Volunteers for the 2024 census of unhoused people in Los Angeles County counted 3,718 youth ages 18-24 who were unhoused, including 370 transition-aged youth living unhoused with their own children.
Half of the approximately 1,100 young adults who transition out of foster care in Los Angeles County each year experience homelessness or housing instability, according to county officials.
The LA County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to address the issue on July 9, via a motion meant to increase access to federal vouchers to subsidize housing for young people aging out of the foster care system.
The motion comes in the wake of a “Shadow Day” in May 2024, in which former foster youth spent the day with local government officials, and offered recommendations for policies to improve outcomes for young people impacted by the foster care system.
“We are truly their safety net,” said Supervisor Kathryn Barger, who introduced the motion with Supervisor Lindsey Horvath. “So what do we need to do to ensure that these transitional age youth are getting the housing that they not only need, but quite frankly, that they deserve?”
There are two kinds of federal housing vouchers available to foster youth transitioning out of the system. Both can provide housing for three years, with the possibility of extending the subsidy for two more years.
The first, the Family Unification Program (FUP), was established in 1992, and provides rental subsidies for families involved in the child welfare system, as well as for foster youth transitioning to independent living.
The second voucher, the Foster Youth to Independence (FYI) voucher, which was established in 2019, specifically to support foster youth experiencing or at risk of homelessness, only had a utilization rate of 45% in Los Angeles County as of November 2023, according to the UCLA Pritzker Center.
Surveys conducted by Pritzker researchers found that “even for young people who have a voucher, geographical limitations and lack of support to locate and lease apartments make using the voucher difficult, if not impossible,” Pritzker Center Executive Director Taylor Dudley and Research Director Brenda Tully wrote in a letter of support for the supervisors’ motion.
Beyond those barriers, Dudley and Tully wrote, the process of obtaining and using Foster Youth to Independence vouchers “is characterized by delays and uncertainty, according to both young adults and case managers interviewed in our study.”
The motion directs the Department of Children and Family Services to report back to the board in 90 days with plans to increase access to FYI vouchers by working with the LA County Development Authority to get more property owners to accept youth with housing vouchers as tenants. On the other end of the pipeline, DCFS will need to partner with other county departments to boost outreach efforts to ensure eligible young people know about the voucher system and have help navigating the application process.
The board also requested a report back on the feasibility of the county reaching out to landlords who will not accept foster youth housing vouchers with educational information on the state’s fair housing law.
The motion calls on DCFS to work with the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA) and the CEO’s office to determine how to prioritize foster youth with their children for available housing.
Better data tracking will also be required. The supervisors want regular reports on the number of vouchers Public Housing Authorities receive for foster youth, as well as the number of vouchers issued to youth, how many are successfully used to obtain housing, and annual retention numbers.
“We must use every tool available to ensure our young people exiting foster care have a place to call home,” said Supervisor Horvath. ” It is our responsibility to prevent homelessness among the transition-aged youth who are counting on us to support them. We must continue listening to the experiences of young people to shape our policies and programs.”
If TayTay Dudley is involved, this is doomed. Shes just another nothing burger bleeding heart advocate with nothing to say and can actually do even less. She needs to get out of the way. We’re more doomed that LAHSA, the world’s worst bureaucracy EVER is expected to do anything.
Prioritizing youth you say? What about the most vulnerable and traumatized youth, the ones who have gone through the juvenile Justice system and are now adults with less than zero prospect. The ones that were on probation and may even have adult records? Good luck there. Go ask Kim Epps what she’s doing about this.
Face it people. County is simply a broken down wreck of wokeness. Not DYD, JCOD, DCFS or any other acronym will ever be able to put it back together again.
Youth Justice Reimagined. What a crock of S.
Add it up and this is just another tempest in WLA’s teapot. We’re all F’d.
Mr. McGee, the Ladies in charge aren’t interested in making the best choices out of a bunch of terrible ones. They’re interested in being one of the good people, saying the right things and associating with the right groups. Making unpopular decisions, however necessary, won’t win you any points with the ladies who make public opinion in this town.
jails are icky, as is anything to do with the juvenile justice system. Best to ignore the realities of these things and talk about aspirational nonsense that has no chance of ever being implemented . Less politically risky , you can’t be held responsible for something that never happens.
GJ: So true. Talk is cheap. Alls they do is run their mouths.
MMMcG and GJ, I hear and share your frustration. However, make sure you read the motion. Probation is included and there is potential for probation placement (foster care) transition age youth to benefit from the FYI Vouchers. The Department will need to step up and make sure its eligible youth get served.