The HOME for Foster Youth Act expands rental assistance eligibility and excludes education vouchers from income calculations for youth transitioning out of foster care.
Zachary (Zach) Nunn
Representative
IA-3
The HOME for Foster Youth Act expands housing assistance eligibility for young adults leaving foster care by increasing the application window from 90 to 180 days and removing prior homelessness requirements. It also ensures that Education and Training Vouchers are not counted as income when calculating housing assistance. Furthermore, the bill mandates improved coordination between HUD and HHS to streamline access to housing and supportive services for this population.
HOME for Foster Youth Act Doubles Eligibility Window and Protects Education Benefits for Housing Support
The HOME for Foster Youth Act aims to fix the 'cliff' that many young people face when aging out of the foster care system. Currently, former foster youth only have a 90-day window after leaving the system to qualify for tenant-based rental assistance under Section 8(x). This bill doubles that timeframe to 180 days, giving these young adults six months to navigate the transition into independent living before losing access to critical housing vouchers. Crucially, Section 2 of the bill also scraps the current requirement that a youth must be actively homeless or at risk of homelessness to qualify; if you left foster care within the last six months, you are eligible, period.
Protecting the Path to School and Work
For foster youth trying to build a career, the bill introduces a vital financial safeguard by amending Section 3(b)(4) of the Housing Act. Right now, if a student receives an Education and Training Voucher (ETV) to help pay for college or vocational school, that money can sometimes count as 'income,' which might ironically disqualify them from housing aid or hike up their rent. This legislation specifically excludes ETV funds from income calculations. This means a 20-year-old working toward a certification in coding or HVAC repair won't be penalized for receiving the very financial aid meant to help them succeed. It ensures that 'getting ahead' doesn't mean 'losing your home.'
Cutting Through the Red Tape
Beyond the immediate eligibility changes, the bill mandates a cleanup of the bureaucratic process. Section 3 requires the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to stop working in silos and start coordinating their efforts. They are tasked with using existing Family Unification Program funds to modernize how they deliver services. For a young person trying to manage a job and school, this could mean fewer redundant forms and a more streamlined path to getting both a roof over their head and the supportive services they need to stay on their feet.