She was still in college when she started applying for the housing lottery. Now, she pays $1,600 for a 1-bedroom apartment in NYC.

• Ceronne Mitchell started applying for the New York City affordable-housing lottery while she was in college.
• The rent for her one-bedroom apartment in Queens is $1,631 a month.
• Competition for lottery apartments is stiff: On average, there are 450 applications for each rental unit.

and even young families are choosing to move to the suburbs or leave the country entirely in order to enjoy a lower cost of living.

“As much as I’m for the housing lottery, I think that it does suck that as a native, sometimes the only hope and dream of staying in the city affordably is this route,” Mitchell said. “But I will say that of all the things that New York offers me and its residents, this is one of the best opportunities.”

She has a piece of advice for those interested in the housing lottery: Apply, apply, apply.

“Make it a habit. Just go on the website and apply,” Mitchell said. And even if you don’t check it daily, check it weekly when you remember to — just do it.”

“Native New Yorkers deserve to stay here, and I’m always proud when one can,” she continued.

Have you recently built or renovated your dream home? If you’ve got a story to share, get in touch with me at agoh@businessinsider.com.