Placer County awarded 20 more vouchers for families and foster youth

Placer County has been awarded $532,910 from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to expand housing support for vulnerable youth and families through the Family Unification Program (FUP). The new funding adds 20 vouchers, bringing the county's total FUP allocation to 29. The Family Unification Program is designed to help families involved in child welfare services remain together or reunify by resolving one of the biggest obstacles they face: housing. It also provides support for young adults ages 18–24 who have aged out of foster care and are experiencing or at risk of homelessness. "These new vouchers come at a critical time. With the Bringing Families Home program sunsetting for now, the additional FUP vouchers help fill an emerging gap in rental assistance for families navigating child welfare challenges," said Greg Geisler, director of Human Services and the Housing Authority. "The timing ensures Placer County can continue supporting families who might otherwise face housing instability during a period of transition." The Placer County Housing Authority administers several types of housing vouchers to meet a variety of needs, including Housing Choice (Section 8), Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (VASH) and Mainstream vouchers for people with disabilities. There are also project-based vouchers for chronically homeless families, and Foster Youth to Independence vouchers for youth leaving foster care. Fifteen of the new FUP vouchers will come online in July. The Housing Authority works closely with the Children's System of Care to administer FUP vouchers, as many recipients will be part of court-ordered child welfare cases and supported by wraparound services. Some may also be eligible to participate in the county's Family Self Sufficiency program to build income and independence. Because these services are all housed within Health and Human Services, families can more easily access a range of support that extends beyond just housing.