Foundations Increase Housing Access for Homeless Youth

Affordable housing in Sarasota is a perpetual problem, even more so for young adults who have suffered hardships in life and found themselves without a consistent roof over their heads through no fault of their own. But more young people in this vulnerable group now have access to the financial support they need to secure safe, stable housing.

The Youth Advocacy Team, a collaboration of funders and service providers working to build a system of care for homeless teens and young adults in Sarasota County, recently more than doubled the number of housing subsidies it offers. With funding from Charles & Margery Barancik Foundation and several donors through Gulf Coast Community Foundation, the group is now able to subsidize housing costs for 23 local youth who otherwise would be homeless.

“Investing in our young adults by offering them housing stability and support to complete high school and transition safely into adulthood is good for the future of Sarasota,” said Jennifer Johnston, senior community investment officer at Gulf Coast Community Foundation and the foundation’s lead on the project. “Without community care, these youth could become our next generation of homeless adults.”

The subsidies available from the Youth Advocacy Team include rental assistance, which provide up to $600 per month to help youth over 18 move into their own apartment, and room-rental subsidies, which enable youth to rent a room within a safe and vetted home. Housing subsidy recipients also have access to utility-deposit coverage through the program. The Youth Advocacy Team tested the program last year with five of each subsidy, and recently the group expanded this support by adding eight more housing subsidies and five room rental subsidies. 

An example of the success that led to the expansion is Brianna, a young woman who had a tumultuous home life and was ultimately forced to leave her home at 17. After Brianna accessed one of the first housing subsidies through Schoolhouse Link, a program of the Safe Children Coalition that connects homeless youth with services in Sarasota County, she was able to secure an apartment, pay her bills on time, and even save money. Brianna is now an 18-year-old high school graduate whose life has been transformed. 

“The subsidy gave me a great opportunity that I don’t know how I will ever be able to repay,” said Brianna. “I am not sure where I would be right now without it—probably still homeless and sleeping from couch to couch. If the people who made this possible could help even one more person as much as they have helped me, it would not be a waste of money or time.”

The housing subsidies are administered by the Sarasota Housing Authority, while the room-rental subsidies are overseen by the Safe Children Coalition. Other partners in the Youth Advocacy Team include nonprofit agencies Harvest House, More Too Life, and Suncoast Partnership to End Homelessness, government representatives from Sarasota County and child welfare, and philanthropic funders Barancik Foundation and Gulf Coast Community Foundation.

In addition to youth housing subsidies, the Youth Advocacy Team has launched a Youth Action Board of formerly homeless youth who advocate on behalf of their peers, opened a drop-in center for unaccompanied youth to access services and support at Harvest House, and maintains dedicated Youth Outreach Advocates employed at Harvest House and Schoolhouse Link.