traditional homeownership lending simply because they don’t have a W2. In order for our City to continue to thrive, we have to open homeownership opportunities to a wider universe of households. The NYC Housing Partnership is proud to partner with Airbnb to provide a viable pathway to homeownership for workers across all parts of our economy.”
“As a self-employed professional, I always felt like homeownership was within reach financially, but the traditional mortgage process didn’t always reflect how I actually earn my income,” said a gig worker who recently purchased their first home after completing the Pathways to Homeownership program. “I learned how to present my finances, connected with a lender that understood self-employed borrowers, and qualified using a mortgage product designed for non-traditional income. I’m now a first-time homeowner, something that once felt complicated and out of reach,” said this new owner of a 1-bedroom co-op in the Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood of Manhattan.
Another Pathways to Homeownership program graduate has an accepted offer on a 1-bedroom condo in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn. She said “when I entered the gig workers program I had income to purchase a home, but I didn’t realize how important it was to make sure my finances told the right story. Working with my counselor at the Housing Partnership I strengthened my savings and better documented my income as a gig worker. The program also connected me with real estate brokers who understood the realities of gig work, helping buyers like me navigate the purchase process without traditional W-2 income. I have the right team, the right tools and a clear path to homeownership.”
Airbnb was born in 2007 when two hosts welcomed three guests to their San Francisco home and has since grown to over 5.5 million hosts who have welcomed over 2.5 billion guest arrivals in almost every country across the globe. Every day, hosts offer unique stays, experiences, and services that make it possible for guests to connect with communities in a more authentic way.
For more than 40 years the nonprofit NYC Housing Partnership has helped expand access to affordable housing across New York City and beyond through innovative public-private partnerships resulting in the creation and preservation of 100,000 low and moderate-income housing units leveraging over $11.1 billion in private financing and utilizing more than $550 million in subsidies for affordable housing. Working with community partners, lenders, developers and public agencies, the Housing Partnership strives to ensure that safe and comfortable housing remains within reach for New Yorkers.