The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has announced the allocation of $72 million to address youth homelessness across 14 communities in the United States, including five rural areas. This funding is part of HUD's Youth Homelessness Demonstration Program (YHDP), which aims to provide various housing solutions such as rapid rehousing, permanent supportive housing, transitional housing, and host homes.
Adrianne Todman, HUD Agency Head, emphasized the importance of stable housing for young people: "Young people across our country deserve a stable home and a supportive community." She highlighted HUD's collaboration with communities and federal partners to increase housing supply for vulnerable populations.
The funding will assist communities in developing plans to prevent and end youth homelessness. More than a dozen youths partnered with HUD to review applications for funding consideration, ensuring that projects are informed by their lived experiences. Each YHDP community establishes Youth Action Boards led by young individuals with experience in homelessness to design and improve programs tailored to their needs.
Marion McFadden, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Community Planning and Development, expressed pride in the ongoing efforts: "I’m proud to share that this is the eighth round of YHDP funding to be awarded." With these awards, HUD has invested $512 million in 124 communities since the program's inception.
Communities receiving funds include Humboldt County in California ($1.1 million), Bakersfield Kern Regional Homeless Collaborative ($5.2 million), All Chicago Making Homelessness History ($15 million), Clark County in Nevada ($8.5 million), among others.
This initiative builds on previous efforts by HUD, including recent allocations of $15.4 million through the Foster Youth to Independence program and $51 million for Youth Homelessness System Improvement grants earlier this year. Additionally, HUD has made available $3.6 billion for organizations providing supportive services and housing programs for homeless individuals.
