Young People to the Front

Fighting for Functional Zero: Youth Homelessness and the Future of HHAP

Episode Summary

In this episode, host Tonny St. James sits down with Simone Tureck Lee (Director of Housing and Economic Mobility) and Brandon Torres (Project Manager) from John Burton Advocates for Youth (JBAY) to discuss their groundbreaking report "Investing in Impact: How State Investment Reduced Youth Homelessness in California." The conversation reveals a remarkable success story: between 2019 and 2024, youth homelessness in California declined by 24% while overall homelessness increased by 24%. This achievement is directly tied to California's Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention (HHAP) program and its youth set-aside policy requiring 10% of funding go to serving young people. But this progress is now at risk. For the first time since 2019, HHAP is absent from the 2025-26 state budget, threatening to reverse years of gains and leave over 50,000 young people without critical support. Combined with federal cuts under the Trump administration, California's youth homelessness response system faces an unprecedented crisis. This episode breaks down what HHAP is, how it works, why the youth set-aside policy matters, and what listeners can do to advocate for sustained funding.

Episode Notes

About JBAY and the Guests

• What JBAY does as an advocacy organization (not direct service)
• JBAY's work on state policy and budget investments for youth homelessness
• How both Simone and Brandon started in direct service before moving to advocacy

What is HHAP?

• Flexible local aid administered by California Department of Housing and Community Development
• Funding goes to 58 counties, 14 largest cities, and 44 homeless Continuums of Care (CoCs)
• The "secret sauce": 10% youth set-aside policy requiring minimum funding for youth services
• Why young people don't get served without designated funding requirements

The Major Success: 24% Reduction in Youth Homelessness

• Youth homelessness dropped from 13,000 to 9,900 (2019-2024)
• Unsheltered youth homelessness dropped even more sharply by 42%
• Over 50,000 young people served by HHAP to date
• This happened while overall CA homelessness increased 24% and national youth homelessness increased 11%

How Different Communities Used HHAP

• LA invested heavily in rapid rehousing (one-third of statewide spending)
• Santa Clara County adjusted allocations year-to-year based on community needs
• 27% of grantees invested MORE than the required 10% in youth services
• Rural communities built youth homelessness infrastructure from nothing
• Importance of COCs, cities, and counties coordinating services

The Current Funding Crisis

• HHAP absent from 2025-26 state budget for first time since 2019
• 2026-27 budget promises $500 million (half of previous $1 billion)
• Youth funding would drop from $80 million to $40 million annually
• Federal cuts compound the problem (HUD capping permanent housing at 30%, YHDP renewals now competitive)
• Unknown priorities of next California governor

Why Young People Are Vulnerable

• Coordinated entry systems prioritize chronic homelessness and comorbid conditions
• Youth who bounce between housing situations don't get prioritized
• Youth homelessness is less visible than adult homelessness
• Without set-aside policies, youth generally won't be served when funding is tight

Path to Functional Zero

• What functional zero means: homelessness is rare, brief, and non-recurring
• California is trending toward functional zero for youth
• Need sustained funding to maintain progress
• Risk of reversing the 24% reduction without HHAP

Data and Challenges

• Point-in-Time (PIT) counts are undercounts but useful for year-to-year comparisons
• COVID-era data limited because PIT count wasn't required
• Need more sophisticated tracking of recidivism and long-term outcomes
• Communities should track whether people maintain stable housing

Local and Philanthropic Options

• LA's Measure A could supplement HHAP if it includes youth set-aside
• Communities should advocate for youth-specified funding locally
• Philanthropy can help during rough patches but isn't sustainable long-term
• Government's role to sustain homelessness response system

How to Take Action

• Join JBAY's advocacy coalition for sustained HHAP investment
• Write letters and meet with state senators and assembly members
• Attend Sacramento hearings and provide public comment
• Advocate on social media and talk to media
• Contact federal representatives about cuts
• Advocate for youth set-aside policies in local investments
• Ensure advocacy comes from across California, not just major cities

Key statistics

• 24% reduction in youth homelessness in California (2019-2024)
• 42% reduction in unsheltered youth homelessness
• Over 50,000 youth served by HHAP to date
• 27% of grantees exceeded the 10% youth funding requirement
• Youth funding at risk of dropping from $80 million to $40 million annually

Website: jbay.org 

Report: "Investing in Impact: How State Investment Reduced Youth Homelessness in California"