Foster Youth often age out of the system with nowhere to go. HUD is actively working to help these young adults. Through the Foster Youth to Independence Initiative (FYI), HUD has $30 million set aside to specifically help young adults aging out of foster care or have already left foster care.
We want every young person to have a safe place to call home. This funding is available to help prevent young people from having to start their young adult lives being homeless.”
Marcia L. Fudge, HUD Secretary
Secretary Marcia L. Fudge also encourages public housing authorities to apply for the funding, to “assist youth who are aging out of foster care and ease connections to housing.” Public Housing authorities do not have to compete for funding.
Vouchers for Foster Youth
The (FYI) makes Housing Choice Vouchers (HCV) available to public housing agencies through a partnership with Public Child Welfare Agencies. Secretary Fudge also says, ”this funding will help connect youth in foster care with stable housing and strengthen the community response of homelessness.”
Additionally, (FYI) funds will provide housing assistance to young adults between the ages of 18 years and 24 years old who are aging out of the system, or will leave care in the next 90 days. (FYI) funds will also help these young adults from becoming homeless.
The Federal Funding is part of a larger effort by the Biden-Harris administration to reduce homelessness 25% by the year 2025. Further, the administration hopes the plans will eliminate homelessness in America by 2030.
The process and eligibility requirements to apply for the Foster Youth to Independence Initiative vouchers can be found here. You can also find the criteria in PIH Notice 2023-04.
Finally, Navigate Affordable Housing Partners actively works to help youth at risk of experiencing homelessness. Over the last several years, Navigate Gives Back has partnered with AIDS Alabama to help create The Way Station. It is the first-of-its-kind shelter in Birmingham, Alabama. This center specifically offers services to what HUD defines as unaccompanied youth.
