In 2015, the City released Boston’s Way Home: An Action Plan to End Veteran and Chronic Homelessness (https://www.boston.gov/departments/neighborhood-development/bostons-way-home). Under this plan, we’ve made huge strides.
HIGHLIGHTS:
• Chronic homelessness reduced by 19 percent
• Veteran homelessness reduced by 32 percent
• Boston’s Way Home Fund reached its goal of raising $10 million (https://www.boston.gov/news/bostons-way-home-fund-surpasses-10-million-two-years-ahead-goal-0) two years ahead of schedule
• $4.7 million committed to creating 157 new housing opportunities for unaccompanied youth and young adults experiencing homelessness as part of our Rising to the Challenge (http://boston.gov/youth-homelessness) plan
• Transformed homeless services system into a coordinated network focused on helping the most vulnerable households across our City
It sounds like the initiative “Rising to the Challenge” spearheaded by former mayor Martin J. Walsh in Boston was a comprehensive effort to address youth homelessness and provide support for young people experiencing housing instability. The allocation of $165,000 in technical help in 2017 demonstrates a commitment to tackling this issue, and the subsequent collaboration with the Boston Youth Action Board and community members shows a multi-stakeholder approach.
The review of available services and exploration of ways to enhance support across various domains like housing, health, education, and employment indicates a holistic approach to addressing the needs of homeless youth. The significant boost came in July 2018 when the US Department of Housing and Urban Development awarded the City $4
.9 million through the Youth Homelessness Demonstration Program. This substantial award would play a pivotal role in funding housing and services as part of the broader plan to combat youth homelessness in Boston.