Federal grant to help house families and youth in foster care at risk of homelessness

Fernanda Lopez Halvorson

County of San Diego Communications Office

Officials with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) were in San Diego Dec. 19 to present the county with a $1.1 million grant that will fund 49 new housing vouchers for families and youth in foster care and at risk of homelessness.

The county received the third largest award from HUD’s $10 million total among 13 housing authorities around the country. Nationwide, the grants will fund 625 vouchers and are part of HUD’s Family Unification Program.

The vouchers are available to two groups, families and current or former foster youth.

Families who could benefit from the housing vouchers include those whose primary reason their child is in foster care is due to insufficient housing.

The program also helps youth ages 18 to 24, who have either exited foster care or will do so within the next 90 days, and those who are experiencing homelessness or at risk of experiencing homelessness and are 16 years or older.

Youth in the program also get help finding housing, deposits and utilities and case management.