Lane County received $3.5 million in federal funding to support services to reduce youth homelessness.
This is the first time the county has been awarded with funding from the Youth Homelessness Demonstration Program, a program under the U.S. Department of Housing and Homelessness.
The program supports communities working on implementing a coordinated approach to preventing and ending youth homelessness.
County Commissioner Pat Farr, who’s a member. the Poverty and Homlessness Board, said the grant is competitive. He attributes the win to having youth who’ve experienced homeless involved in the application process.
“You know for years we've had adults talking about how we can help kids with homelessness, now we have kids talking about how you can help us with homelessness... I’m really excited that this is a chance for kids to help define the program that will help them,” he said.
The Mid-Willamette Valley Homeless Alliance that serves homeless youth across Marion and Polk counties also received an award from HUD. They received $3.69 million to fund similar projects to prevent and end youth homelessness.
Correction: A previous version of this story stated funds would go to two specific providers, however, a Lane County spokesperson has clarified the county doesn't know where the funds will go yet.
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