Partnering for Progress: Housing for
Transition-Aged Youth
Columbus, OH April 22, 2014
Ruth White
National Center for Housing
and Child Welfare
The National Center for Housing and Child
Welfare (NCHCW)
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NCHCW links housing resources to child
welfare agencies to improve family
functioning, prevent family homelessness,
safely reduce the need for out-of-home
placement, and ensure that each young
person who ages out foster care is able
to access safe, decent, permanent
housing.
What are unaccompanied youth
up against?
According to the NLIHC, in 2013, the housing
wage for an efficiency in Columbus, OH is
$9.31, fulltime or $19,365 annually.
 This full report is available at www.nlihc.org.
 Existing (and unnecessary) gaps exist between
agencies – these gaps are costly.
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The bigger picture: “Everyone is living in their parents’
basement”
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More “youth” in their 20s and 30s are still at home than at any other
time since the Great Depression.
Average age of total financial independence was 26 in 2000.
A majority of current college seniors are planning on moving back
home after graduation.
Youth employment rate the lowest since 1940s.
Many traditional entry-level jobs are now overseas. Many entrylevel jobs have no health insurance.
Americans, 25-26, still get an average of $2,323 a year from
parents. One out of 8 Americans is getting food stamps.
What can be done at the state level to
address housing issues?
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Expand what works (Star House, Lighthouse,
Daybreak)
Capitalize on current flexibility and raise
expectations of how federal and state child welfare
dollars are used – and who they are used for.
Build statewide partnerships to create a range of
affordable housing opportunities.
Tap new and unusual streams of funding.
Plan for the future…
Knit funding streams together to maximize time
for youth to achieve self-sufficiency
Age
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
Independent Living
Title IV-E
Family Foster
Care/Residential
Unsheltered Homelessness
Sheltered Homelessness
FUP for
youth
Regular Sec. 8
Other Subsidy
Roommate
Private Housing/LL
Leave no stone unturned when seeking housing
resources
This is just a partial list of housing resources you can tap:
 ARRA Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing
Program (HPRP)
 Community Action Programs (received $1 billion in CSBG
ARRA funds)
 HOME
 Low Income Housing Tax Credit
 City and State housing funds, SHFAs
 Private Landlords
 Public Housing Authorities – Section 8 and PH
 Family Unification Program
Making the Case…
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For the Community: it is the preferred
option and it’s cheaper: a 2004 cost
benefit analysis showed that it costs
Colorado $53,655 to maintain one youth
in the criminal justice system, but it only
costs the state $5,887 to provide housing
and services.
Barriers and overcoming them…
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Legislative – Federal (What has Congress done)
Regulatory (How has HUD, HHS, or DOJ interpreted
Congress’s intent)
Policy (What is your state doing with this
information/opportunity)
 Is
OH taking advantage of current federal law?
 Are state leaders partnering in ways that they can take
advantage of current law?
 Does OH need ORC changes? If so, the youth voice will
be the most effective way to get them.
Some final thoughts on how to
overcome barriers to partnership
Pay a visit to the states that have made strides,
learn from their mistakes and achievements.
 Be honest – beware of the “halo effect”
 Raise expectations. On everyone.
 Accelerate the pace of reform.
 Collaborations are the fastest, most efficient
way to create a range of housing options.
 Get a seat at the table where housing
resources are being discussed.
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Contact information
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Ruth White, MSSA
Executive Director
National Center for Housing and Child Welfare
4707 Calvert Rd
College Park, MD 20740
(301) 699-0151
rwhite@nchcw.org
www.nchcw.org