Vouchers Keep Children with Their Families

HUD's Family Unification Program has awarded $20 million in Housing Choice Vouchers to public housing agencies (PHAs) in 20 states to prevent children from being separated from their families due to inadequate housing.

The PHAs that received the funding work closely with local child welfare agencies to identify families with children in foster care or who are at risk of being placed in foster care and youth at risk of homelessness.

Like regular Housing Choice Vouchers, the vouchers provided to families will allow them to rent housing from private landlords and generally pay 30 percent of the family's monthly adjusted gross income toward rent and utilities.

Twenty percent of the vouchers will provide stable housing for approximately 750 young adults, ages 18 to 22, who are aging out of the foster care system, preventing them from becoming homeless.