This April, the Youth Economic Justice Coalition released “The State of Youth Homelessness in the District of Columbia”. The report is one of the first comprehensive overviews of youth homelessness in DC and explores the root causes, services available, and importance of youth-specific homelessness solutions. In DC, youth are defined as people aged 24 and younger. Every year, approximately 10,000 youth in DC, most of whom are Black and brown, experience housing insecurity and homelessness. However, in FY24, the DC Department of Human Services (DHS) served 2,678 youth, only about 21 percent of the total population of youth in need of housing support. Youth are at emotionally, physically, and mentally different developmental stages than adults and face unique barriers to housing. This report underscores the critical need for increased funding and expansion of youth homelessness services in DC. 

Root Causes

The causes of youth homelessness are complex and deeply intertwined with systemic inequality. Like adult homelessness, racial and economic inequality and the lack of affordable housing are key contributors to youth homelessness. Seventy percent of DC youth experiencing homelessness are Black and 18 percent are Hispanic. The District has a long history of racist policies, laws, and actions, including redlining, racially restrictive housing covenants, and demolishing low-income Black neighborhoods to build highways. While many of these discriminatory housing policies have been outlawed, their lasting effects continue to impact communities of color in DC. Today, gentrification is also a central driver of racial inequality, displacing Black Washingtonians who have lived here for generations. 

This legacy of discrimination and racism in DC plays a key role in economic inequality, preventing Black and brown families from having the same opportunities to build generational wealth as white families. DC has one of the highest levels of income inequality in the nation and significant racial disparities in wealth. Data shows that 52 percent of Black households earn less than $50,000 per year, compared to 11% of white households. To live comfortably in the District, a single parent with two children needs to earn over $145,000 annually. DC also has one of the most expensive housing markets; average rent and home prices are 140 percent higher than the national average. With this high cost of living, families earning less than $50,000 a year are at a much greater risk of experiencing homelessness and housing insecurity. Research shows that people who experience homelessness as children are more likely to become homeless as young adults. Even if youth have not experienced homelessness in childhood, it is extremely difficult to afford rent or get approved for housing without financial support from their parents. For youth without a financial safety net, a single event like an unexpected medical bill or the loss of a job can cause them to become homeless. 

Identity and Life Factors 

A combination of identity and life factors can put young people at risk of experiencing homelessness. Some of these factors can include sexual orientation, pregnancy, and aging out of the child welfare system. Homophobia and transphobia within families cause many youth to become homeless each year. In 2024, 40 percent of unaccompanied District youth experiencing homelessness identified as LGBTQ+, including 6 percent who identified as transgender, a gender other than male or female, or questioning. The report also revealed that women were greatly overrepresented in the “parenting youth” category. Ninety percent of unhoused young parents surveyed in DC were women. The added financial and emotional stress of becoming a parent during the transition to adulthood can perpetuate the cycle of intergenerational poverty and homelessness. Another population at a particularly high risk for experiencing homelessness is youth exiting the child welfare system at age 21. Young people who have grown up in foster care often lack the financial support and social safety nets that are crucial in early adulthood. The 2024 Youth Count survey reported that 18 percent of unaccompanied youth and 14 percent of parenting youth experiencing homelessness had been in DC’s child welfare system. Many youth who have gone through the foster care system have also experienced trauma and inconsistent care that may negatively affect development and the skills needed for living independently. The same survey found that over half of the unhoused youth who had lived in foster care stated their housing issues began after leaving the system. 

Expanding Youth Homelessness Services 

The District offers five different options for youth housing support: emergency shelters, rapid rehousing, transitional housing, permanent supportive housing, and Foster Youth to Independence (FYI) vouchers. While youth homelessness in DC has increased over time, critical resources and support continue to lag behind. Initially, it appears that DHS’s Youth Division budget for shelter, housing, and support services increased from $18,700,000 in 2020 to $22,000,000 in 2025. However, when we account for inflation, the budget has actually decreased slightly since 2020. The type of housing available also impacts the effectiveness of youth homelessness services. Despite the fact that transitional and permanent supportive housing offer a much wider range of comprehensive support services, only funding for rapid rehousing beds has increased. 

Youth experiencing homelessness face unique barriers that require tailored solutions. Currently, about 9,726 youth who are experiencing homelessness and housing insecurity are not receiving housing support from DHS. Greater federal and local funding is needed to bolster and expand youth homelessness programs in DC. In order to address youth homelessness at its core, it is imperative to provide comprehensive and culturally competent services, such as workforce training, mental health services, and specialized support for survivors of domestic violence. Housing Up recognizes that youth experiencing homelessness and housing insecurity have distinct needs and goals. Our youth enrichment program, which includes youth tutoring; a free, six-week summer camp; college tours and resources for high schoolers; and educational classes, is designed to prepare young people for success in adulthood and stop the intergenerational cycle of homelessness.