Indianapolis Housing Agency provides stable housing for youth out of foster care

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) – The Indianapolis Housing Agency (IHA) is providing stable housing to youth who are vulnerable to becoming homeless.

IHA started a Foster Youth Initiative (FYI) to assist young adults between 18-24 years old who are aging out of the foster care system.

The agency hopes to help at least 25 participants over the next year. IHA has been awarded nearly $14,000 from The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

Participants will receive a voucher to financially assistance them with housing for up to 36 months. They will even have access to supportive services in becoming self-sufficient and to help maintain housing.

The Indianapolis Housing Agency hopes to get the word out about this initiative to foster homes and shelters.

“Our funds are usually limited, but this is a special purpose allocated that will help this particular group because we want our youth who are now adults that age out of the foster care system to be able to start and build their lives with a nice and decent place to live,” said executive director John E. Hall.

Hall mentioned that Indianapolis is the only housing agency to offer this program and there are 400 youth in Indiana that are emancipated from foster care each year.

HUD estimates there are as many as 25,000 youth that exit from the Foster Care system annually and are susceptible to becoming homeless.