CSH Releases Report on Non-Time-Limited
Youth Supportive Housing
Highlights NYC's True Colors Residence
Today, CSH released No Strings Attached: Helping Vulnerable Youth with Non-Time-Limited Supportive Housing, a brief which explores innovative non-time-limited supportive housing models to serve the most vulnerable youth.
Open letters to the NYC Supportive Housing Task Force from West End Residences HDFC & Lantern Community Services
Recently there has been much discussion over time or age restrictions on supportive housing for youth, and fears that without these limits, tenants may never move out. As a result of those fears, and limitations in service funding, most youth supportive housing programs have age or length of stay restrictions. But locally and nationally, several non-time-limited youth supportive housing programs are showing positive outcomes demonstrating youth are indeed moving out steadily as they are ready.
The brief highlights outcomes of West End Residence’s True Colors Residence, the first non-time-limited youth supportive housing program in New York City. Data on True Colors Residence first residents suggests that non-time-limited supportive housing is effective in providing youth the appropriate dose of affordable housing and support services. Youth who no longer need services are able and incentivized to move on with a tenant-based housing subsidy. More than half of the youth moved on in an average of under 2 years. In fact, if the youth who have applied for their housing subsidy move on as planned, 72% of the residents will have moved on within the first five years of the program.
“Some communities are beginning to find success with housing for youth that does not include traditional time limits or programmatic requirements. Many of these programs also provide trauma-informed services that address the physical, socio-emotional, intellectual, and life skills development of youth on a pathway to independence.”
-U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness
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