On May 24, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced that it will make $688,000 available to 12 public housing authorities (PHAs) in nine states, including Maryland.
A portion of that funding has been allocated to the Howard County Housing Commission for its Homeless Foster Youth to Independence (FYI) Initiative. HUD is investing in local, cross-system collaborative efforts to prevent and end homelessness among youth with a current or prior history of child welfare involvement.
“Maryland Inclusive Housing (MIH) is delighted to see that the Howard County Housing Commission has secured new funding for Marylanders aging out of foster care,” said MIH Executive Director Tim Wiens. “This will go a long way to helping them successfully access and maintain inclusive, affordable and accessible housing of their choice.”
“We must make sure our nation’s foster youth have the same opportunity to succeed as their peers,” said Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Marcia L. Fudge. “This funding will help public housing agencies meet the needs of youth who have aged out of the foster care program so they can have access to safe, stable, and affordable homes.”
This announcement comes during the U.S. observance of National Foster Care Awareness Month. National Foster Care Month is an initiative of the Children’s Bureau. Each May, the Children’s Bureau takes time to acknowledge foster parents, family members, volunteers, mentors, policymakers, child welfare professionals, and other members of the community who help children and youth in foster care find permanent homes and connections. The Children’s Bureau uses this time to renew its commitment to ensuring a bright future for the more than 391,000 children and youth in foster care and recognize those who make a meaningful difference in their lives.