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Housing Opportunities for YouthAging Out of Foster Care

What happens whenyoung people age outof foster care and

have no family support system?They can easily join the growingnumber of homeless and evenworse, fall victim to the criminalworld steeped in drugs andprostitution. But small victories

are being won in the battle to help youth aging out offoster care thanks to state and local housing trust fundmonies and mission based nonprofits willing and ableto take on the most difficult tasks.

According to the Child Welfare League of America,approximately 37% do not have a high schooldegree when they leave foster care, 56% areunemployed, and 25% become homeless withinone year. According to the Treasure Coast HomelessServices Council, youth between the ages l8-23are the fastest-growing segment of the homelesspopulation in Florida. More than 800 children inFlorida will age out of foster care this year.

Children’s Home Society (CHS) TreasureCoast Division – Fort Pierce

The Youth Transition Center will consist of six onebedroom units and three two bedroom units alongwith a community space and administrative officesfor case management and vocational services. Thefacility will be built in Vero Beach and will serveIndian River, Martin, St. Lucie and Okeechobeecounties. The youth will benefit from an 18 monthprogram which will provide comprehensive servicesto prepare them for independent living. Theservices will include developing a case plan witheach youth, monitoring compliance with the plan,and assessing readiness to leave the program. Asix-month fol low-up will also be included upon

By Lydia Beltrán

“The Youth Transition Center is ourcommunity’s opportunity to help

provide hope and a brighter futurefor our foster children.”

– Lawrence Brooks, Executive Director, CHS

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Aging Out of Foster Care

completion of the program. Approximately 60young people will be provided transitional livingservices every year (20 in residence at the YouthTransition Center and 40 through community supportservices).

Construction for the Youth Transition Center beganin February 2009. The project is expected to becompleted prior to year’s end with the estimatedmove-in to be January 2010.

The project is funded by private donors of the CHSFoundation and a commitment for funding from theFlorida Housing Finance Corporation DemonstrationLoan Program, funded from the state housing trust fund.

“Without the Youth Transition Center, what we arein effect saying to these young people when theyturn l8 is, ‘Happy Birthday, You’re Homeless.’The Youth Transition Center will give them theopportunity to make a positive transition into adult-hood and become contributing members of society.”

Lawrence BrooksExecutive Director Children's Home Society415 Avenue AFt .Pierce, Florida 34950772- 489-5601www.youthtransitioncentertc.com

Section 420.628, Florida Statutes, is created to read:Affordable housing for children and young adultsleaving foster care; legislative findings and intent.—

(1)(a) The Legislature finds that there are many young adultswho, through no fault of their own, live in foster families,group homes, and institutions, and face numerousbarriers to a successful transition to adulthood. Youngadults who are leaving the child welfare system mayenter adulthood lacking the knowledge, skills, attitudes,habits, and relationships that will enable them tobecome productive members of society.

(b) The Legislature further finds that the main barriers to safeand affordable housing for such young adults are cost, lackof availability, the unwillingness of landlords to rent to suchyouth due to perceived regulatory barriers, and a lack ofknowledge about how to be a good tenant. These barrierscause young adults to be at risk of becoming homeless.

(c) The Legislature also finds that young adults who leavethe child welfare system are disproportionately representedin the homeless population. Without the stability of safeand affordable housing, all other services, training, and

opportunities provided to such young adults may not beeffective. Making affordable housing available willdecrease the chance of homelessness and may increasethe ability of such young adults to live independently.

(d) The Legislature intends that the Florida Housing FinanceCorporation, agencies within the State Housing InitiativePartnership Program, local housing finance agencies,public housing authorities, and their agents, and otherproviders of affordable housing coordinate with theDepartment of Children and Family Services, their agents,and community based care providers who provideservices under s. 409.1671 to develop and implementstrategies and procedures designed to make affordablehousing available whenever and wherever possible toyoung adults who leave the child welfare system.

(2) Young adults who leave the child welfare system meet thedefinition of eligible persons under ss. 420.503(7) and420.907(10) for affordable housing, and are encouraged toparticipate in federal, state, and local affordable housingprograms. Students deemed to be eligible occupants under26 U.S.C. 2(i)(3)(d) shall be considered eligible persons forpurposes of all projects funded under this chapter.

Following Up on the SuccessfulConstruction of Buckner: Group Homeand Apartments for Youth Aging out of

Foster Care

In the last edition of the Housing News Journalwe showed the groundbreaking, pictured at right.As you can see from the top photo, the Children'sHome Society of Florida (CHS), Buckner Division’sgroup home is nearing completion. ThisJacksonville project includes a group home andapartments for youth aging out of foster care.

While the residents continue their education, proj-ect services will emphasize independent livingskills for all residents to ready the former fosteryouth for living on their own. Most of the residentswill also have jobs, and CHS staff will provide sup-port to ensure success.

The CHSF Buckner Division project is beingfinanced through the City of Jacksonville’s SHIP

program, the Florida Housing Finance Corporation(FHFC) Demonstration Loan Program, (whichreceived technical assistance from the FloridaHousing Coalition), the Children’s Home Society ofFlorida Foundation, as well as private donors.

The program services will be funded through com-munity based care services including FamilySupport Services of North Florida and United Wayof Northeast Florida.

Chartered in Jacksonville in 1902, Children’s HomeSociety of Florida, Buckner Division is dedicatedto embracing children and inspiring lives. Theywork to restore and strengthen families throughvarious programs and services such as adoption,foster care and child abuse prevention programs.

For further project information, contact DavidClark, Director of Development at 904.493.7737 orwww.chsfl.org/Locations/buckner.aspx HNN

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City Councilman Don Redman, Nancy Drecier (DistrictAdministrator Department of Children & Families), AndrySweet (CHS Vice President of Operations), Kymberly Cook(Executive Director, CHS Buckner Division), Brian Hall(Family Support Services of North Florida) and CharlieCromer (CHS Chairman of the Board, Buckner Division).

“We are excited about adding BucknerPlace to our residential services allowingus to include young people who recentlyaged out of foster care. These young adultsneed assistance in making the transitionfrom dependency to independence, and ournew facility will help them navigate theserough waters.”– Kimberly Cook, Executive Director, CHS Buckner Division