After a long and exhausting search, Roderick Covington finally found an apartment he liked in the Harlem neighborhood of New York City. But, as is the case with many Americans, he could not afford the rent.
Undaunted, the 45-year-old fitness instructor and actor came up with a creative solution that helped him land the apartment he wanted, while at the same time building community and adding value to his landlord.
Forced to move out of his Jersey City apartment after a previous “epidemic contract” forced him out of his Jersey City apartment, Covington told The New York Times (1) that he looked at 25 apartments in Brooklyn and Queens, but none of them worked out. Then he heard about Ray Harlem, a new building near one of Harlem’s main commercial areas.
He immediately fell in love with the building, telling The New York Times that he felt “creative peace” there.
As an actor himself, he also appreciated that the development included a collaboration with the National Black Theatre, which operates a 25,000-square-foot performing arts space in the building. Unfortunately, rent was out of her reach.
It’s a common experience amid America’s ongoing, albeit somewhat exacerbated, rental affordability crisis.
According to Redfin, a digital real estate brokerage and platform provider, “renters will need to earn $63,680 to afford the median asking rent for a U.S. apartment — the lowest income since early 2022.” (2)
Despite this, “the typical renter earns $8,928 less [the] Income needed to spend [the] Middle Apartment.”
And more than one in three Americans are spending more on housing. A Zoocasa survey of more than 1,000 American renters and homeowners (3) found that 39.7% “are spending more than 30% of their household income on housing expenses, including rent, mortgage and maintenance,” leaving them cost-burdened or house-poor.
For Covington, he came up with a creative solution to this problem. He owns a personal training business with a studio in downtown Manhattan; Many of her clients live in Harlem and someone asked if she could open a studio there. He thought the residents of the building might also be interested.
Covington came up with the idea of holding group fitness classes in the building to help the building management make the extra money needed to rent him there. “I shared with them my vision of how I would build community through wellness, through the integration of body, mind and spirit,” he told the New York Times.
Building management liked the idea and now the classes are included in the facility fee for residents — and Covington will be able to rent there.
Covington was able to come up with a solution that would grow his business, bring in more rental income, and provide a service that would benefit his building and the community.
Many successful businesses, such as Airbnb and Uber, got their start because of entrepreneurs who saw opportunity where others did not.
Others have found success by pivoting at the right time and in the right way. Netflix, for example, had the foresight to switch from DVD rentals to streaming as digital media gained prominence.
Read more: This is the quiet portfolio shift most wealthy investors will make in 2026. Should you even consider it?
While creative thinking and willingness to improve can help you find success in life and business, location is also a key factor.
Covington knew that existing clients wanted him to locate a studio in the neighborhood and suspected he would demand the facility to hold classes in his building. He also identified the value that building management provides when providing services.
Many condos offer retail on their lower levels, which can create a symbiotic relationship between tenants and the businesses that occupy these spaces.
For example, the presence of a dentist, variety store, or dry cleaner provides amenities that make a building more desirable to tenants. At the same time, it creates a reliable customer base for businesses.
Zillow – an online real estate marketplace – suggests that you can negotiate a rental by arming yourself with knowledge of the market, looking for rentals that have been on the market for a long time and being prepared to demonstrate that you are a good tenant with references and a good credit rating. (4)
The good news is, as rents continue to fall, renters have more leverage than ever before.
When negotiating, Zillow recommends starting early in the rental negotiation process and considering options such as offering to sign a longer lease. If the landlord doesn’t cover rent, ask for perks that can save you money on other living expenses, like free Wi-Fi or reduced parking fees.
Or, as Covington did, you can find ways to offer landlord value in exchange for lower rent. Possibilities include offering maintenance services or upgrading their website. You can say no – but you won’t know if you don’t ask.
We rely only on vetted sources and reliable third-party reporting. For details, see our editorial ethics and guidelines.
New York Times (1); Redfin (2); Zoocasa (3); Zillow (4).
This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
