Missouri has been awarded a $7 million grant to fight youth homelessness, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) recently announced.
Missouri Balance of State Continuum of Care (CoC) program was one of 17 housing entities across the nation chosen to receive a portion of the $83.7 million HUD grant, which exists to build and bolster housing programs such as rapid rehousing, permanent supportive housing, transitional housing and host homes, according to the HUD news release.
The grant for developing youth specific services more than doubles the The Continuum of Care's existing $6 million budget for 2022, said Nathaniel Meese, planning director for CoC.
"Placing young people experiencing homelessness into permanent housing can change the trajectory of their lives," HUD Secretary Marcia Fudge said in the release. "With this funding, HUD is targeting federal resources to meet local needs and support community-driven efforts to end youth homelessness and improve outcomes through stable housing and services," she said.
During the next several months, CoC will work with youth leaders to create a road map for allocating the funds.
What is Missouri Balance of State Continuum of Care?
Missouri Balance of State Continuum of Care is a network of housing agencies throughout 101 rural counties of the state contributing to efforts to end homelessness. It does so by offering a referral network known as Coordinated Entry and various permanent housing programs for individuals with high levels of vulnerability and need, Meece said.
"The Continuum of Care system and the Housing Authority system work really well together in tandem," he said. "People who are in more critical situations are able to get resources much quicker through the CoC program and people who need to sort of develop into supportive resources go the Housing Authority route."
Meece said the entity is one of HUD's best kept secrets, but he'd like to change that. Administrators of the program have consistently found the general public is largely unaware of what the CoC is, even among those who are receiving support through Continuum of Care entities, Meece said.
Most housing programs are not inclusive of minors, Meece said. HUD has a unique system for classifying homelessness for people under 25 in order to adequately address the extra barriers this population faces in the housing system.
These extra barriers can include issues with signing and documentation, having less knowledge of how to navigate existing housing support networks, lacking a support system to fall back on, as well as struggles to finish education, Meece said.
"Education is a huge determinant for future success, but as housing security comes into play for a person, maintaining education can be a challenge," he said. "Many people will try to maintain access to education when their housing situation is disrupted, causing them to be homeless. Just trying to balance a safe place to live and a safe place to go to school is an incredibly difficult balancing act."
Why Missouri?
Part of what makes Missouri's housing crisis unique is the scale and scope of its rural communities, Meece said. Young people who face poverty and homelessness in rural areas often struggle in isolation due to their geographical seclusion, which hinders transportation and access to community support.
And where social supports do exist, they are overburdened and can't provide the support that youths may require.
He also said the leading causes of youth homelessness -- domestic violence, substance abuse, and gender or sexual conflict -- are present in many communities.
"Yet we aren't seeing youth and young adults represented in our system," Meece said. "This means they are likely falling through the cracks."
The Missouri Balance of State was chosen for the grant because of the strength of its base, Meece said. The organization of housing agencies' work is guided both by expert research from partnerships with the University of Missouri as well as leadership from a body of youth experts with lived experience of housing insecurity.
What's next?
During the next several months, the selected recipients of the grant will work with their youth advisory boards, child welfare agencies and other community partners to create a comprehensive community plan to end youth homelessness, according to the HUD release.
Missouri Balance of State will develop its own road map during the next few months, guided by the input of youth experts.
Some programs that have already been proposed include peer support groups, mutual aid networks, shelter resources, employment supports and actual housing resources, Meece said.
"The final picture of what this will look like will be shaped by youth leadership and is ongoing at this point," Meece said. "But a young person in our programs should find uniquely tailored and structured resources to allow them to meet educational goals, establish financial security, and establish housing stability."