Reauthorize the Runaway and Homeless Youth and Trafficking Prevention Act (S. 2916)
Expand protections for trafficked youth, raise the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (RHYA) appropriations to $225 million, and double the minimum grant allocation to small states. Since 1974, RHYA has been the only federal funding tailored to the unique developmental needs of young people experiencing homelessness, yet it has not been reauthorized in almost a decade and funding levels have remained flat.
Pass the Higher Education Access & Success for Homeless and Foster Youth Act (S.789/H.R.1724)
Expand supports and streamline the financial aid process for students experiencing homelessness. Homeless students face unique barriers to education, such as housing instability, lack of family supports, and histories of trauma. The HEASHFY helps these students enroll, afford, and graduate from institutions of higher education.
Pass the Homeless Children and Youth Act (H.R. 2001)
Change the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s definition of homelessness and standardize the definition across federal agencies. HUD’s prioritization of people who are “literally homeless” precludes youth who are couch-surfing or unstably housed from accessing housing resources despite having no stable place to call home.
Pass the Housing for Homeless Students Act (H.R. 4865/S.767)
Allow full-time students to live in housing supported by the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) if they’ve experienced homelessness in the past seven years. The LIHTC program does not allow tenants to be full-time students, with exemptions for former foster youth, single parents, or parents receiving public assistance. Homeless youth, however, are not exempted, often forcing them to choose between housing or education and rendering them ineligible for critical grants and scholarships.
Pass the Stop Cruelty to Migrant Children Act (S. 2113)
End family separations at the border, strengthen safety protections for children and families, and support shelters like YouthCare’s Casa de los Amigos to help unaccompanied minors gain stability and reunite with their families
Support $102.5 million for YouthBuild Programs
Increase access to apprenticeships for young people through programs like YouthBuild. Across the country, cities are struggling to fill skilled workers shortages. YouthBuild, an evidence-based pre-apprenticeship program, addresses that gap by re-engaging youth with school and preparing them for jobs in the trades
Support $3 billion for HUD McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Grants (HAG)
Fund shelter and housing programs in our community through the HAG program. The United States currently faces a shortage of seven million rental homes for extremely low-income renters, and no state in the nation has enough affordable homes for extremely low-income renters.