HUD Awards Over $788,000 to Home Forward

Nationwide, Public Housing Authorities (PHAs) identify homeless or at-risk youth with a foster care history and families whose insufficient housing is the primary reason their children are in foster care.

HUD Oregon Field Office Director Bryan Guiney presents award check to Home Forward CEO Ivory Mathews.

PORTLAND – Today the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) awarded $10 million for over 600 vouchers to 13 public housing authorities nationwide, to identify youth with a history of foster care involvement who are homeless or at risk of homelessness or who reside with families whose lack of adequate housing is the primary reason their children are being moved to foster care.

In recognition of its collaborative efforts to help youth and families in the Portland region, Home Forward received $788,081 for 56 vouchers – the nation’s largest single voucher award – in this competitive effort. 

This funding, offered through HUD’s Family Unification Program (FUP) will provide 625 Family Unification Program (FUP) vouchers to youth and families to find housing and will help strengthen coordination among public housing authorities (PHAs), public child welfare agencies (PCWAs), and Continuums of Care (CoCs) and increase access to supportive services for those who need them. See listing of agencies below who have received funding below. 

“Keeping youth and families off the streets is essential to our efforts to reduce and ultimately end homelessness,” said HUD Secretary Marcia L. Fudge. “This funding will help our local partners aid youth and allow families to get into more permanent and stable housing. HUD is committed to ending homelessness, and this funding and partnership help us continue that critical part of our mission.”  

“We know that housing works to solve homelessness and that supportive housing can solve homelessness for people with some of the most complex needs,” said HUD Oregon Field Office Director Bryan Guiney. “I am grateful for Home Forward’s commitment to making homelessness rare, brief, and non-reoccurring for everyone, and especially our youth.”

As part of FUP, PHAs that partner with PCWAs and CoCs offer Housing Choice Vouchers (HCVs) to two groups:   

• Families for whom the lack of adequate housing is a primary factor in the imminent placement of the family’s child, or children, in out-of-home care; or the delay in the discharge of the child, or children, to the family from out-of-home care; and
• Youth aged 18 to 24, who have either exited foster care or will do so within the next 90 days, and meet the criteria outlined in Section 475(5)(H) of the Social Security Act, are eligible if they are homeless or at risk of homelessness and are 16 years or older.

PHAs administer the FUP in partnership with PCWAs, which are responsible for referring FUP families and youths to the PHA for the determination of eligibility for rental assistance. After the PCWA makes the referral, the PHA places the FUP applicant on its waiting list, assesses whether the family or youth meets HCV program eligibility requirements, and manages all other processes related to voucher issuance and administration. 

“At Home Forward, we say that housing is at the core of what we do, and people are the reason it matters. The Family Unification Program (FUP) recognizes the importance of a safe and nurturing home on a child’s development and that, given the right tools, families can take control of their circumstances and work towards a better future. In these unprecedented times, where so many families are struggling with housing instability, these vouchers represent an investment in the future of our families and our community,” said Home Forward CEO Ivory Mathews. “The success of families and youth in our program, and Home Forward’s success in securing this award, is a direct result of many critical partners coming together in this work. We are grateful to the US Department of Housing and Urban Development for these vital resources to help families in our community break the cycle of homelessness, as well as the commitment of local resources from our partners at Multnomah County, the Joint Office of Homeless Services, and the Oregon Department of Human Services.”

“I want to thank HUD for their leadership. When we keep families together, we break generational cycles of homelessness and housing instability. When we support young adults aging out of foster care – an estimated 20% of whom become homeless when they’re emancipated – we put them on a path of stability that reverberates for years to come,” said Multnomah County Chair Jessica Vega Pederson. “This nation-leading award is a testament to collaboration and the commitment we make to promote racial and ethnic justice. These vouchers, with 96% historically going to BIPOC young people and families, will increase our success in meeting big goals and benchmarks to address racial disparities in homelessness and stand up the homelessness response system everyone living unsheltered or at risk of losing housing needs.”

“ODHS District 2 is very appreciative of this opportunity to partner with Home Forward to expand capacity for families in need of housing support,” said Sherrelle Jackson, Oregon Department of Human Services District Manager for Child Welfare and Self-Sufficiency programs in Multnomah County. “Houselessness is chronic in our community. Being able to celebrate acquiring this award is big and required a cross-jurisdictional effort between Home Forward, ODHS, Multnomah County DCHS Youth and Family Services along with many of our Community Based Organizations.”

There is no time limit on FUP vouchers issued to families. FUP vouchers issued to youth are limited to 36 months unless the youth meets the requirements to receive an extension of their voucher assistance under the Fostering Stable Housing Opportunities (FSHO) amendments. Under FSHO, FUP youth may receive an additional 24 months of voucher assistance if they meet certain requirements. Home Forward also provides a unique preference in the Housing Choice Voucher program to ensure that FUP youth can continue to receive rental assistance after these time limits expire. In addition to rental assistance, FUP youths must receive supportive services for 36 months. Examples of the skills targeted by these services include money management, job preparation, educational counseling, and proper nutrition and meal preparation.