The Pursuit of Affordable Housing

In New York City, the pursuit of affordable housing is an uphill battle for many residents. High living costs, limited availability, and administrative hurdles often stand as formidable barriers. Amidst this challenge, Robin Hood has emerged as a catalyst of innovation and opportunity, reshaping the city’s housing landscape by funding organizations like Anthos|Home, which tackles administrative inefficiencies in housing voucher placements, and Communities Resist, which offers vital legal assistance in housing court. In 2022, Robin Hood prevented evictions for more than 6,500 families through our $9.7 million investment in programs that provide legal assistance, connections to rental assistance, and provide pathways from shelter to permanent, affordable housing.

Creating affordable housing opportunities with ANTHOS|HOME

One critical challenge in providing affordable housing is efficiently placing New Yorkers who hold housing vouchers into homes. Currently, only 21% of eligible households in New York City receive rental assistance. But the benefits of having some form of housing assistance remains clear; a report from the NYC Mayor’s office shows that 15.7% of New York City families exiting shelter without a voucher returned to shelter within the next year, compared to 0.3% of families that exit with a voucher. What’s far less clear is the opaque, complicated housing voucher system that voucher holders must seemingly navigate on their own. This is where Robin Hood’s support of Anthos|Home comes into the picture; its innovative mission is to address the administrative inefficiencies in the housing placement process for voucher holders. By streamlining these processes, their work ensures that those in need can access affordable housing more efficiently.

Through the funding provided by Robin Hood, Anthos|Home is developing solutions that cut through the red tape that often bogs down housing placement. Their efforts result in quicker and more effective housing assistance for voucher holders, reducing the burden on both applicants and landlords.

But getting someone into their new home is only half the battle. Keeping someone housed is a different fight altogether.

Improving tenant stability and affordability with Communities Resist

Evictions are a looming threat for many New Yorkers, especially those facing financial hardships. Since the eviction moratorium ended in January 2022, over 10,000 evictions have occurred in New York City alone. Moreover, half of New York City households can no longer afford to live in the city they call home — not having enough money for rent, access to food, health care, and transportation. We recognize that the affordable housing crisis is an urgent issue, and we combat it by supporting organizations like Communities Resist (CoRe), which provides legal assistance and representation in housing court for vulnerable individuals and families facing eviction.

Our funding helps CoRe level the playing field in housing court, giving tenants a fighting chance to retain their homes. In doing so, it’s proving that this proactive approach to preventing homelessness is making a significant impact in the city.

By funding organizations like Anthos|Home and Communities Resist, Robin Hood is championing innovative solutions that improve housing access, streamline processes, preserve affordable units, and prevent evictions. We’re also advocating for expanded access to rental assistance vouchers and policy changes at the city and state level that will increase the supply of affordable housing.

Robin Hood is a catalyst for innovation and opportunity. By funding organizations that tackle the housing crisis from many angles, we’re working to make safe, affordable housing a reality for everyone.