Representative Dean Reintroduces Bill Expanding Housing Opportunities for Youth Aging Out of Foster Care

Representative Madeline Dean (D-PA) reintroduced on September 12 a substantially improved version of the “Fostering Stable Housing Opportunities Act” (H.R. 4300) to expand the availability of Family Unification Program (FUP) vouchers for youth aging out of foster care.

Previous versions of the bill included harmful work requirements that would have imposed cumbersome burdens on voucher recipients (see Memo, 5/21). The new version does not impose work requirements; instead, it would provide voucher recipients who are engaged education, training, or work-related activities the opportunity to extend the use of their vouchers from the standard 36 months to up to 60 months.

If enacted, the bill would expand HUD’s allocation of FUP vouchers beyond the approximately 230 state and local housing agencies that currently administer them, improving accessibility and allowing vouchers to be administered when needed to foster youth at risk of homelessness. The bill would require HUD to consult with the Department of Health and Human Services to encourage coordination between child welfare agencies and state and local housing agencies to help connect at-risk youth to vouchers, and the legislation would require state and local housing agencies administering FUP vouchers to develop a plan to connect youth to supportive services.

Read more about the bill at: https://bit.ly/2mfLwku