This can be a tricky and exhausting process, since virtually every single penny and anything of value you own will be taken into consideration. After a drawn-out interview, some applicants have been told that the gross value of their assets actually exceeded the maximum income requirement. So, going through all that trouble when you don't qualify for the government's standards of low- or medium-income will likely be a big waste of time and effort. However, this hasn't stopped some people from trying their luck again, because let's face it: A good deal on an apartment in NYC is worth the hassle.