HUD Archives: News Releases


HUD No. 20-040
Public Affairs
(202) 708-0685
For Release
Thursday
March 5, 2020

HUD ANNOUNCES ADDITIONAL $1.1 MILLION TO PUBLIC HOUSING AUTHORITIES TO ASSIST YOUNG PEOPLE AGING OUT OF FOSTER CARE
*Updated April 14, 2020 to include additional funding

WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Ben Carson announced an additional $1.1 in funding for HUD's new Foster Youth to Independence (FYI) Initiative. Ten housing authorities will receive this funding, continuing HUD's efforts to assist young adults transitioning out of foster care and who are at risk of homelessness. In January, HUD awarded nearly $500,000 to the FYI Initiative and an additional $260,000 in February, and $410,177 in late March. See chart below of today's funding announcement.

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. 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.

"The first ever edition of this program worked so well that further federal support for the Foster Youth to Independence initiative is on its way," Secretary Carson said. "Since we introduced the FYI program less than a year ago, we've been able to help a number of young people aging out of foster care to avoid homelessness, and that's an achievement we can all be proud of."

R. Hunter Kurtz, Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing added: "We continue to see direct and immediate effects on the lives of young people receiving these vouchers. A home is the foundation for their future growth and success, and I'm pleased HUD is able to support this population of young people in their development."

These tenant-protection vouchers will go to public housing authorities that do not participate in HUD's Family Unification Program. The 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 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% of these young people experience homelessness within four years of leaving foster care and an even higher share are precariously housed.

The grants HUD is awarding include the following:

State Public Housing Authority City Amount
March 5, 2020 Funding
Arkansas Pulaski County Housing Agency Little Rock, AR $147,876
California Alameda County Housing Authority Hayward, CA $432,915
Florida Housing Authority Alachua County Gainesville, FL $183,870
Georgia Albany Housing Authority Albany, GA $160,539
Iowa Council Bluffs Municipal Housing Agency Council Bluffs, IA $146,937
Missouri Housing Assistance Program of St. Charles County O'Fallon, MO $33,893
Montana Missoula Housing Authority Missoula, MT $39,081
New York New York State Housing Trust Fund New York, NY $10,651
Oregon Klamath Housing Authority Klamath Falls, OR $9,661
Texas Harris County Housing Authority Houston, TX $13,557
Total $1,178,980
March 31, 2020 Funding
Alabama Housing Authority of The Birmingham District Birmingham $7,760
California Housing Authority of County of Marin San Rafael $101,173
California Crescent City Housing Authority Crescent City $5,501
Florida Housing Authority of Brevard County Melbourne $7,427
Florida Housing Authority of The City of Cocoa Cocoa $7,025
Minnesota HRA of Bemidji, Minnesota Bemidji $9,959
Montana Housing Authority of Billings Billings $6,338
New Hampshire Keene Housing Keene $19,970
Ohio Portage Metropolitan Housing Authority Ravenna $6,981
Ohio Erie Metropolitan Housing Authority Sandusky $5,937
Oklahoma Housing Authority Of The City Of Stillwater Stillwater $5,688
Oregon Housing Authority Of Clackamas County Oregon City $9,831
Pennsylvania Allentown Housing Authority Allentown $15,590
Texas San Marcos Housing Authority San Marcos $116,362
Virginia Norfolk Redevelopment & Housing Authority Norfolk $84,685
Total $410,227
April 2020 Funding
South Dakota Pennington County Housing and Redevelopment Commission Rapid City $23,496
Iowa Cedar Rapids Housing Services Cedar Rapids $26,085
Maine Portland Housing Authority Portland $9,473
Montana Missoula Housing Authority Missoula $26,054
New Hampshire Concord Housing Authority Concord $7,080
Total $92,188

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Content Archived: January 1, 2022