Finding - And Keeping - Safe, Stable Housing for Former Foster

Support for foster and systems-impacted youth

Pilot or new project, program, or initiative (testing or implementing a new idea)

Each year in LA County, close to 1,500 young adults age out of the foster care system, without being adopted or reunified with their birth family. These young adults face a host of challenges. Within two years of aging out, only 10% of former foster youth in California have enrolled in college (only 3% graduate), 51% are unemployed, and 24% are incarcerated (Transition Age Youth Research & Evaluation Hub). Of Los Angeles’ 18-24-year-old homeless population, 30% are former foster youth (Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority).
As young adults begin navigating adulthood, it is important that we as a society do everything we can for this vulnerable population to help them build a strong foundation. SFLA ensures that foster youth are connected with the resources, community, opportunities, knowledge and confidence for them to succeed not just in the short-term, but the long-term as well. The majority of our staff are former foster (73%) who design and implement all of our programs.

Our team of former foster youth have unique insights and knowledge and have successfully secured their own housing. As such, our housing candidates receive personalized support to secure and succeed in independent living, building essential life skills, expanding their communities of support directly from a team with lived experience. Our team works together to provide the best resources and opportunities for each young adult we serve. Our housing initiative:
Our team creates a personalized housing plan with the housing candidates. We work with the housing candidate to assess the following: Financial Management, Employment Stability, Housing Needs, Educational Status, Need of a Mentor
We connect the housing candidate with a variety of support, including vouchers, low income housing and collaborating organizations.
Throughout the process, we connect the housing candidates with peer coaches, SFLA staff members, adult co-mentors and other supports throughout the first year of their new home. Our team has an incredible success rate of securing safe, affordable housing for 60% of housing candidates within 2 months. Over the years, SFLA has seen the challenges youth face in not only securing housing, but in transitioning to independent living. By guaranteeing young adults' connection to safe, affordable, and stable housing, we will then be able to support them more successfully in employment, education, financial, mental health, and personal goals.

There are few programs supporting young adults exiting foster care to find, secure and maintain housing. Navigating the housing landscape and securing safe, affordable housing in LA County is incredibly challenging. Our goal in the next year is to support 60 former foster youth in finding - and keeping - safe, stable and affordable housing. We are currently working with 77 housing candidates, with more reaching out for assistance everyday.
Through our short-term, paid internship and our Stepping Forward App, we continue to search for ways to support the 1,500 young adults that exit care in LA County. SFLA is committed to continuing to provide ongoing support and collaborating with partners working with transition-age youth. We are also committed to educating the public, including foundations, corporations, politicians and individuals. With your partnership and connections, we'll be able to continue to expand the program to support more young adults from becoming or remaining homeless.

We have made significant strides and remarkable progress and achievements while addressing challenges along the way. We have had the following impact:
Housing Placement:
• We have 77 housing candidates
• We have found housing for 32 participants so far.
• 60% of the housing candidates have moved in within 2 months of working with SFLA, and the remaining 40% within 4 months.' Employment Stability
• All 32 young adults who have been housed have secured employment in living wage positions.
• Our staff, coaches and co-mentors provide support with financial management, job searching, resume writing, mock interviews, etc. Mentorship
• 64% of the housing candidates are matched with an adult co-mentor
• We are currently training peer coaches, who are former foster youth and have secured housing, employment and have a desire to help others reach their goals. Our team meets weekly and brainstorms solutions and opportunities for each young adult and creates customized plans with them.