PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Laura Lazarus, Co-Founder and CEO of Anthos Home
2:11:09
ยท
4 min
Laura Lazarus, Co-Founder and CEO of Anthos Home, testified about improving housing outcomes for New Yorkers using housing vouchers. She described Anthos Home's model for helping voucher holders secure housing quickly and effectively, highlighting their success in reducing wait times and creating stable housing situations.
- Anthos Home's approach includes proactively reserving apartments, providing flexible funding for various costs, and offering ongoing support to both tenants and landlords.
- The organization has helped nearly 200 families and individuals move into housing, including 100 former foster youth, with all remaining housed.
- Lazarus suggested improvements to the CityFHEPS program, including streamlining processes, addressing inspection delays, and improving landlord engagement.
Laura Lazarus
2:11:09
This is on.
2:11:11
Hello.
2:11:12
Deputy good afternoon, deputy speaker Ayala.
2:11:15
My name is Lara Lazarus, and I'm the cofounder and chief executive officer of Anthos Home.
2:11:20
Thank you for the opportunity to testify today and share insights about how we can improve housing outcomes for New Yorkers who use housing vouchers.
2:11:29
Anthos Home is committed to you helping New Yorkers using housing vouchers transition into permanent housing quickly as quickly as possible with the goal of having that happen within 2 months.
2:11:40
We know that housing vouchers are one of the most effective tools we have to address homelessness and housing instability, yet they can be very difficult to use.
2:11:48
Here in New York City, it takes families an average of at least a year to find housing after receiving a voucher and nearly half of all voucher holders cannot secure a suitable apartment.
2:11:58
Every day we see how programs like city fepps can change lives, but we also encounter barriers that prevent voucher holders from accessing stable housing.
2:12:07
These issues are decades in the making and can prolong shelter stays and leave families in unstable and difficult conditions.
2:12:15
The challenges include finding landlords willing to accept vouchers, delays in processing approvals and payments, and the need for more robust support services to help tenants succeed in maintaining their homes.
2:12:27
Our model helps tenants and landlords overcome these common roadblocks.
2:12:31
Here is how it works.
2:12:33
We proactively reserve and identify eligible apartments through a network of landlords and brokers, ensuring families with vouchers can access housing options immediately.
2:12:43
This is the first and only initiative of its kind in New York City.
2:12:46
Additionally, our flexi flexible funding model allows us to cover necessary costs such as repairs to pass inspections, moving costs, application fees and more, removing barriers that prevent families from moving in quickly.
2:13:02
And we have seen from our work that this support on the landlord side has been bringing in more units into the system that are willing with landlords who are willing to work with voucher holders because of the support that we are providing.
2:13:16
Our expert team also guides both tenants and landlords through the often complicated housing process.
2:13:22
From assisting with paperwork to ensuring units and tenants are move in ready, we streamline what can otherwise be a slow and just disjointed effort.
2:13:30
Once families are housed, we provide wraparound support for at least a year for both tenants and landlords to make sure that a tenant is able to recertify their voucher.
2:13:39
This support includes monthly check ins, help with repairs, and intervention if payment issues arise.
2:13:45
Our flexible funding can be used to help address utility costs or to ensure a landlord receives payment even if a government check is delayed.
2:13:54
By offering this ongoing support, we reduce the burden on landlords, allowing them to focus on property property management while we handle tenant related challenges.
2:14:03
This model has been especially effective for vulnerable populations, such as foster youth and individuals with complex health needs who often need extra guidance to navigate the system and achieve stability.
2:14:15
In 2023, we entered into a partnership with the New York City administration for children services to support young people who have aged out of foster care as well as families who are involved with child welfare and are living in shelter.
2:14:28
Our approach is working.
2:14:29
To date, we have helped nearly 200 families and individuals move into housing, and of those, 100 are former foster youth who are now settled in dignified stable apartments.
2:14:40
All of them remain housed.
2:14:42
Each element of our model, our partnership with government, direct support of tenants, and working relationship with landlords made this possible.
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We're in active discussions to bring our approach to other city agencies.
2:14:53
City feps is a critical resource.
2:14:55
Its impact could be even greater with targeted improvements.
2:14:59
Streamlining the process, addressing inspection delays, and creating more effective landlord engagement would significantly reduce bottlenecks.
2:15:07
At Anthos Home, we've seen firsthand how these changes can lead to faster transitions and better outcomes for tenants and landlords alike.
2:15:15
We have helped nearly 500 New Yorkers move into permanent housing, significantly reducing the average wait time to just a few months.
2:15:22
Our model is creating long term stability for families and individuals who might otherwise cycle through unsafe conditions.
2:15:29
These successes demonstrate that targeted well supported interventions can make a measurable difference.
2:15:35
Thank you so much for your support of these improvements and for the opportunity to speak with you today.