Homelessness and Housing Instability

Homelessness is a major concern in the United States, and young people (ages 24 and under) may be the age group most at risk of becoming homeless.¹ The number of youth who have experienced homelessness varies depending on the age range, time frame, and definition used, but sources estimate that as many as 4.2 million youth and young adults (approximately one in 30 youth ages 13–17 and one in 10 young adults ages 18–25) experience homelessness within the United States each year.²

Youth experience homelessness for a multitude of reasons, but involvement in the juvenile justice or child welfare systems, abuse, neglect, abandonment, and severe family conflicts all have been associated with increased risk of experiencing homelessness. According to the Congressional Research Service report on Runaway and Homeless Youth: Demographics and Programs, family conflict often is due to the sexual orientation or gender identity of the young person, school problems, substance use, or pregnancy.³ These youth are vulnerable to a range of negative experiences, including exploitation and victimization. Many of the risk factors for youth and young adults experiencing homelessness also are adverse impacts of experiencing homelessness. For example, youth who have run away and youth affected by homelessness have high rates of involvement in the juvenile justice system, are more likely to engage in substance use and unlawful behavior, be teenage parents, drop out of high school, suffer from sexually transmitted diseases, and meet the criteria for mental health conditions.⁴

Experiences of unaccompanied youth affected by homelessness differ from those who experience homelessness with their families. Although negative occurrences persist for youth experiencing homelessness with their families, their experiences may not vary drastically from youth living in poverty.⁵ Studies also have found distinct variability in outcomes among youth experiencing homelessness, suggesting that youth experience homelessness differently.⁶ Whether youth experience homelessness alone or in a family, it can impact their life and future outcomes. Research shows that children and youth who experience homelessness are more likely to experience homelessness in adulthood.⁷

Providing timely prevention and direct interventions to youth at risk of or experiencing homelessness and youth who have run away is important to protect them from the risks of living on the streets and to support positive youth development;⁸ yet despite the risks and needs of these youth, few appear to know of and access support services.⁹ Even more critical is addressing family/parental needs to prevent youth and/or their families from experiencing homelessness and addressing their behavioral health needs through comprehensive methods that involve both youth and their families.

Youth Voices

Two of the Youth Engaged 4 Change editorial board members, Akshay and Garrett, sat down to discuss housing insecurity. Akshay offered important information about the housing crisis and explained how housing insecurity can impact other aspects of your life. Garrett provided a first-hand account of what it is like to experience housing insecurity and the effects it has had on his life. Watch this video—created by young people for young people—to learn more about housing insecurity: Addressing Housing Insecurity.

Tips and Resources for Engaging Young People

Engaging Youth Experiencing Homelessness: Core Practices and Services (PDF, 38 pages). This publication describes practices and services that Health Care for the Homeless agencies have found helpful in engaging youth who are experiencing homelessness.

Information Memorandum on Leading in Partnership With Youth and Young Adults (PDF, 13 pages). The Family and Youth Services Bureau (FYSB) developed this memorandum in partnership with youth and young adults with lived experience, as well as with FYSB grant recipients who serve youth and young adults within their communities. Strategies and examples highlighted throughout this memorandum came directly from listening sessions and focus groups and can serve as a helpful tool in learning how to include the voices and engagement of young people in all areas of program development and design, including planning, implementation, service delivery, and evaluation.

Youth Engagement at the Federal Level: A Compilation of Strategies and Practices. This compilation of briefs on the youth engagement efforts of 12 agencies and departments describes the accomplishments and basic mechanisms of these strategies while also noting barriers, challenges, and a vision for the future. The conversations that informed this report consistently clarified that federal policymakers engaging young adults do so with two clear goals in mind: (a) to better support completion of their agencies’ missions and (b) to support the development of young adults.

References