Youth Collaboratory's Recommended COVID-19 Response & Relief for Youth Homelessness

Youth Collaboratory has issued recommendations to Congress regarding the impact of COVID-19 on youth and young adults experiencing homelessness. These recommendations were developed with input from young people, youth homelessness service providers, and national research and policy leaders. These recommendations were developed in partnership with True Colors United, A Way Home America, Heartland Alliance, National Alliance to End Homelessness, National Low Income Housing Coalition, Funders Together to End Homelessness, and Covenant House International to support emergency relief funding for youth and young adult homelessness.

Congress is currently debating a $1+ trillion relief and stimulus package to respond to the coronavirus and its devastating economic consequences. This massive spending bill, referred to as “Phase III,” will likely pass the Senate today or tomorrow before being sent to the House of Representatives early next week. 

Youth Collaboratory calls on our national leaders to ensure continuity of services for unaccompanied youth and young adults experiencing homelessness. Young people that are housing insecure or experiencing unaccompanied homelessness are especially vulnerable to the severe economic downturn that is forecasted in the coming months. 

Youth Collaboratory recommends Congress include the following resources and policies in the Phase III relief package:

• An additional $10-14 billion in HUD Emergency Services Grants (ESG), of which 11% ($1.1- 1.54 billion) is reserved for services for youth and young adults. 
• $250 million for the Family and Youth Services Bureau (FYSB) to provide an immediate one-time payment of $100,000 to every presently funded project, and to extend the award and performance period of all existing Runaway and Homeless Youth (RHY) projects by 12 months. 
• Expanded educational and workforce development supports through increased eligibility to the Chafee Program for Successful Transition to Adulthood and WIOA youth activities. 
• Reduce future youth homelessness by helping low-income and wage-earning youth and young adults stay stably housed through emergency rental assistance, a national moratorium on evictions, a six-month cessation of youth aging out of foster care, and increased access to behavioral health services. 

Please join us as we work together to ensure our nation’s most vulnerable young people are not forgotten in this time of national crisis.