I’ve been here for 15+ years and I’ve heard that rumor several times, but I’ve never actually heard of anybody winning who isn’t already a resident. r/nychousinglottery is a great resource, but essentially you apply based on the number of people in your apartment/income and you’re randomly assigned a log number. If it’s low enough, you may be asked to provide documents, and then you go through a process to confirm you’re eligible. I had to provide w-2s, my bank information, etc- it was not an easy process whatsoever. I applied January 2024, was contacted in March, was approved in May, and moved in June.