After a long and tiring search, Rodrick Covington finally found an apartment he loved in the Harlem neighborhood of New York. But, as is the case for many Americans, he couldn’t afford the rent.
Undeterred, the 45-year-old fitness trainer and actor came up with a creative solution that helped him get the apartment he wanted while building community and adding value to his landlord.
Forced to move out of his Jersey City apartment when the rent went up again after an earlier “pandemic deal,” Covington told The New York Times (1) that he looked at 25 apartments in Brooklyn and Queens, but none worked. Then he heard about Ray Harlem, a new building near one of Harlem’s main shopping areas.
He immediately fell in love with the building, telling The New York Times that he felt a “creative peace” there.
As an actor, 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, the rent was out of his reach.
This is a common experience in the US amid an ongoing, albeit somewhat improving, rental affordability crisis.
According to Redfin, a digital real estate brokerage and platform provider, “Renters need to earn $63,680 to afford the median rent for an apartment in the US – the lowest income required as of early 2022.” (2)
Despite this, “the average renter earns $8,928 less than [the] the income needed to afford it [the] medium apartment.”
And more than one in three Americans overspend on housing. A Zoocasa survey (3) of more than 1,000 US renters and landlords found that 39.7% “spend more than 30% of their household income on housing costs, including rent, mortgage and maintenance,” leaving them cost-burdened or poor.
As for Covington, he came up with a creative solution to the problem. He owns a personal training business with a studio in midtown Manhattan; many of his clients live in Harlem, and some have asked if he could open a studio there. It was also thought that there might be interest from the residents of the building.
Covington pitched the building’s management the idea of holding group fitness classes in the building to help him earn the extra money he needed to rent there. “I shared with them my vision of how I would build a 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 classrooms are included in residents’ amenities fees — and Covington can afford to rent there.
Covington was able to find a solution that would help grow his business, bring in additional rental income, and provide a service that benefited his building and community.
Many successful businesses, such as Airbnb and Uber, started 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 move from DVD rentals to streaming as digital media gained prominence.
Read more: This is the quiet portfolio shift many wealthy investors are making in 2026. Should you consider it too?
While creative thinking and a willingness to improvise can help you find success in life and business, location is also a key factor.
Covington knew existing clients wanted him to locate a studio in the neighborhood, and he suspected there would be demand for the convenience of having classes in his building. He also identified the value that building management would gain by offering the service.
Many apartments offer retail on their lower level, 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 the business.
Zillow—an online real estate marketplace—suggests that you can negotiate rent by arming yourself with market knowledge, looking for rentals that have been on the market for a long time, and being prepared to show that you’re a good tenant with references and a good credit rating. (4)
The good news is that because rents are falling, renters have a lot more leverage than ever before.
When negotiating, Zillow recommends starting the rent conversation early in the process and considering options like offering to sign a longer lease. If the landlord won’t budge on the rent, consider asking for perks that can save you money on other living costs, such as free Wi-Fi or reduced parking fees.
Or, as Covington did, you can look for ways to give the landlord value in exchange for reduced rent. Possibilities include offering maintenance services or upgrading their website. You might get turned down – but you won’t know if you don’t ask.
We only rely on verified sources and credible third-party reports. For details, see our ethics and editorial guidelines.
The New York Times (1); Redfin (2); Zoo (3); Zillow (4).
This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. Offered without warranty of any kind.
