Creating Systems Change
TRANSITION AGE YOUTH HOUSING
STABILIZATION PROJECT
For many homeless youth, the transition from foster care
and/or homelessness is a very difficult and complex
time. The majority of youth age out of the system without
sufficient education, basic life skills, and in some cases
mental, emotional and substance abuse issues. As a
result, they are often not able to remain in traditional
transitional housing programs long enough to obtain the
skills they need.
In early 2011, LAHSA began leading the way in the design
and implementation of the Transition Age Youth Housing
Stabilization Project funded by LA County Supervisorial
Districts 1 and 5. The two-year project is based on an
emerging model of housing and service provision for
youth called Transition In Place which enables a youth
to become stabilized in a housing unit that they will
eventually take over as their own permanent housing.
Under the project, former foster care or probation youth
(
ages 18 to 21 at entry) will be provided with subsidized
housing along with intensive services that will be reduced
over time and eventually discontinued. Additionally, the
rental assistance offered will be phased out incrementally
until the youth can assume full financial responsibility of
the lease for the unit.
The ultimate goal is to provide evidence-based data on a
successful program model serving homeless transition age
youth that can be replicated throughout Los Angeles and
possibly in other jurisdictions across the nation. Awarding
of contracts to community based organizations providing
housing and services is scheduled for late summer 2011.
5
Front view of Osborne Place, a new permanent supportive housing construction project by ACOF in the Pacoima neighborhood of the San Fernando
Valley. The apartments will be home to 62 special-needs households and construction is set to be completed by the end of September 2012.
