HUD Grants Nearly $84M to Combat Youth Homelessness

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced that it has awarded $83.7 million to develop systems to end youth homelessness in 17 local communities, including 6 rural communities. Funding was awarded through HUD’s Youth Homelessness Demonstration Program (YHDP) to support a wide range of housing programs including rapid rehousing, permanent supportive housing, transitional housing, and host homes.

“Placing young people experiencing homelessness into permanent housing can change the trajectory of their lives,” said Secretary Marcia L. Fudge. “With this funding, HUD is targeting federal resources to meet local needs and support community-driven efforts to end youth homelessness and improve outcomes through stable housing and services.”

The Department continues to work closely with youth to develop and improve YHDP, relying upon recommendations provided directly from young people who have experienced homelessness. Additionally, HUD partnered with youth with lived experience to assess the applications that were submitted for funding consideration. Their assessment helped HUD ensure that applicants understood the needs and preferences of the young people they will serve. The Department also worked closely with its federal partners to help develop the program and review applications, including the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Education, and the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness.

YHDP recipients will use their funding to address youth homelessness that is specifically tailored to their needs, including funding for housing units, wrap-around services, and housing support. YHDP will also support youth-focused performance measurement and coordinated entry systems. Over the next several months, selected communities will work with their youth advisory boards, child welfare agencies, and other community partners to create a comprehensive community plan to end youth homelessness. HUD has been conducting a formal evaluation of first 10 communities who received YHDP grants. Preliminary evaluation results found that YHDP grantees made significant progress in developing youth-informed programs and systems, resulting in positive perceptions among youth of both the implementation process and available programs. The following communities have been awarded funding:

FY 2021 Youth Homelessness Demonstration Program (YHDP) Selected Sites:

To read the full report, including more detail on HUD's recent funding and the Youth Homelessness Demonstration Program, click here.