From: District Wire
Mayor Bowser announces new efforts to ending LGBTQ youth homelessness
Forty-three percent of the city’s homeless youth are a part of the LGBTQ community, according to a recently released D.C. Homeless Youth Census.
The census was conducted in August 2015 over a nine day period, and is part of of the city’s efforts to end homelessness in the District by 2020, according to a press release announcing the findings.
In a continuing effort to combat this issue, Mayor Muriel Bowser announced the expansion of Casa Ruby, a LGBTQ community center near Howard University, in a press release on Jan. 12. The expansion will allow Casa Ruby to house 18 homeless youths, up from 12 in November.
The mayor also announced an additional $45,000 grant from Verizon geared toward ending youth homelessness in the District. The grant will go to the Wanda Alston House and Supporting and Mentoring Youth Advocates and Leaders. The Wanda Alston House provides temporary housing to LGBTQ youth between 16 and 24. SMYAL provides support and education to LGBTQ youth.
“We will not rest until all young people have access to safe, immediate emergency housing — and the services needed to get back on their feet quickly,” Bowser said in a press release.
The new investments will be in addition to the $5 million spent every year to end youth homelessness in D.C.
