Feeling really hopeless that I will ever get approved for an NYC apartment

This is really frustrating. I moved to NYC from another state (I'm born and raised in the NY suburbs but moved for one year for work) and am staying in an airbnb for a month while I look at apartments.

I have applied to 5 apartments so far and was rejected by all of them. I freelance and do not make the 40x rent, but close, and I have a guarantor who makes the 80x. I do not have traditional paystubs but have provided my last few contracts.

In the southern state I lived in for the past year, my rent was $1800 and I had no trouble affording it, and I wasn't asked to provide an arm and a leg to qualify for that apartment either. My budget in NY is only a few hundred dollars more. I have $20,000 saved. I'm just really not sure what I'm supposed to do. It feels like NYC is designed only for people with rich parents who can cosign. My cosigner is my cousin and I think he's getting a little annoyed with having to constantly fill out applications and I'm afraid he's going to back out. I'm 37 and not interested in roommates, nor do I feel like I financially need them.

Anyway, just venting. Any advice or commiseration is appreciated!