Advocates for California鈥檚 foster youth are criticizing Governor Gavin Newsom鈥檚 plan to cut several programs they say are critical to keeping foster youth from falling into homelessness.
Newsom as part of his plan to close the state鈥檚 multi-billion budget deficit.
They would eliminate:
- An increased rental subsidy for young adults, ages 18-21, who are aging out of the foster care system. The subsidy program is called .
- A service that helps foster youth find housing and provides case management called the .
- A 24/7 statewide hotline and support program that helps de-escalate problems between foster youth and the families they鈥檙e placed with called the .
Advocates say the cuts could increase the risk of young adults falling through the cracks and into homelessness as they leave the foster care system. Foster youth are eligible for rental subsidies and other state-funded housing services until they turn 21.
A recent found one-quarter of the state鈥檚 former foster youth experienced homelessness between the ages of 21 and 23.
Advocates say they were hoping the state鈥檚 increased SILP rental subsidy would make it easier for foster youth to afford California鈥檚 high cost of housing. Currently, the program provides a $1,129 monthly payment to cover rent and all other living expenses for approximately 3,000 foster youth statewide.
Last year, the Legislature approved a SILP supplement that could raise the monthly payment by as much as $1,300 for foster youth depending on cost-of-living expenses in each county. The increased payment was expected to go into effect next year and cost the state .
鈥淭his is something that everyone agreed on. The bill passed. We had it in the budget,鈥� said Wednesday Pope, 23, a former foster youth who lives in Placerville and advocates for foster support programs. 鈥淲e saw essentially a light at the end of the tunnel for so many of these youth. It at least gave them a little more hope that they would be able to find housing and not have to panic the day they turned 18.鈥�
Pope said she lived out of her car in Sacramento and couch surfed for a year after leaving foster care at 18. She said the rental subsidy she received didn鈥檛 cover the region鈥檚 high cost of housing.
Meanwhile, those who run California鈥檚 foster support programs say Newsom鈥檚 cuts are out of step with his focus on helping solve the homeless crisis.
鈥淥lder foster youth especially are exceptionally vulnerable to housing insecurity and homelessness,鈥� said Eileen Cubanski, interim executive director at the County Welfare Directors Association of California, or CWDA. 鈥淚 think the elimination of this [SILP supplement] program is going to compound the difficulty that they have in finding and securing stable housing.鈥�
CWDA is a nonprofit that advocates for the state鈥檚 58 county welfare departments, which administer the rental subsidy and 24/7 hotline programs.
On the streets foster youth 鈥榟ave no one else鈥�
Traneisia Jones spent more than a decade in California鈥檚 foster care system. She said some of her 50 foster siblings now live on the streets where they鈥檙e vulnerable to crime, mental health problems, drug and sex trafficking 鈥渂ecause they have no one else.鈥�
The 21-year-old Jones is now a student at Sacramento State where she鈥檚 studying criminal justice before she hopes to pursue a career as a social worker. She said cutting the state鈥檚 support programs could mean more foster youth end up unhoused.
鈥淚鈥檓 afraid that (falling into homelessness) is a very high risk for us just because a lot of us depend on those supports,鈥� she added.
Jones said she saved up enough money to pay for an apartment after her housing subsidies ended this year. She and Pope, who is studying business administration at Folsom Lake College, now advocate for foster youth and have testified on their behalf at the state Capitol.
Along with cutting the increased rental payment and hotline, Newsom has proposed eliminating the state鈥檚 . It provides grants to local child welfare agencies to help current and former foster youth secure housing. Counties have also used the money for case management services for foster youth.
Cuts could eliminate 24/7 hotline
The governor鈥檚 spending cuts would wipe out more than just housing subsidies. They would also eliminate Cal-FURS, a statewide program that helps de-escalate problems between foster youth and the families they鈥檙e placed with.
David Baker directs the Sacramento Children's Home, which runs the 24/7 hotline and support program. Cal-FURS pays for trained professionals to quickly respond by phone, text and in-person.
鈥淲hen you鈥檙e a foster parent and you鈥檙e trying to provide support and take care of kids 24/7, and things come up that can be very challenging, sometimes you just want some help,鈥� Baker explained. 鈥淪ometimes that means talking on the phone. Sometimes that means texting somebody just to give you a level of reassurance that 鈥楨verything is going to be okay. Stick with it. Things are going to work out for the child.鈥欌��
鈥淪ometimes the child wants somebody else to talk to,鈥� he added.
Baker said the program helps maintain stable foster homes and is one of the best strategies to prevent homelessness among foster youth.
Newsom鈥檚 proposed cuts are in response to a budget shortfall the governor pegs at $38 billion. The independent .
H.D. Palmer, a spokesperson for Newsom鈥檚 finance department, said in a written statement the shortfall 鈥減oses a substantial challenge and requires difficult decisions to reduce spending 鈥� and these proposals reflect that.鈥�
Newsom and the state Legislature must agree on a plan to cover the budget deficit this spring. The next budget year begins July 1.
Contact CapRadio reporter Chris Nichols at chris.nichols@capradio.org
This story is part of the journalism collaborative. Solving Sacramento is supported by funding from the James Irvine Foundation and James B. McClatchy Foundation. Our partners include California Groundbreakers, Capital Public Radio, Outword, Russian America Media, Sacramento Business Journal, Sacramento News & Review, Sacramento Observer and Univision 19.