Vibrant rooftop scenes, cozy backyard spaces, state-of-the-art kitchens and fitness centers, monthly networking events and parties, plus free weekly cleaning to boot — and the rent is only $1,600 on average per month?
All of this can be yours in NYC in 2024. You just have to be willing to share it with up to 30 of your closest housemates — yes, including bathrooms — and pass a vibe check.
But that’s a small price to pay, say numerous residents of Cohabs, a fast-growing Belgian co-living company that currently maintains 14 Big Apple properties, housing 400 members and growing.
Christa Guidry, 23, is one of them. Her job as a pilot allows her to live near any major US airport, and after seeing Cohabs NYC communities featured on her social media, the Arkansan knew she’d found her next home.
“I saw a video that was like, ‘Hey, have you ever wanted to move to New York City with 22 strangers?’ I thought that sounds kind of interesting,” Guidry told The Post. “I wanted a fresh start. I wanted to be around other young, motivated people.”
Two days after contacting the company, she signed a lease and moved in last March.
“Being single, especially in your 20s, and moving to a new city, I would never want to live another way again,” the co-living convert enthused. “Mostly it’s been the community that’s been the biggest thing.”
Like all Cohabbers, Guidry committed to a 3-month minimum stay, though a spokesperson told The Post that the average stay currently is a year, and many stay longer.
She has her own room and shares two bathrooms with three other people on her floor. Cohabs covers all utilities and bills, plus extras like toilet paper, dish soap and basic olive oil to cook with.
Cohabs isn’t a hostel, though it certainly strives for the communal energy of one; nor is it one of those Airbnb “hacker” houses where people pay for a bed and not much else. To keep things harmonious, prospective tenants must undergo an interview process designed to help “curate” the homes.
The company stands out from other co-living and co-working schemes by owning its real estate in the US. For now, the Big Apple is the lone American outpost, but Washington, DC, is expected to come online soon.
Candidates must do a 15-minute call, a virtual tour and are then are invited to apply. The process can happen within 24 to 48 hours. Credit scores are not required. There are no geographical restrictions. Anyone from anywhere is welcome to apply. In their New York City houses, they currently have 27 nationalities.
“There’s often people that come from all over the world to these big cities, and there’s a big barrier of entry. So it’s very hard to find apartments for various reasons,” Dan Clark, Managing Director of Cohabs, told The Post.
“And there’s really not a lot of good property management if you’re not paying a gazillion dollars in New York City. So we like to have an affordable price point for people that come from various backgrounds,”
Prices range from $1,600 to $2,200. And while it might sound like it could be difficult to get a house of 30 people from all over the world on the same page, the crowd tends to be self-selecting, tenants point out.
“Everyone who’s come here, I feel like was looking for this specific living situation,” Guidry said. “I would say, you know, if you weren’t looking for that or you aren’t a social person, it could probably be annoying living with 23 people.”
Count tenant Amin Touhari, 31, among the unannoyed. The French expat told The Post that the United States is the sixth country he’s lived in, and that Cohab has been a big part of making it easy to come here.
“I was actually looking for something very nimble, flexible, and Cohabs was basically the perfect way for me. I was not keen on a lease of 12 months,” Touhari said, noting that here, all you need to bring are your clothes and money for rent. Everything else, including internet, is handled.
Lucy D’Alencon, 26, also from France, loved her Cohabs experience so much, she’s stayed for two years — and now works for the company as a project manager.
“It just made sense to me,” D’Alencon told The Post. “It’s scary moving to a new city, not knowing anyone. Not knowing where you’re living, not even knowing the city, really. And you find yourself with people who’ve lived there for a while, so they are able to help you.”
At that location, amenities include one large kitchen, three smaller kitchens, two expansive rooftops, an expansive backyard with al fresco dining and a BBQ, a fitness space and several lounge areas — D’Alencon speaks fondly of the group gatherings that are a regular occurrence in the public areas.
“It’s just such a nice moment where it can be like a random Tuesday night, you know, and it’s nice to come home and, like, really sit down and have a real meal, disconnect from everyday worries and just enjoy the time with the people you live with,” she said.
