(Washington, D.C.) Representatives Zach Nunn (IA-03), Joyce Beatty (OH-03), Don Bacon (NE-02), Greg Landsman (OH-01), and Mike Carey (OH-15) today introduced the Housing Opportunities for Moving to Empowerment (HOME) for Foster Youth Act , bipartisan legislation to streamline access to housing assistance for youth transitioning out of foster care and help prevent homelessness before it starts.
“Kelly and I adopted two of our daughters through foster care, so I’ve seen firsthand both the promise of the system and the consequences when it falls short,” said Rep. Nunn . “Today, there are housing vouchers sitting unused while far too many foster youth face homelessness — not because they aren’t eligible, but because outdated rules force many young people to become homeless before they can qualify for help. The HOME for Foster Youth Act fixes that. It doesn’t create a new program or spend another taxpayer dollar. It simply cuts through the bureaucracy so the housing assistance Congress already approved can reach the foster youth it was intended to serve.”
Across the country, nearly one in four foster youth experience homelessness within four years of aging out of care, and roughly 50% of the nation’s homeless population has spent time in the foster care system.
In 2019, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) launched the Foster Youth to Independence (FYI) program to help foster youth secure stable housing as they transition into adulthood. However, a HUD Office of Inspector General report found that only 31% of FYI vouchers are currently utilized due to inconsistent implementation and administrative barriers.
“Too often, the foster care system fails to set young people up for success as independent adults,” said Rep. Beatty. “Having a home is not a privilege, it is a basic right that everyone deserves. I’m proud to introduce this bill to streamline the Foster Youth to Independence program and allow young people a safe transition into adulthood. Every child should have the security of a stable home and opportunity to build a successful future.”
The HOME for Foster Youth Act improves and streamlines the FYI voucher program by:
-Extending the voucher application window from 90 to 180 days before a youth exits foster care
-Removing duplicative language requiring foster youth to already be homeless or at risk of homelessness to qualify for assistance
-Clarifying that Education and Training Vouchers (ETV) are excluded from income calculations for FYI voucher eligibility
-Strengthening coordination between HUD and HHS to improve access to housing assistance for foster youth
“Young people who have dealt with foster care deserve so much more from us. Our bill will make it easier for these kids to get good, reliable housing,” said Rep. Landsman.
“Too many former foster youth experience homelessness after aging out of care. Access to housing is critical for foster youth who are transitioning into adulthood so that they can keep their focus on their education, careers, and independence,” said Rep. Carey . “Congressman Nunn’s HOME for Foster Youth Act removes barriers and improves coordination between HUD and HHS, ensuring that foster youth have better access to FYI vouchers that can help them obtain secure housing. I am proud to support this legislation to ensure more foster youth can receive these housing vouchers that they’re already eligible for, as another means to support them on their paths to self-sufficiency.”
“There is a direct pipeline from foster care to homelessness, and FYI vouchers are one of the most effective tools we have to break it,” said Rebecca Louve Yao, CEO, National Foster Youth Institute. “When issued effectively, FYI vouchers are a critical part of a stable foundation that most young adults need but too many foster youth never receive. The HOME for Foster Youth Act will make it easier for local agencies to support foster youth and reduce homelessness in their communities. Thank you to Representative Nunn for listening to foster youth, for fighting to make sure FYI vouchers actually reach the young people who need them, and for bringing foster youth HOME.”
“We applaud Congressman Nunn’s swift action to remove a harmful and unnecessary reference to homelessness from the law governing HUD’s Foster Youth to Independence (FYI) vouchers,” said Ruth White, Executive Director, National Center for Housing and Child Welfare. “FYI was designed by alumni of foster care to prevent homelessness and human trafficking among older foster youth by aligning housing vouchers with effective transition planning — not by requiring young people to become homeless first. Yet in a growing number of communities, this language is being misread to mean that foster youth must be homeless, unemployed, or already in crisis to qualify, turning a prevention program into a failure requirement. As the organization that co-authored FYI with foster youth and alumni of ACTION Ohio, we urge Congress to pass Congressman Nunn’s no-cost HOME for Foster Youth Act without delay.”
“Giving a child a home is a remarkable gift, and we know stable housing creates the foundation young people need to succeed as they transition into adulthood. Yet too many youth aging out of foster care face unnecessary barriers to accessing the support they need,” said Traci Schermerhorn, Founder and Executive Director, Foster SQUAD . “Foster SQUAD proudly supports the HOME for Foster Youth Act because every young person leaving foster care deserves a pathway to stability and independence. This legislation makes practical improvements that help ensure housing resources reach the youth who need them most.”
“Youth voice is at the heart of everything we do; honoring their lived experience is key to improving policy”, said Ashley Brown, Founder and CEO, Selfless Love Foundation. “They expressed their concerns about housing eligibility and time limits on support that can impact their stability as they transition to adulthood, and we listened. The HOME for Foster Youth Act removes barriers, opening the door for youth across the country to access housing while they continue to gain the tools needed to succeed in the future.”
“Every young person deserves more than survival, they deserve dignity, stability, and the opportunity to thrive and pursue their passions to build a meaningful future,” said Dr. Amy Loyd, CEO, All4Ed . ”For foster youth, housing is not separate from education or career success; it is foundational to both. The HOME for Foster Youth Act is an important step in ensuring young people have stable housing, because that stability creates the foundation students need to pursue pathways to college, careers, and long-term well-being.”
The legislation does not create new federal spending or expand eligibility for housing vouchers. Instead, the bill aligns the law with the original intent of the FYI program and helps ensure eligible foster youth can access housing support without unnecessary barriers or delays.
The HOME for Foster Youth Act is endorsed by the National Foster Youth Institute, the National Center for Housing and Child Welfare, the Foster SQUAD, the Selfless Love Foundation, and All4Ed.
