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Senate committee backs five‑year pilot and $375,000 request to address youth homelessness
Summary
The committee passed HB 21 67 to create a five‑year youth housing‑stability pilot with a noted appropriation request of $375,000 for the full pilot; advocates and providers urged the program to prevent young people from falling into homelessness.
The Senate committee advanced HB 21 67, a five‑year pilot intended to prevent youth homelessness through targeted housing stability supports and a modest appropriation request. Leanne Gillespie of the Office of Youth Services said the agency is seeking $375,000 for the full five‑year pilot and described the pilot as designed to provide rental supports that could prevent short‑term homelessness from becoming long‑term trauma.
Community advocates testified to lived experience and service needs. Judith Clark, a long‑time youth homelessness service provider who described personal experience with housing instability, urged passage and said short‑term rental support could have prevented lengthy hardship in her life. "Rental support for a few months would have made a huge difference in my life and prevented a lot of trauma," Clark testified.
Committee members questioned whether the $375,000 covered the full pilot term; Gillespie confirmed the request is for the entire five years, not an annual amount. Procurement office concerns about exemptions were discussed; sponsors told the committee the bill language in the HD 1 includes procurement safeguards and the committee accepted OIS‑proposed amendments. The committee passed HB 21 67 with amendments and will note the requested appropriation of $375,000 in the committee report.
