Housing Solutions for Youth Leaving Foster Care

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Housing Solutions for Youth Leaving Foster Care

• NGA Institute on Youth
• October 2005

Child Welfare League of America www.cwla.org
Ruth White, Director of Housing rwhite_at_cwla.org
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What are unaccompanied youth up against?

• Limits in the capacity and capabilities of
  Independent Living Curricula.
• Available housing stock is too often out of
  reach national housing wage is 15.37, or
  31,970 a year, which is triple minimum wage.
• National trend is for young adults to return home
  to parents following college.
• Child welfare agencies acting alone have neither
  the housing expertise, nor resources necessary to
  assist youth to overcome these challenges.

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What can be done at the state level to address
housing issues?

• Housing must be a central feature of your states
  independent living curriculum.
• Ensure that your child welfare system builds a
  continuum of housing resources.
• Build statewide partnerships to create a range of
  affordable housing opportunities.
• Tap new and unusual streams of funding.

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Planning for transition

• Start the housing discussion early as soon as a
  young person has a goal of independent living.
• Describe the range of housing options.
• Give young people practical experience and a
  degree of choice.
• Allow for a bi-directional housing continuum.
• Ensure that child welfare is direct, not
  reactionary in the planning of housing
  arrangements.
• States may use state budget dollars to address
  the housing needs of youth.

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Funding for IL Housing Services

• The Chafee Act was amended to allow for up to 30
  of state IL dollars to be used for room and
  board.
• Currently, only 10 states are using IL dollars
  for this purpose.
• Some states use IL money for first months rent,
  security deposit, and furniture.

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Partnerships with Public Housing

• Family Unification Program
• Priority Codes for Youth Leaving Care
• Housing Choice Vouchers
• Project Based Section 8

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Family Unification Program

• FUP is a housing program for families and youth
  in the child welfare system. At minimum, FUP
  provides Section 8 vouchers to child welfare
  families and youth aging out of care.
• FUP is a collaboration between Public Housing
  Authorities and Public Child Welfare Agencies.
• FUP is a program designed to strengthen and
  stabilize child welfare families.

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Agency Partnership
Informal partnership

Department of Children and Families (child
welfare)
State Department of Social Services (DSS)
Info and cooperation
Funding for Sec. 8 vouchers
Funding and referrals
Young person
Issues voucher to youth
Local Public Housing Authority (PHA)
Housing assistance and case management
Pays rent on time
Supportive Housing (IL Program)
Landlord
Pays rent on time
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Setting the table for PHA collaboration
Benefits to the parties involved

• For PHAs increased ability to serve clientele,
  more Section 8 vouchers.
• For CWAs expanded access to housing solutions
  for families, caseworkers.
• For youth affordable housing, stability, exit
  from the child welfare system.
• For the community it is the preferred and most
  cost-effective alternative to foster care.

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States using PHA model for youth
Some examples of states serving youth with
Section 8

• Colorado
• Ohio
• California
• New York

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State Housing Agencies

• State-chartered authorities established to help
  meet the affordable housing needs of the
  residents of their states. Although they vary
  widely in characteristics such as their
  relationship to state government, most HFAs are
  independent entities that operate under the
  direction of a board of directors appointed by
  each state's governor.
• State Housing Agencies administer a number of
  housing funding streams, including HOME, Low
  Income Housing Tax Credit and some homeless
  funds.
• More can be learned about State Housing Agencies
  at www.ncsha.org.

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HOME Program

• The Home Investment Partnership Program is a
  federal block grant that provides states with a
  flexible affordable housing funding stream.

• States receive 40 of HOME dollars.
• Florida, specifically the Tallahassee PHA, has
  investigating using part of the use of HOME funds
  for youth aging out.

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Low Income Housing Tax Credit
The LIHTC was established in 1986 in order to
encourage the construction and rehabilitation of
rental housing affordable to low income
households. LIHTC offers a reduction in tax
liability or credit to developers or owners for
the first ten years. These properties can be
used for youth and often are, however there are
some restrictions that affect foster youth.
.
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Finally

• Pay a visit to the states that have made strides,
  learn from their mistakes and achievements.
• States can use some homeless services and housing
  dollars for youth, but again, there are
  restrictions.
• Collaborations are the fastest, most efficient
  way to create a range of housing options.

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For more information

• Ruth White, Director of Housing and
  Homelessness
• Child Welfare League of America
• 440 First Street NW Third Floor
• Washington DC 20001
• 202/662-4282
• rwhite_at_cwla.org
• www.cwla.org