HUD Foster Youth to Independence Initiative Received Well-Deserved Recognition for Innovative Approach

Gate House Vice Chairman Hunter Kurtz, when he served as Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing (PIH) at HUD, had led a team of staff who were determined to address a critical challenge for a vulnerable population in America, our nation’s youth who age out of foster care and are at risk of homelessness.

The HUD PIH team designed a new program, the Foster Youth to Independence Initiative (“FYI Initiative”) which now provides rental assistance and other supportive services to these individuals.

In his recent article for HousingWire, Kurtz congratulates his former colleagues for receiving the prestigious “Sammies” Award in recognition of their innovative approach and execution of the FYI Initiative.

Kurtz applauds the work of his former colleagues as well as the many families of the Foster Youth program who volunteer to make a tremendous difference in the lives of at-risk youth. They are “un-sung heroes” in our national life, Kurtz says.

The FYI Initiative has now issued over 1,000 housing choice vouchers for former foster youth. Without support, an estimated 25% of youth aging out of foster care experience homelessness within four years.