Young adults, 18 to 24 years old, become homeless for different reasons. Some age out of foster care, some get pushed out by family conflict, while others lose their housing when they are unable to pay their rent due to sudden job loss. These young people have very little support. As a result, they find themselves sleeping in cars, in abandoned houses, on park benches, or couch surfing from house to house.

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The Bridge Housing Program runs in three steps:

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1. Discovery Call (24-48 hours). Intake conversation to clarify the young person's immediate safety and well-being. We verify identity, perform due diligence to verify homelessness, then collaborate with the young adult to build a housing and employment plan.

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2. Direct Assistance to Support Basic and Extended Needs (immediate). Same-day direct cash for food, transportation, ID and document fees, and medical or mental health copays.

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3. Temporary Housing Placement (usually for 3 to 14 nights). Hotel, motel, or community housing paid for directly by YIS. Our staff and volunteers then provides case management that connects the young person to more stable housing, work, training, school, and the HUD Coordinated Entry System. 

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Young adults who are not experiencing homelessness, but facing imminent housing loss, are referred to community resources that pay for rent arrears and past due utility bills.  

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Three out of four young adults reach a stable housing exit within 30 days. Through partner coordination, we assist young adults to reconcile with family, secure an apartment, rent a room, join a residential training program or enter a transitional housing program that offers more time until they can gain stability. 

 

The all-in cost is about $2,300 per person, which is roughly one-sixth the cost of comparable transitional youth programs. YIS runs 100% virtually with no facility overhead.