March 2009

"We Make It Happen – Because That’s What We Do"
Building Changes Works to End Young Adult Homelessness in King County

Written by James E. Thompson, Building Changes Grants Manager

The ecology of homelessness has many layers, but one thing is clear: the needs of homeless youth and young adults tend to be overshadowed by single adult and family homelessness. In King County alone, some 1,000 young people between 18 and 25 years old are homeless at any given time.

Blue and Jaclyn (with her daughter Wednesday), Peace for the Streets by Kids from the Streets (PSKS) staffers and youth advocates

Building Changes is working to end homelessness in the State of Washington. We help providers of homeless services understand the needs of young adults facing dark, lonely, sometimes frightening nights on the streets. Our efforts are also bringing the needs of homeless young adults to policymakers and funders. 

Last year, Building Changes’ staff led the establishment of strategies for ending young adult homelessness in King County. Jim Theofelis, Executive Director of The Mockingbird Society and a co-chair of the planning process noted, “When someone from Building Changes is in the room, I am always impressed with their passion, knowledge, and willingness to do the work. Mark Putnam, Building Changes’ Consulting Services Manager, is a fine example of this prowess. Mark did amazing work that included tracking the history and business of the group – he was our institutional memory. He also came to our meetings with national and regional perspectives that informed our work, and did an enormous amount of follow-up and follow through. Although Mark was equally committed to the work of the committee, which in turn engendered the committee’s confidence and trust, he guarded his role as consultant well. Mark challenged our thinking and expertly guided us in developing a strong product – a product that will nurture the funding required to provide youth housing and services throughout King County.” 

Developed as part of the efforts of the Committee to End Homelessness in King County, A Plan to End Young Adult Homelessness in King County has three main goals:

• To ensure that service providers know county-wide needs;
• To identify service gaps, focusing on South, East, and North King County (all of which have few, if any, young adult services); and
• To develop a tool that will help housing and service providers make a case for funding, thus keeping the issue of young adult homelessness on the radar in an environment focused primarily on adult and family services.

But a plan is a plan is a plan, right? Plans sit on shelves and collect dust, right? And those who will be served do not participate in the planning, right? Wrong! This thoughtful, comprehensive plan is being implemented and the planning process included street-aware young adults.

Jaclyn and Blue (pictured above, along with Jaclyn's daughter Wednesday), both employed by Peace for the Streets by Kids from the Streets (PSKS), stopped by our office to talk with us about their involvement in ending youth homelessness. PSKS is an advocacy center that provides young people an opportunity to have a voice in their community. As young adult members of last year’s planning task force, Jaclyn and Blue are steadfast in helping identify needs of youth in King County: shelter, case management, laundry access, showers, and even better laws governing service programs affecting young adults under 26. Blue noted: “We grab the youth population and ask them: What do you want to see? How can downtown services be better identified? What types of services are needed?”

Jaclyn was unabashedly direct regarding these needs. “Youth deserve better services on Capitol Hill. Although some youth have moved to the University District to take advantage of services provided there, many youth remain on The Hill because of the comfort, sense of community, and acceptance level. People are more open and tolerant on The Hill. Gay, punk rocker, or whatever – youth feel safer on Capitol Hill.”  

Jaclyn became homeless at age 12, enduring indignities such as being spit on by drunken college students in the University District. Jaclyn’s story not only underlines the need for better youth services, but also the need for homeless youth to be treated with compassion. Blue is recently back on the streets, thankfully with couches to sleep on while looking for dog-friendly housing. Both are amazingly hopeful and proud of the fact PSKS does what it can. But both Blue and Jaclyn agree that PSKS case management services, available only on Mondays and Fridays, are simply not enough to meet young adult needs on Capitol Hill or elsewhere in King County.  

Even beyond the loss of dignity, homelessness has serious consequences for youth and young adults. It is especially dangerous for those 18 and 25 years old who do not have familial support, including those exiting foster care, and for those who have experienced trauma. Valley Cities Counseling and Consultation, partnering with Kent Youth and Family Services and Auburn Youth Services, took the next step to solve these problems:  ACTION.

And again, Building Changes staff assisted with this project, called the Coming Up Program, with noteworthy results. This three-agency partnership received $155,000 per year, for five years, from the county to develop 15 service-enriched young adult housing units in Federal Way, Auburn, and Kent. Some units will be operational as early as April 2009. The Coming Up Program, which also includes Section 8 rental subsidies from the King County Housing Authority (KCHA), provides much more than walls and roofs – it also provides case management services needed to keep young adults employed, healthy, and ultimately, off the streets for good. Kate Naeseth, Valley Cities’ Director of Child and Family Services, also sang the praises of BC staffer Putnam. “Mark brought it all together for us. He helped us get our ducks in a row, brainstorm ideas and, based on his expertise, helped us design a competitive proposal. We can’t thank Mark and Building Changes enough.”

Praise aside, there is so much more to housing than consultants, clients, plans and funding. Dawn Cherne, Valley Cities’ Director of Housing notes, “It is really a game of timing. We are fortunate that KCHA recognizes the need for flexibility and allows us funding for 30 days of unit vacancy. We need to have all arrangements made with the landlords, which includes securing housing units and obtaining a master lease while we interview and identify eligible clients for each available unit. We have found ourselves selecting clients before units are available and then losing those clients because of timing. Given all the personalities and paperwork involved, from funding sources to landlords to clients – this is a very complicated system to manage.” Dawn also stressed the need for services. “A successful program provides more than housing – it provides vocational training, case management, counseling and life skill coaching for these youth.”

Support services are central to housing youth throughout King County. Building Changes consistently underlines the need for start-up time, service-enriched housing, and appropriate funding. The trio involved in the South King County project would have benefited from start-up funding and a bit more time, allowing for the hiring of a coordinator, other FTE positions, and less stressed coordination. Though the funding that was received is immensely helpful, all three agencies are absorbing administrative costs and using “staff on hand” to provide coordination and other services.

Even with young adult activists, wise adult leadership, excellent planning, expert advice, top-notch providers, and adequate funding, the process of serving homeless young adults in King County is complex and arduous. But, as Dawn Cherne proclaimed with inspiring confidence, “We make it happen – because that’s what we do.”