Your guide to NYC's public proceedings.
PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Cathy Batista, Chief Program Officer of Anthos Home
3:45:21
ยท
143 sec
Cathy Batista, Chief Program Officer of Anthos Home, testified about their innovative approach to helping people with housing vouchers secure stable housing quickly. She highlighted Anthos Home's success in placing over 250 individuals and families in permanent housing, including 100 young adults aging out of foster care.
- Anthos Home works directly with landlords and brokers to secure apartments for voucher holders, covering key costs that often delay move-ins.
- They provide ongoing support for tenants and landlords for at least a year after placement, ensuring stable housing.
- Batista urged the city council to continue investing in and strengthening the voucher system, including streamlining approvals, addressing inspection delays, and expanding landlord engagement.
Cathy Batista
3:45:21
Good afternoon, Chair Ayala, members of the Committee on General Welfare.
3:45:25
My name is Kathy Bautista, and I'm the chief program officer at Anthos Home.
3:45:28
Thank you for the opportunity to testify today.
3:45:31
I have submitted a more detailed written testimony, but I wanna take a few minutes to highlight our work and how our motto is working and how we can help strengthen the city's efforts to move more New Yorkers into permanent housing.
3:45:42
Anthos Home is an innovative nonprofit committed to helping people with housing vouchers to secure stable housing as quickly as possible.
3:45:50
Vouchers are one of the most effective tools we have to address homelessness, yet families often spend a year or more searching for an apartment.
3:45:58
These long wait times extend shelter stays and create unnecessary instability for families and who are ready for families who are ready to move forward.
3:46:06
Our motto is designed to remove these roadblocks.
3:46:09
Work directly with landlords and brokers to secure apartments, ensuring that families with vouchers have an immediate housing options.
3:46:15
We also cover key costs that often delays move in, such as repairs for inspections, moving costs, and application fees.
3:46:23
And because finding an apartment is just the first step, we provide ongoing support for tenants and landlords at least for a year after placement.
3:46:29
This includes help with paperwork, monthly check ins, assistance of repairs, and interventions if payment issues arise.
3:46:36
This approach is working.
3:46:37
We have helped more than 250 individuals and families move into permanent housing, including over 100 young adults aging out of foster care through our partnership with ACS.
3:46:47
Every single one, has remained stably housed.
3:46:50
And critically, we've also been able to bring new landlords into the program, expanding the housing stock available to voucher holders at a time when too many doors remain close to them.
3:47:00
Our working supplements the city efforts New York has made tremendous progress in expanding City Fest program.
3:47:07
Last year alone, New York City helped over 14,000 households transition from shelter into permanent housing.
3:47:13
But challenges remain, delays in vouchers approvals, difficulties finding willing landlords, and the need for more support services.
3:47:22
By working together, we can address these barriers and make the voucher program even more effective.
3:47:26
We urge the city council to continue investing in and strengthening the voucher system, strengthening approvals, address inspection delays, and expanding landlord engagement.
3:47:36
These steps will help to ensure more families can transition out of out of shelter and into more stable housing they deserve.
3:47:42
Thank you for your time and I welcome any questions.