Nationwide, Public Housing Authorities (PHAs) identify homeless or at-risk youth with a foster care history and families whose insufficient housing is the primary reason their children are in foster care.
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) awarded today $10 million for over 600 vouchers to 13 public housing authorities nationwide, to identify youth with a history of foster care involvement who are homeless or at risk of homelessness and families whose lack of adequate housing is the primary reason their children are in foster care.
This funding, offered through HUD’s Family Unification Program (FUP) will provide 625 Family Unification Program (FUP) vouchers to youth and families to find housing and will help strengthen coordination among public housing authorities (PHAs), public child welfare agencies (PCWAs), and Continuums of Care (CoCs) and increase access to supportive services for those who need them. See listing of agencies below who have received funding below.
“Keeping youth and families off the streets is essential to our efforts to reduce and ultimately end homelessness,” said HUD Secretary Marcia L. Fudge. “This funding will help our local partners aid youth and allow families to get into more permanent and stable housing. HUD is committed to ending homelessness, and this funding and partnership help us continue that critical part of our mission.”
As part of FUP, PHAs that partner with PCWAs and CoCs offer Housing Choice Vouchers (HCVs) to two groups:
- Families for whom the lack of adequate housing is a primary factor in the imminent placement of the family’s child, or children, in out-of-home care; or the delay in the discharge of the child, or children, to the family from out-of-home care; and
- Youth aged 18 to 24, who have either exited foster care or will do so within the next 90 days, and meet the criteria outlined in Section 475(5)(H) of the Social Security Act, are eligible if they are homeless or at risk of homelessness and are 16 years or older.
PHAs administer the FUP in partnership with PCWAs, which are responsible for referring FUP families and youths to the PHA for the determination of eligibility for rental assistance. After the PCWA makes the referral, the PHA places the FUP applicant on its waiting list, assesses whether the family or youth meets HCV program eligibility requirements, and manages all other processes related to voucher issuance and administration.
There is no time limit on FUP vouchers issued to families. FUP vouchers issued to youth are limited to 36 months unless the youth meets the requirements to receive an extension of their voucher assistance under the Fostering Stable Housing Opportunities (FSHO) amendments. Under FSHO, FUP youth may receive an additional 24 months of voucher assistance if they meet certain requirements. In addition to rental assistance, FUP youths must receive supportive services for 36 months. Examples of the skills targeted by these services include money management, job preparation, educational counseling, and proper nutrition and meal preparation.
| PHA Name | Vouchers Award | Funding | |
| 1. | Santa Clara County Housing Authority | 42 | $1,175,590 |
| 2. | Sonoma County Housing Authority | 53 | $1,182,229 |
| 3. | Housing Authority of the County of San Diego | 49 | $1,131,976 |
| 4. | Housing Authority of the City and County of Denver | 52 | $862,761 |
| 5. | Hialeah Housing Authority | 44 | $566,650 |
| 6. | Chicago Housing Authority | 55 | $778,477 |
| 7. | Jefferson Parish Housing Services and Development District | 46 | $417,064 |
| 8. | Mississippi Regional Housing Authority VIII | 52 | $376,940 |
| 9. | Home Forward (Portland, OR) | 56 | $788,081 |
| 10. | Rhode Island Housing and Mortgage Finance Corporation | 28 | $354,369 |
| 11. | Housing Authority of the City of Austin | 50 | $772,020 |
| 12. | Housing Authority of the County of Salt Lake dba Housing Connect | 50 | $628,548 |
| 13. | King County Housing Authority (WA) | 48 | $934,197 |
| Total Award | 625 | $9,968,902 |