In an effort to help young adults under 25 who have left foster care or are transitioning out of foster care, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) recently announced $1.3 million in funding for 21 Public Housing Agencies in 15 states.
The Ann Arbor Housing Commission (AAHC) was among them, receiving $67,792 in funding.
“We’re excited about exploring the impact that can be made," says Kellie Rutledge, executive director of
Ozone House in Ypsilanti, the county's largest provider of housing, shelter, and services for homeless youth.
Rutledge adds that youth who have left foster care, or are transitioning out, are very vulnerable. They experience higher trauma rates and a lack of natural support systems. She explains that Ozone House, due to other funding requirements, typically can't serve young people who are actively in foster care. However, Ozone House staff screen to determine if youth have been in foster care.
"We match them best to the program or service that either we can provide or that someone else in the community can provide," Rutledge says. "If they've been in foster care, that makes them eligible for certain programs or housing vouchers."
She points to Washtenaw County's recent receipt of a
$4.3 million renewable grant from HUD’s Youth Homelessness Demonstration Program (YHDP). As the community begins the YHDP Coordinated Community Plan and system mapping process, housing and supportive services will be identified to enhance the youth homeless system of care. These projects could include supportive services for the new Fostering Youth to Independence (FYI) vouchers awarded to AAHC, which help prevent foster care entry and support youth exiting foster care in YHDP communities.
Rutledge says Ozone House worked alongside AAHC and Michigan Department of Health and Human Services partners to recently secure FYI vouchers for Washtenaw County. Previously, there were only Family Unification Program (FUP) vouchers, which are more primarily for families who are at risk of their child going into foster care. However, they can be used to assist young people exiting foster care.
"The issue in our county has been that there's a limited number of vouchers," she says. "There's 32 we had originally when the vouchers came and we designated eight of those for young people. The family list is so long."
The newer addition of FYI vouchers is especially impactful, as the vouchers are youth-specific. The county has received six so far. The vouchers can be requested on a rolling basis, so the county can request more of them as staff identify more eligible young people. Rutledge underscores that this frees up more of the FUP vouchers for families that need them, and the young people who need the FYI vouchers can have an ongoing opportunity to access those.
"This is where the new funds come in. It will support and provide funding for supportive service providers to help young people once they have the vouchers," she says. "It can be impactful in providing case management counseling and other supportive services that help them to be successful in living independently in their own apartment or housing unit."
Moving forward, Rutledge says that there will be more combined community efforts to make the most of the HUD funds.
"It's about creating a more robust, coordinated system of different supportive services or housing options for young people," she says. "Ending youth homelessness doesn't mean there won't be homeless youth. It means that we have things in place so that young people have a place to go, and the services they need when they need them."
Jaishree Drepaul is a writer and editor based in Ann Arbor. She can be reached at jaishreeedit@gmail.com.
Enjoy this story?
Sign up for free solutions-based reporting in your inbox each week.