Mayor Adams Announces Connection of 100th Young Adult from Foster Care to Permanent, Affordable Housing Through Signature Young Adult Program

December 23, 2024

Administration’s Partnership with Anthos|Home Expedites Move-In Time to New Homes, Ensuring Stable Housing More Quickly for Youth Leaving Foster Care 

100 Percent of Young Adults Who Have Moved IntoHousing Through Program Remain Stably Housed 

NEW YORK – New York City Mayor Eric Adams and New York City Administration for Children’s Services (ACS) Commissioner Jess Dannhauser today announced the administration has reached the milestone of placing the 100th young adult from foster care into permanent, affordable housing as part of its partnership with Anthos|Home, a nonprofit leader helping New Yorkers with housing vouchers find apartments by connecting them with landlords. The partnership — which launched in June 2023 to accelerate the process of connecting youth in foster care with housing vouchers and permanent housing — has successfully helped 100 young New Yorkers to date, all of whom remain in stable housing. As part of this initiative, youth are also connected to Fair Futures, which provides dedicated coaches to young people who are in foster care until they are age 26.   

“When we came into office, we promised to build a safer, more affordable city for all New Yorkers, and that absolutely includes our young New Yorkers. Helping connect youth in foster care with permanent housing and then supporting them with career and educational opportunities is critical to ensuring they have a fair shot at building a better future for themselves,” said Mayor Adams. “Thank you to Anthos|Home for their partnership, which has led these young people to secure permanent housing, and the tireless work of ACS staff and the foster care provider agencies in helping us achieve this critical milestone — proving the success of this innovative model and ensuring our administration doesn’t walk past our young people as they struggle to make it on their own but uplifts them.”  

“Young people exiting foster care need and deserve a dignified, affordable home that serves as a foundation for their success,” said ACS Commissioner Dannhauser. “I am grateful for our partnership with Anthos|Home, which is helping young people with housing vouchers secure permanent homes more quickly. This not only puts youth on a path to stability and success more quickly, but it reduces significant amounts of stress for them during a time of major transition.  Today’s milestone of the 100th young person to leave foster care to their new home through this program is the first of many more to come. These efforts — combined with Fair Futures coaching — are putting the most deserving young people on the path to success.” 

Anthos|Home — a nonprofit successfully deploying innovative models throughout the country — is streamlining the process of helping individuals and families with housing vouchers — including those in shelter or at risk of homelessness — quickly move into affordable housing and provide them with housing stability services so they can remain housed for the long term. Young people working with Anthos|Home move into a new home on an average of two to four months, far less than the typical voucher user.  

“We combat homelessness by partnering with government and social service agencies to help people with housing vouchers secure apartments more quickly, leveraging our unique financial capabilities to support tenants and landlords throughout the process,” said Laura Lazarus, co-founder and chief executive officer, Anthos|Home.  

This successful model is based on building relationships with landlords, developing a bank of suitable apartments, making repairs to apartments, paying moving costs when necessary, and supporting voucher holders and landlords through the process. Anthos|Home housing specialists also provide follow-up support to ensure housing stability. 

ACS plans to work with Anthos|Home over the next 12 months to help house an additional 400 individuals and families and support their housing stability through post-move-in support services. 

“This is a pivotal moment in the commitment to supporting New York’s youth,” said New York State Senator Roxanne J. Persaud, chair, Committee on Social Services. “The partnership with Anthos|Home exemplifies the power of collaboration and shared vision in investing in a brighter future for every young person who has faced the challenges of foster care. I commend Mayor Adams and Commissioner Dannhauser for their unwavering dedication to building a strong foundation for these young adults, providing them not just with housing, but with the tools and resources they need to thrive and succeed.” 

“This administration has shown an unprecedented commitment to uplifting our foster care population and setting them on the path to success,” said New York State Assemblymember Jenifer Rajkumar. “We already made history by providing foster youth with college scholarships and mentoring into their 20’s and then instituted a new program to connect youth aging out with affordable housing. Today we celebrate a milestone in this work, as we place the 100th young adult into safe, stable housing. This sends a message to our foster youth that turning 18 is not the end of the story, but a new chapter in support for them to grow and thrive.”