Nine States to Receive Nearly $100,000 in Vouchers, Brining Total to Over 600 Vouchers Since Inception
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Ben Carson today announced nearly $100,000 in the most recent round of grants for HUD’s Foster Youth to Independence (FYI) Initiative. Since the initiative was launched in June of 2019, 26 states have received FYI funding, equating to 654 individual vouchers, totaling over $5.4 million in funds to prevent or end homelessness among young adults under the age of 25 who are in, or have recently left, the foster care system without a home to go to.
“In under one year since its launch, the FYI program has awarded more than 600 vouchers to 26 states across the country. In other words, this program has impacted the lives of 600 plus young people, not only giving them a home of their own, but providing them with the tools to be self-sufficient and achieve their dreams. Today’s announcement of nearly $100,000 continues the momentum of this powerful initiative for the young men and women who will shape our nation’s future,” said Secretary Carson.
HUD’s Foster Youth to Independence (FYI) Initiative is an initiative that provides housing assistance and supportive services to young people with a child welfare history who are at-risk-of or experiencing homelessness. FYI, in conglomeration with local resources, will assist communities in ensuring that every young person who has had experience with the child welfare system has access to safe, affordable housing where they are supported to reach self-sufficiency by working toward their education and employment goals.
“To date, we have now awarded over 600 vouchers for this crucial, new program,” said R. Hunter Kurtz, Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing. “I’m proud that we are helping one of our most vulnerable populations have a roof over their head during these tough times.”
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) estimates that more than 20,000 young people age out of foster care each year. The National Center for Housing and Child Welfare (NCHCW) estimates that approximately 25 percent of these young people experience homelessness within four years of leaving foster care and an even higher share are precariously housed. HUD’s Foster Youth Initiative housing vouchers will go to public housing authorities that do not participate in HUD’s Family Unification Program. 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 are receiving funding:
| State | Public Housing Authority | City | Amount |
| Alaska | Alaska Housing Finance Corporation | Anchorage, AK | $17,808 |
| Florida | Housing Authority of the City of Cocoa | Cocoa, FL | $8,626 |
| Hawaii | Hawaii Public Housing Authority | Honolulu, HI | $14,674 |
| Iowa | Central Iowa Regional Housing Authority | Grimes, IA | $5,102 |
| Iowa | Ottumwa Housing Authority | Ottumwa, IA | $5,033 |
| Minnesota | HRA of Bemidji, Minnesota | Bemidji, MN | $5,140 |
| Ohio | Lorain Metropolitan Housing Authority | Lorain, OH | $12,772 |
| Ohio | Erie Metropolitan Housing Authority | Sandusky, OH | $6,201 |
| Pennsylvania | Housing Authority of the County of Beaver | Beaver, PA | $10,118 |
| South Dakota | Pennington County Housing and Redevelopment Commission | Rapid City, SD | $12,153 |
| Total: | $97,627 |
To see an infographic detailing all states to receive FYI vouchers to date, click here.
