RECOVERY FOR ALL OF US: CITY OF NEW YORK, CHAPIN HALL AND POINT SOURCE YOUTH LAUNCH GROUNDBREAKING DIRECT CASH TRANSFER STUDY FOR ADDRESSING YOUNG ADULT HOMELESSNESS

 

First-in-nation initiative aims to empower young people, increase their access to safe and stable housing, and improve evidence on what works to end youth homelessness

 

In the first phase of the study, 30 to 40 young adults (ages 18-24) experiencing homelessness will receive $1,250 per month for up to two years; a rigorous evaluation will compare the outcomes and experiences of young people in the project to young people who receive smaller stipends for completing surveys

 Mayor Bill de Blasio, Chapin Hall at the University of Chicago and Point Source Youth today announced the Trust Youth Initiative: Direct Cash Transfers to Address Young Adult Homelessness (young people age 18-24). The study will provide and evaluate direct cash assistance with optional supportive services to help advance the goal of ending youth homelessness in New York City and build actionable evidence. 

 

New York City youth/young adult-serving nonprofit agencies are encouraged to consider the Request for Proposals announced today for implementing the project’s supportive programming and recruitment processes.  

 

A collaborative team from Chapin Hall at the University of Chicago and Point Source Youth developed the project based on an intensive research and multistakeholder design process. Point Source Youth will oversee and support program design and implementation by local nonprofit(s), Chapin Hall will lead research and evaluation, and UpTogether will manage the cash transfers to participants through its online platform. All three organizations will work together to develop evidence and infrastructure for a scalable policy solution to our nation’s youth homelessness crisis. 

 

The initiative is funded by the Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City, the NYC Mayor’s Office for Economic Opportunity (for evaluation support), the Block-Leavitt Foundation, Melville Charitable Trust, Robin Hood Foundation, and the NYC Fund to End Youth & Family Homelessness, a funder collaborative that is hosted by FJC - A Foundation of Philanthropic Funds. It also involves collaboration with multiple agencies, including the Office of the Mayor, the Center for Innovation through Data Intelligence (CIDI), the Continuum of Care (CoC) and its Youth Action Board, the Department of Youth & Community Development (DYCD), and the Department of Social Services (DSS). 

 

“A Recovery for All of Us requires embracing innovating solutions to our most pressing challenges,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “The direct cash transfer study, designed in collaboration with Chapin Hall and Point Source Youth, will help uplift young people and reinforces our commitment to ending youth homelessness once and for all.”

 

“New York City is the place many young people from towns and cities across the country look to for hope and a home, particularly LGBTQI youth who disproportionately experience physical and mental health challenges, and higher rates of homelessness and unemployment," said First Lady Chirlane McCray, who leads the NYC Unity Project and is chair of the Mayor’s Fund. "Today's announcement strengthens our commitment to provide social and economic supports that are critical to long-term success and stability for young people across our City."

 

“Housing insecurity can affect New Yorkers of all ages, and as a City we’re committed to helping young people navigate these challenges with understanding, care, and opportunity,” said Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Melanie Hartzog. “Our new cash transfer program is an evidence-based effort that has the potential to give young adults a foundation to create greater stability in their housing circumstances and build up. I thank all of our partners for working together to prioritize our younger New Yorkers.”

 

“When young adults are not able to secure stable housing, the economic and personal costs can be significant – leading to public expenditures in shelter and other services, and more painfully, exacting a human toll from those who experience housing insecurity,” said Matthew Klein, executive director of the Mayor’s Office for Economic Opportunity.  “This cash assistance program was co-designed by young people who have been through homelessness, and we should listen to those who are closest to the problems we are trying to address.  Our office is pleased to support this important research, and to help policymakers better understand the potential effectiveness of cash payments to reduce homelessness and help young adults lead more productive, fulfilling lives.”