We will help youth experiencing housing instability find a permanent housing option that meets their unique situations with continued support from existing organizations.
Work with systems that serve youth in out-of-home care (such as foster care, detention, and incarceration) to reduce housing crises caused by transitions out of system involvement.
Tasks:
Collaborate with agencies working with youth aging out of foster care to reduce/divert the number of youth experiencing housing crisis.
Partner with local child welfare and criminal/juvenile justice systems to identify points in the re-entry process where intervention can occur to ease the transition to stable housing.
Identify partnership opportunities between systems and the Coalition members to support youth entering independence/community.
Support efforts to extend 24/7 bus service to increase access to existing affordable housing for youth. Extended service and increased access would include more stops more frequently, reduced fare, more language supports, and expanded specialized transit for those with disabilities.
Tasks:
Identify existing community networks and initiatives to expand bus service and access.
Identify priorities to benefit youth.
Meet with GRTC.
Develop Coalition infrastructure to support and enhance existing advocacy efforts in the region, including alternative transportation options.
Provide housing stability coaching as part of existing youth housing and homeless service programs for youth.
Tasks:
Design a culturally sensitive coaching model based on expertise of youth and providers to enhance capacity for maintaining stable housing, including financial, legal, and self-advocacy literacy.
Identify community programs willing to implement coaching model.
Ensure a pathway for youth to obtain safe and affordable permanent housing that is aligned with their individual needs and capacity.
Tasks:
Increase youth rapid rehousing providers in the Richmond region.
Support the creation of permanent supportive housing programming that is accessible for and adapted to the unique needs of youth in policy and practice.
Draw from national best practice on roommate matching for youth and implement within our region.
Investigate opportunities to create congregate living programs for youth for whom this permanent housing option would best meet their needs.
Tasks:
Identify other permanent congregate living program models for youth across the country to determine if the model would be useful in our region.
Identify providers who would be willing to implement the model.