Foster Youth Housing Opportunity Act

The Foster Youth Housing Opportunity Act would strengthen coordination between two federal programs that help youth transitioning out of foster care obtain stable housing. The bill would align the Chafee program, which provides supportive services to foster youth, with the Foster Youth to Independence (FYI) housing voucher program administered by the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Specifically, the bill would ensure youth can receive Chafee-funded supportive services for the full duration of their FYI housing vouchers, and would allow states greater flexibility in how they spend Chafee funds on housing-related support services such as financial counseling and upfront housing costs like security deposits. The bill would also require federal agencies to issue joint guidance clarifying how state child welfare agencies and local housing authorities should coordinate services. Currently referred to the House Ways and Means Committee and House Financial Services Committee, the bill has not yet been voted on by the full chamber.