The Foster Youth to Independence Program in Oregon

Kirsten Ray
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not represent the official positions or policies of the Office of Policy Development and Research, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, or the U.S. Government.

Youth homelessness in Oregon is a growing concern, as it is nationally. In an effort to support homeless youth, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) implemented the Foster Youth to Independence (FYI) program, which provides housing vouchers to former foster youth. In Oregon, 4 of the 24 public housing authorities have applied for and received FYI vouchers. In Oregon, and nationally, many former foster youth have yet to benefit from this resource.