Transitioning Youth to Affordable Housing

Tips From Housing Expert Rebecca Muller of GrantWorks

Know your local housing scene. Build relationships with different landlords so that you have a variety of housing types to steer youth towards, such as apartment complexes that have several units set aside for youth that you recommend.

Offer a "Preparing Yourself for Housing" workshop, where youth can identify their personal housing needs, their living habits, references, a housing resume, and any barriers they may have to overcome, such as bad credit.

Use creative and flexible strategies with landlords and youth; for example, agency and youth cosign the lease for the first 6 months and then the youth assumes the lease.

Develop a peer or neighbor mentoring arrangement where a young adult, community volunteer, or neighbor acts as a sponsor, meeting regularly with youth to support them through their transitions.

Create opportunities for graduates from your program to volunteer with your agency or another community-based or youth-serving organization. This helps to develop ongoing connections and a community role for youth and motivates them to become good neighbors.