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Cesar Toledo tells committee nearly 40% of homeless youth identify as LGBTQ+; urges more beds and services
Summary
Cesar Toledo, executive director of the Wanda Austin Foundation, said the continuum of care for LGBTQ+ youth in D.C. is at or near capacity and called for more beds, transitional housing and mental-health supports; he cited that about 40% of homeless youth identify as LGBTQ+ and that last year's point-in-time count rose about 9%.
Cesar Toledo told the committee the Wanda Austin Foundation serves at-risk LGBTQ+ young people and that demand for beds and services is high. "About 40 percent of all homeless youth in D.C. identify as LGBTQ+ youth," Toledo said, and he told the panel that the 2025 point-in-time count showed a roughly 9% increase in that vulnerable population compared with the previous year.
Toledo said more beds and more funding are needed and that service providers must identify replicable models from other cities. He outlined priorities such as transitional housing programs (often two- to three-year programs), workforce training, education supports and 24/7 mental-health access for youth with intersectional needs. Toledo also cited program-level figures for the youth his organization serves, including that about 65% had completed high school or a GED in 2025.
