Senate committee hears bill to provide housing vouchers for youth in extended foster care; advocates testify about homelessness risk

Senate Bill 5082, introduced in the Senate Human Services Committee, would create an extended foster care (EFC) housing program in the Department of Children, Youth and Families to provide rental assistance to youth who remain in EFC and are experiencing homelessness or are at imminent risk of homelessness.

Committee staff Lisonbee Mendiola briefed the panel on the bill and described the proposed program as modeled after the federal Foster Youth to Independence (FYI) voucher program. Mendiola said the bill would let eligible youth receive up to 36 months of rental assistance not to exceed a youth’s 21st birthday, with rent contributions set by fair market rent and youth paying no more than 30% of adjusted gross income in most cases.

“To be an extended foster care, also known as EFC, a person has to be dependent on their 18th birthday and can remain in the program until they turn 21,” Mendiola told the committee during the formal briefing. The staff briefing noted that federal FYI rules currently prevent…