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May 10, 2022
Foster youth get a boost in Kitsap County
In an effort to support young people coming out of foster care, Kitsap County and its partner agencies this spring launched a new housing voucher program that is a unique combination of funding sources and programs, giving a boost to youth transitioning out of foster care who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. An award of nearly $43,000 to the Bremerton Housing Authority from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for its Foster Youth to Independence (FYI) initiative is already making a difference in young lives.
The FYI program provides funds to pay market rate rents for three to five years to eligible young people who are also receiving other supportive services. This is initial funding for vouchers awarded so far, with more funding available as additional vouchers are distributed to youth aging out of foster care.
"What we have done in Kitsap that is unique is braid a bunch of different funding sources and programs together to provide a broad array of supportive services that wrap around FYI voucher recipients to help them find housing and stay housed," explained Kirsten Jewell, Kitsap County's Homeless and Housing Division Coordinator. "We do this in a very focused and coordinated way that makes it easy for participating youth."
Extending local partnerships leads to success
The success of the foster youth program is due to extended partnerships between Kitsap County, BHA, the Washington State Department of Children, Youth, and Families, Olive Crest, Kitsap Community Resources (KCR), WorkSource, Coffee Oasis, and others. Kitsap County is sub-contracting with Olive Crest to provide assistance with the application process, locating housing and maintaining a stable situation. The county also sub-contracts with KCR to provide move-in assistance. WorkSource helps youth find employment and job training.
Kitsap County is committed to launching the effort at a fairly large scale with a target of assisting up to 30 youth in 2022. There are already 18 youth who have been or will soon be awarded housing vouchers. "This is a remarkable considering we launched the program only a few months ago," Jewell noted. "Other counties are rolling out only a few vouchers at a time without any of the wrap-around services."
A new lease on life
In April of this year, the first FYI voucher holder in Kitsap and her family secured a lease on a new home, Sarah*, her baby and her partner are excited to launch into this next phase of life with a strong foundation built on stable housing. Olive Crest, a key partner in providing and coordinating supportive services, shared Sarah’s story:(*name changed to protect client's privacy).
Sarah has been a part of the Olive Crest program since she was a teenager, bouncing around from home to home and running from abuse and trauma she experienced during foster care. Sarah stuck with her goals and worked hard at building her independence skills. She heard about the FYI voucher program and attended an application workshop. After completing the required paperwork, receiving a voucher and orientation, Sarah was ready to start looking for houses.
Knowing it can be extremely difficult to find affordable housing in Kitsap County, staff from BHA and Olive Crest provided Sarah with the support and advocacy she and her family needed to navigate rental applications and a property management company, resulting in Sarah and her family finding a home.
"They were there for me for every little thing and they don't even know me," Sarah said. "They just did it, They have no idea what that means to us,"
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