Yonkers Public Housing Residents Test New Feedback Platform

Let to right: Jotto’s David Gonzales, Jason Van Anden and Chad Mathlin. Photo courtesy of the BCW.

Residents at the Yonkers Housing Authority are helping the video feedback company Jotto test its technology. Jotto is a pioneering platform that leverages groundbreaking social justice applications to redefine community engagement for local government and large organizations. Jotto, a Business Council of Westchester (BCW) Westchester Innovation Network (WIN) participant, held two demonstration sessions with the authority’s residents to explain how its technology can help them communicate more effectively with the authority’s building managers.

Jotto enables people to share feedback instantly by turning diverse forms of feedback—video, audio, and text—into actionable insights. This feedback enables organizations to deeply understand and effectively respond to their community’s needs while encouraging stakeholder expression and participation.

“With any new platform, user adoption is critical. The WIN program allowed us to expand our user base by putting us in front of potential users so that we can show them our technology’s benefits,” said Jotto founder and CEO Jason Van Anden.

Working with Jotto is the latest BCW WIN collaboration with the Yonkers Housing Authority. Previous collaborations include the study of heat-island effects with Iona University students and outreach to justice-impacted residents with BCW WIN participant Untapped Solutions.

“We are seeking innovation in the way a housing authority serves its residents. Jotto’s ability to provide real-time feedback helps our property managers react quickly to small issues before they become big problems,” said Wilson Kimball, the authority’s president and CEO.

Jotto’s platform employs artificial intelligence, which aligns with the BCW’s AI Alliance 360°, a yearlong focus on the technology’s promise.

“We are witnessing the effect of AI in every sector, and it is so exciting to watch Jotto help the housing authority’s residents give their important feedback through this exciting technology,” said BCW president and CEO Marsha Gordon.