$140 a night AirBnb in the New York housing projects

Sophia Gonzalez recovers from a painful surgery in her daughter's living room in a NYCHA apartment on September 30. 2018 in Brooklyn, New York. Photo / Getty Images

A Boston tourist got a surprise when she booked a $90 a night Airbnb — in a run-down New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) housing complex.

Rachel Valerio and her mother were concerned when they unlocked the door of their seventh floor rental and were hit with the smell of gas, according to a report. There was a roach trap near the bed too. When they Googled NYCHA, they felt worse.

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Great house meeting last night led by #eastbrooklyncongregations @metroiafny leader Tita Concepcion @tita1123 . . . Neighbors coming together to share their anger & frustration @ leaks, peeling paint, mold & trash in @nychagram #breukelen development. But profound pride @ the organizing & action that has been taken by neighbors who won a new door, new intercom system & new camera. . . As @tita1123 reminded us last night, “we now have the safest building in the development because of the people in this room!” Great work!! . . . . #eastbrooklyncongregations #southbronxchurches #queenspower #manhattantogether #metroiaf #metroiafny #nycha #fixnycha #fixnychanow #canarsie #brooklyn #brooklynchurch #faithinaction

A post shared by Industrial Areas Foundation NY (@metroiafny) on Nov 7, 2019 at 7:24am PST

NYCHA is the United States' nation's largest public housing system, home to 400,000 low-income residents.

Two highly contentious housing issues collide in New York City: the future of the city's 176,000 crumbling public housing apartments and the proliferation of Airbnb, which has 50,000 listings in the city.

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@notonemoreblock #nycha

A post shared by Kellita (@kellypedros) on Oct 27, 2019 at 10:28pm PDT

There are about 177,000 people on the waiting list for a NYCHA apartment; many who have been waiting for years.

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So this the parking lot #nycha sucks

A post shared by @ budda__brigante on Nov 5, 2019 at 6:52am PST

NYCHA's official population is about 400,000, but that number doesn't account for residents who are not on the lease. Unofficial estimates, based on trash volume and anecdotal evidence, have pegged the number closer to 600,000.