Housing support for unhoused youth and young adults
Resident asks for housing resources, such as extendable one-year vouchers, for unhoused or unstably housed youth, guided by youth with that experience, to prevent exploitation and criminalization.
English title and summary written with AI from the resident's text.
The resident's idea, as submitted
The idea
Housing resources and additional support for youth and young adults who are unhoused, in an unsafe place, in a living room or friend's place, etc. Have youth who have been in this situation advise it. Example: 1 yr voucher that extends if needed
Who it helps and why
When young people I know haven't had stable housing, they spend a lot to figure out a temporary place, they stay in exploitative situations, and their lives are in upheaval hurting their health and jobs and schools - and leading to police targeting them, especially BIPOC youth. Folks at Melnea Cass and Mass Ave are also being criminalized for surviving when resources are denied to them, and the resources for unhoused or precariously housed young people are far short of what's needed - too few beds, little chances of getting a lottery, etc. The City had a 2019 report about these issues also.
Details
- Cycle
- 2024–25
- Submitted
- August 16, 2024
- Neighborhood
- City-wide
- Portal category
- Education, Youth & Families
- How it was submitted
- Individual submission
- Submission language
- English
Themes grouped with AI from resident idea text.
The same need in other cycles
City-wide ideas in Homelessness & shelter from the other cycles, up to 3 from each.
2026–27 (26 matching)
- Use public buildings as overnight sheltersThe resident asks the City to use public buildings to provide overnight shelter for unhoused people so they can better participate in the community.2026–27City-wideSubmitted in Korean
- Portable home village for people experiencing homelessnessBuy about 1,000 portable homes to form a small village for homeless residents, with social workers on hand to help them regain independence.2026–27City-wide
- Heating and cooling centers for those without A/C or heatResident asks for heating and cooling centers for people lacking A/C or heat, or installing heating and cooling systems in buildings that lack them.2026–27City-wideSubmitted in Korean
2025–26 (30 matching)
- Sleeping pods, veteran shelters and food programsResident asks for free sleeping pods for people experiencing homelessness, more shelters for homeless veterans, and food programs for disadvantaged residents.2025–26City-wide
- Convert vacant hotel near Mass Ave into housingResident asks to renovate a large empty hotel near Massachusetts Avenue to house homeless people without restrictive evictions, to advance equity.2025–26City-wide
- Help homeless residents get housingThe resident asks for help getting homeless people into homes and for more affordable rent, especially for minority residents.2025–26City-wide