The number of young people experiencing homelessness in Los Angeles County is steadily persisting, and the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors are tackling the problem head on.
The most recent 2024 Youth Count conducted by the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority found that 2,406 youth between the ages of 18 to 24 are homeless. The survey also found that about half of those leaving foster care go on to experience homelessness.
During this week’s Board meeting, the Supervisors unanimously approved a motion introduced by Supervisor Kathryn Barger and co-authored by Supervisor Lindsey P. Horvath that directs the County’s Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) to implement several strategies that will increase access to housing vouchers for youth who are aging out of the County’s care.
Those directives include DCFS partnering with the Los Angeles County Development Authority (LACDA) to increase the number of property owners who accept federally-funded housing vouchers that transition age youth use and conducting more outreach to youth so they’re aware of voucher availability.
“The County has made some important strides in preventing youth who are aging out of our child welfare system from falling into homelessness, but we need to maximize every single resource that’s available,” stated Supervisor Kathryn Barger. “We need to simplify complicated application processes and increase outreach to property owners so we can offer an adequate supply of rental units that meets the need. It is our moral obligation to not let former foster youth fall into homelessness.”
“We must use every tool available to ensure our young people exiting foster care have a place to call home,” said Board of Supervisors Chair Lindsey P. Horvath. “This motion positions Los Angeles County to better coordinate housing opportunities for our most vulnerable young people. It is our responsibility to prevent homelessness among the transition-aged youth who are counting on us to support them. We must continue listening to the experiences of young people to shape our policies and programs.”
The Board’s unanimous vote was acknowledged by Los Angeles City Mayor Karen Bass, who stated, “This motion is a direct result of our Shadow Day program in May when former foster youth connected directly with local leaders to present policy recommendations based on firsthand experience living in the child welfare system. We know that homelessness impacts people with experience in the foster care system at a disproportionate rate to their peers, which is why this work is so important. I want to thank Supervisor Barger and the Board of Supervisors for their leadership to continue to champion change for foster youth across Los Angeles. I look forward to our continued unified efforts to ensure that foster youth in both the City and the County have the resources they deserve to thrive.”
The motion will also improve training for both DCFS and Probation Department staff on housing options for transition age youth, increase availability of mental health and intensive case management services, and mobilize resources to prioritize housing for parenting youth so none experience homelessness after exiting DCFS’ Independent Living Program.
The motion also directs LACDA to assess how legal services can be financed and offered so that the County can proactively reach out to property owners who will not accept youth housing vouchers. A full copy of the motion and its directives is accessible here.