26 Public Housing Agencies are receiving over $1 million total to prevent homelessness faced by youth involved in the child welfare system
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) on Thursday announced that over $1 million has been awarded to public housing agencies (PHAs) across the country to provide housing assistance to youth who are aging out of foster care and are homeless or at risk of homelessness. Twenty-six PHAs in 20 states will receive this funding to continue HUD’s efforts to assist young people transitioning out of foster care. In September, through the Foster Youth to Independence (FYI) Competitive Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA), HUD awarded over $14 million to 18 PHAs to prevent homelessness among young adults who have aged out, or are close to aging out, of the foster care system.
“Every young person deserves the opportunity to live with housing stability,” said Danielle Bastarache, HUD Deputy Assistant Secretary for Public Housing and Voucher Programs. “HUD’s Foster Youth to Independence Initiative has made that a reality for hundreds of youth by helping to provide access to housing for those who are aging out of foster care. Our Department is pleased to provide additional funding to public housing agencies across the country so they can support more individuals as they lay the foundation for their future success.”
HUD’s Foster Youth to Independence (FYI) Initiative provides housing assistance and supportive services to young people with a child welfare history who are at-risk-of or experiencing homelessness.
To be eligible for FYI funding, public housing authorities must:
- Administer a Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) Program;
- Enter into a partnership agreement with a Public Child Welfare Agency (PCWA);
- Accept young people referred by their partnering PCWA; and
- Determine that the referred youth are eligible for HCV assistance.
The following states were awarded funding:
| State | Recipient | City | Amount |
| AR | Housing Authority of the City of Little Rock | Little Rock | $24,162 |
| AZ | Flagstaff Housing Authority | Flagstaff | $10,318 |
| CA | Housing Authority of the City of San Luis Obispo | San Luis Obispo | $74,865 |
| FL | Housing Authority of Brevard County | Melbourne | $9,565 |
| FL | Hialeah Housing Authority | Hialeah | $250,226 |
| IN | Noblesville Housing Authority | Noblesville | $14,332 |
| MA | Boston Housing Authority | Boston | $37,886 |
| ME | Portland Housing Authority | Portland | $35,393 |
| MO | Lincoln County Public Housing Agency | Bowling Green | $18,202 |
| MO | Howell County Public Housing Agency | West Plains | $11,073 |
| MS | Tennessee Valley Regional Housing Authority | Corinth | $5,190 |
| MT | Housing Authority of Butte | Butte | $10,480 |
| NC | Orange County Housing Authority | Hillsborough | $39,053 |
| NH | Keene Housing | Keene | $52,318 |
| NM | Housing Authority of the County of San Juan | Farmington | $4,782 |
| NM | Northern Regional Housing Authority | Taos | $5,862 |
| NY | Town of Brookhaven, Dept. Of Housing & Human | Farmingville | $17,718 |
| NY | City of Buffalo | Buffalo | $6,422 |
| NY | NYS Housing Trust Fund Corporation | New York | $11,761 |
| OH | Erie Metropolitan Housing Authority | Sandusky | $6,683 |
| OH | Portage Metropolitan Housing Authority | Ravenna | $7,314 |
| PA | Housing Authority of the County of Beaver | Beaver | $5,256 |
| TX | Pharr Housing Authority | Pharr | $14,879 |
| VA | Va. Beach Dept. Of Hsg & Neighborhood Pres. | Virginia Beach | $27,242 |
| VT | Burlington Housing Authority | Burlington | $71,716 |
| WA | Seattle Housing Authority | Seattle | $251,346 |