A report by HUD’s Office of Policy Development and Research (PD&R), “Foster Youth to Independence Initiative: Implementation and Evolution,” examines the Foster Youth to Independence (FYI) initiative, a program launched in 2019 to provide housing assistance to youth aging out of foster care who are at risk of homelessness. FYI is important for youth exiting the foster care system as they face challenges such as the sudden loss of housing stability, limited access to financial resources, and a lack of familial support. To evaluate the implementation of the FYI initiative from the perspective of those involved, PD&R researchers interviewed staff at select public housing agencies (PHAs) administering FYI and their partnering public child welfare agencies (PCWAs), as well as HUD staff involved in the design and management of the program. The authors found that FYI has received widespread support due to its collaborative approach involving PHAs and PCWAs and its on-demand voucher process but that obtaining applicant documentation to confirm eligibility and landlord engagement remain significant challenges.
The FYI program has grown rapidly since its inception, from nine participating PHAs in March 2020 to 185 by July 2022. The program operates similarly to the Family Unification Program (FUP), which provides housing assistance to families and youth in foster care, but FYI focuses exclusively on youth aging out of care. Eligible participants include youth under 25 who have left foster care at or after the age of 16 and are at risk of homelessness. However, unlike FUP, the FYI program offers on-demand vouchers, which allows PHAs to request vouchers directly from HUD based on individual youth needs. This feature was a deliberate part of the program’s design to make the process predictable and universally accessible to foster youth aging out of care. This flexibility has allowed PHAs to respond more quickly to housing needs than through the FUP program, ensuring that vulnerable youth are not left waiting for critical support.
The report aimed to answer how the implementation of the FYI initiative has been experienced from the perspectives of public housing agencies (PHAs), their partnering public child welfare agencies (PCWAs), and HUD staff involved in the program. To gather insights, researchers conducted one-hour, semi-structured interviews at seven FYI sites between August and November 2021 with PHA and PCWA staff, and between August and September 2022 with HUD staff. These interviews focused on the experiences of staff involved in the program's administration and programmatic practices, including the challenges and successes of the development of FYI Initiative.
Nearly everyone interviewed for the report expressed enthusiasm about the FYI initiative. HUD and PHA staff consistently cited collaboration with partner agencies as both a benefit and a key strength of the FYI program. According to the report, 86% of interviewees noted that strong partnerships with PCWAs helped streamline the referral process, with most PHAs reporting that referrals from their partnering PCWAs were pre-screened for eligibility. This pre-screening contributed to a high rate of referred youth receiving vouchers and ultimately securing housing. The ability to request vouchers on demand was also cited by interviewees as a major strength of FYI, making it easier for PHAs to provide timely assistance. Staff emphasized that they were able to process voucher requests “in a timely fashion, in the timeframe that we established, in a way that communities can plan for.”
Despite the program’s success, there are ongoing challenges that limit its effectiveness. One of the main challenges is the difficulty that youth experience in obtaining essential documents, such as birth certificates and Social Security cards, which can lead to significant delays in processing applications and assessing eligibility for vouchers. Similarly, some youth struggled to pass background checks due to prior involvement with the criminal justice system. Additionally, many PHAs reported difficulties in securing housing placements for youth. One reason for this is misconceptions about or biases against voucher programs in general by landlords, especially in areas with tight rental markets. However, unlike other voucher programs, the FYI initiative must also convince landlords to rent to youth living independently. The effects of trauma on youth also present complications; trauma often reduces their ability to engage with voluntary supportive services, which are critical for maintaining long-term housing stability. PHA staff reported that in some cases, it has been difficult to provide the necessary level of case management and individualized attention for youth need due to limited resources.
The report outlines several key recommendations to improve the FYI initiative. One suggestion is to streamline the documentation process by allowing youth to apply for vouchers with verification that they have requested essential documents, rather than requiring the documents upfront, to help expedite voucher approval. Moreover, the authors recommend proactive steps to address the challenge of finding landlords willing to rent to former foster youth is, such as engaging in outreach to property owners and real estate agencies, offering landlord mediation when issues arise, and providing financial incentives. For example, Clackamas County, Oregon’s Rent Well program helps participants overcome rental barriers by providing training and guaranteeing financial compensation for landlords if a lease is broken. Interviewees also suggested extending the voucher term beyond 36 months, reducing redundancies in the HUD voucher request process, and additional funding from HUD to cover move-in costs and supportive services for participating youth.
Read the article at: http://bit.ly/4dGcVAa