Coalition for the Homeless of Houston/Harris County has selected eight local agencies to receive $10.4 million in support from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Youth Homelessness Demonstration Program.
The funds, awarded to the Coalition in late 2021, will be used by the organizations during a two year “demonstration period,” allowing them to build capacity, activate their programs, and show how a coordinated community approach can reduce youth homelessness.
The funds were awarded to the following homeless youth serving agencies:
- Covenant House Texas – transitional housing and rapid rehousing for youth and young adults.
- Grace Place – homelessness diversion resources for youth and young adults.
- Houston reVision – homelessness diversion resources for youth and young adults.
- SEARCH Homeless Services – street outreach and housing navigation for youth and young adults.
- Spring Branch Community Health Center – transitional housing and rapid rehousing for youth and young adults.
- Temenos CDC – permanent supportive housing (PSH) for youth and young adults with disabilities and/or complex needs.
- The Montrose Center – employment supports and homelessness diversion resources for youth and young adults.
- TLC Health & Wellness – Coordinated Access to help find permanent housing, transitional housing, and rapid rehousing for youth and young adults.
From late 2021 into spring 2022, the Coalition worked with a youth advisory board (YAB), youth-serving agencies, and other nonprofit and community stakeholders to draft a comprehensive community plan to prevent and end youth homelessness. Approved by HUD in April 2022, the plan outlines how to end homelessness for youth (minors under the age of 18) and young adults (ages 18-24) who are not accompanied by a parent or guardian.
Youth and young adults with lived experience of homelessness participated in every meeting, provided input and expertise throughout, and held authority over approval for the final plan. Collective Action for Youth recruited and will continue to support the YAB.
“We have a crisis of ‘at-risk’ youth who are on the verge of homelessness, including youth who are about to age out of the foster care system,” said Mike Nichols, president and CEO of the Coalition for the Homeless. “Now, we have a plan in place and the right partners at the table to identify and engage youth in services, to expand and coordinate systems tailored to unique youth needs, and to facilitate youth access to services to maintain stability and help to break the cycle of homelessness.”
The Coalition for the Homeless of Houston/Harris County acts as a catalyst, uniting partners and maximizing resources to move people experiencing homelessness into permanent housing with supportive services. The Coalition envisions a day when everyone in our community has a safe place to call home. The Coalition is the nonprofit that leads The Way Home, the local homelessness response system in the greater Houston region.
