Evidence Matters: Spring 2022

The Spring 2022 issue of Evidence Matters: Transforming Knowledge into Housing and Community Development Policy, which focuses on the intersectional aspects of youth homelessness in the U.S., is now available. This issue highlights the prevalence, demographics, causes, and consequences of youth homelessness; policies to address and reduce youth homelessness; HUD-led research, including recent findings from the Youth Homelessness Demonstration Program (YHDP); and programs and services of several organizations that are addressing youth homelessness in their communities.

Key findings:

• As many as 4.2 million U.S. youth aged 13 to 25 experience homelessness each year.

• Applying an intersectional framework to policies can lead to programs that meet the full complexity and nuances of the challenges youth face.

• Family conflict and difficult home environments were the most common causes of homelessness identified by youth across all 10 Round One Continuums of Care (CoCs) in the YHDP.

• Barriers to serving youth include a lack of affordable housing, limited educational and employment opportunities, age restrictions for signing leases, and the need for parental consent to access services.

• Programs that train staff in cultural competency, harm reduction, and trauma-informed care are better suited to meet the intersectional needs of youth.