The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) today awarded $30 million to public housing authorities nationwide, which will work closely with local public welfare agencies to identify youth at risk of homelessness and families whose lack of adequate housing is the primary reason their children are in foster care.
This funding will make 3,000 vouchers available for families who are unable to secure affordable housing for their children or dependents.
“HUD is committed to helping parents and caregivers obtain safe and affordable housing for their families,” said HUD Secretary Ben Carson. “This investment will allow thousands of children to leave the foster care system and live with their families so they have the opportunity to thrive together.”
“With this investment, Secretary Carson takes a major step forward in his plans to ensure that HUD resources provide a platform for strong families and opportunities for self-sufficiency” said Ruth White, Executive Director of the National Center for Housing and Child Welfare. “We applaud the Secretary for leading the way towards interagency collaboration that will reunify thousands of children with their parents, improve the economic prospects for youth leaving foster care, and ultimately reduce costs.”
The funding announced today is offered through HUD’s Family Unification Program (FUP), which provides rental assistance to parents struggling to provide adequate housing for their children. Additionally, this funding can be used to help provide stable housing for young adults (ages 18-24) who have aged-out of the foster care system. Like HUD’s Housing Choice Vouchers, these vouchers allow families to rent housing from a private landlord and generally pay 30 percent of their monthly adjusted gross income towards rent and utilities.
According to the National Center for Housing and Child Welfare (NCHCW), an affordable housing and child welfare advocacy group, keeping children in foster care is an expensive alternative to affordable housing. On average, it costs more than $48,000 annually per family when children enter foster care. By contrast, housing and services to keep a family together costs approximately $15,000 annually per family. Supportive services for FUP families and youth are provided by agencies funded through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. A $20 million investment in FUP vouchers saves more than $134 million in foster care costs.
Housing authorities that are awarded vouchers work closely with local public welfare agencies to identify youth at risk of homelessness and children who were placed in foster care due to lack of adequate housing.
Family Unification Program funding will be distributed to the following states:
| STATE | PUBLIC HOUSING AUTHORITY | AMOUNT | VOUCHERS |
| Arizona | City of Phoenix Housing Department | $811,349 | 89 |
| City of Mesa | $208,665 | 28 | |
| Housing Authority of Maricopa County | $260,074 | 29 | |
| City of Tempe Housing Services Division | $299,047 | 30 | |
| Arizona Total | $1,579,135 | 176 | |
| California | The Housing Authority of the County of Los Angeles | $966,042 | 83 |
| Housing Authority of The City of Los Angeles, The | $842,616 | 74 | |
| Housing Authority of the County of Santa Barbara | $966,042 | 74 | |
| The Housing Authority of the County of Yolo | $212,153 | 26 | |
| Housing Authority of the City of San Luis Obispo | $349,148 | 38 | |
| The Housing Authority of the County of Santa Cruz | $966,042 | 58 | |
| Community Development Commission of Mendocino County, Housing Authority | $156,156 | 22 | |
| Orange County Housing Authority | $754,282 | 60 | |
| California Total | 5,212,481 | 435 | |
| Colorado | Boulder County Housing Authority | $611,940 | 42 |
| Colorado Total | $611,940 | 42 | |
| Connecticut | Stamford Housing Authority | $471,416 | 28 |
| Bristol Housing Authority | $275,303 | 31 | |
| Housing Authority of the City of Hartford | $743,831 | 83 | |
| Connecticut Department of Housing | $780,514 | 72 | |
| Connecticut Total | $2,271,064 | 214 | |
| District of Columbia | District of Columbia Housing Authority | $966,042 | 48 |
| District of Columbia Total | $966,042 | 48 | |
| Florida | Jacksonville Housing Authority | $562,037 | 78 |
| The Housing Authority of the City of Tampa | $658,874 | 80 | |
| West Palm Beach Housing Authority | $726,926 | 66 | |
| Gainesville Housing Authority | $308,696 | 41 | |
| Hialeah Housing Authority | $720,498 | 81 | |
| Homestead Housing Authority | $268,830 | 28 | |
| Florida Total | $3,245,861 | 374 | |
| Georgia | Housing Authority of the City of Carrollton | $97,318 | 11 |
| Georgia Total | $97,318 | 11 | |
| Illinois | The Chicago Housing Authority | $966,042 | 78 |
| Madison County Housing Authority | $122,171 | 19 | |
| Housing Authority of Cook County | $857,336 | 89 | |
| Lake County Housing Authority | $382,028 | 45 | |
| Illinois Total | $2,327,577 | 231 | |
| Kentucky | Kentucky Housing Corporation | $425,844 | 74 |
| Kentucky Total | $425,844 | 74 | |
| Massachusetts | Lynn Housing Authority & Neighborhood Development (LHAND) | $197,078 | 15 |
| Massachusetts Total | $197,078 | 15 | |
| Maryland | Housing Opportunities Commission of Montgomery County | $247,354 | 18 |
| Baltimore County | $820,032 | 74 | |
| Maryland Total | $1,067,387 | 92 | |
| Michigan | Ann Arbor Housing Commission | $246,923 | 32 |
| Michigan State Housing Development Authority | $514,152 | 81 | |
| Michigan Total | $761,074 | 113 | |
| Minnesota | Housing Authority of St. Louis Park | $118,384 | 15 |
| Washington County Community Development Agency | $116,012 | 15 | |
| Minnesota Total | $234,395 | 30 | |
| North Dakota | Fargo Housing and Redevelopment Authority | $180,936 | 40 |
| North Dakota Total | $180,936 | 40 | |
| New Hampshire | New Hampshire Housing Finance Authority | $544,968 | 64 |
| New Hampshire Total | $544,968 | 64 | |
| New York | Ithaca Housing Authority | $379,012 | 41 |
| New York City Department of Housing Preservation & Development | $728,354 | 57 | |
| New York Total | $1,107,366 | 98 | |
| Ohio | Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority | $485,311 | 74 |
| Akron Metropolitan Housing Authority | $72,784 | 12 | |
| Ohio Total | $558,096 | 86 | |
| Oregon | Home Forward | $966,042 | 88 |
| Central Oregon Regional Housing Authority | $200,669 | 29 | |
| Oregon Total | $1,166,711 | 117 | |
| Pennsylvania | Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh | $556,622 | 77 |
| Housing Authority of the County of Chester | $182,870 | 21 | |
| Bucks County Housing Authority | $778,610 | 82 | |
| Pennsylvania Total | $1,518,103 | 180 | |
| Tennessee | Memphis Housing Authority | $490,137 | 72 |
| Knoxville’s Community Development Corporation | $113,183 | 18 | |
| Chattanooga Housing Authority | $450,599 | 70 | |
| Tennessee Total | $1,053,919 | 160 | |
| Texas | Houston Housing Authority | $733,575 | 85 |
| Housing Authority of Travis County | $303,733 | 34 | |
| Texas Total | $1,037,308 | 119 | |
| Virginia | Danville Redevelopment and Housing Authority | $181,746 | 27 |
| Loudoun County | $136,834 | 10 | |
| Virginia Total | $318,580 | 37 | |
| Vermont | Vermont State Housing Authority | $598,047 | 59 |
| Vermont Total | $598,047 | 59 | |
| Washington | Housing Authority of City Of Seattle | $966,042 | 75 |
| Housing Authority of the County of King | $966,042 | 61 | |
| Housing Authority of the City of Vancouver | $565,155 | 60 | |
| Washington Total | $2,497,239 | 196 | |
| Wisconsin | Brown County Housing Authority | $290,064 | 52 |
| Eau Claire County Housing Authority | $98,422 | 20 | |
| Wisconsin Total | $388,487 | 72 | |
| TOTAL | $29,966,956 | 3,083 |