The Honorable First name Last name

U.S. House of Representatives

Washington DC 20515

Dear Representative Last name:

I am writing to urge you to sign-on as co-sponsor to the Homeless Children and Youth
Act, H.R. 2001 (HCYA).

This bipartisan legislation would make it easier for local communities to help
homeless children and youth and help put an end to the cycle of homelessness.

The HCYA would return decision-making to local communities and help protect
vulnerable children and youth. It would allow communities to serve the homeless
children, youth and families they identify as most in need of assistance by aligning
HUD Homeless Assistance eligibility criteria with other federal programs. HCYA
would empower local communities to use resources most efficiently to prevent and
end homelessness in both the short- and long-term.

The majority of Philadelphia’s services for those experiencing homelessness are

funded by U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). HUD
mandates a count of those in shelter and living on the street or in public spaces and
determines emergency, transitional, and supportive housing going to the Office of
Homeless Services based on this count. Since families will never stay on the street for
fear of losing their children to the child welfare system, these families are invisible,
often hiding their terrible situation and receiving few supports.

Many of these children’s parents attempted to get into shelter, but have been turned
away due to lack of shelter beds. Without shelter, they were ineligible for federally
funded services that could help them move forward.

Homeless families with children and youth who are unsheltered stay wherever they
can. They are frequently forced to move frequently between short term living
situations with others or to stay in motels or cars, because there is a shortage of shelter
beds.. These children and youth face real harm, including negative emotional,
educational, and health outcomes; they are at extremely high risk of physical and
sexual abuse and trafficking. It is not a way to grow up healthy.

The United State Department of Education and Health and Human Services funded
child and youth programs, including early childhood programs and public schools,
recognizing all of the forms of homelessness that children and youth experience, but
HUD does not. Instead, HUD homeless assistance eligibility criteria exclude some of
the most vulnerable homeless children and youth from accessing the programs and
services that they need.

Philadelphia’s Office of Homeless Services reported that they served approximately

2,749 children during 2017. At the same time, the School District reported that 6,583
children experienced homelessness, a difference of nearly 4,000 children and youth
who were not funded and served by the City’s homeless system.

In addition, HUD has forced a national priority for chronically homeless adults and
program models most appropriate for them, regardless of the local needs. The result
has been fewer services and less attention and resources for families and youth. The
children and youth that HUD policy ignores today become the chronically homeless
adults of tomorrow.

As someone who volunteers and supports families experiencing homelessness with

my congregation/school/organization/business, and sees close- up the impact of
housing instability on children, I ask you to please sign on as a co-sponsor of the
HCYA today to help over one million homeless children and youth lead safer,
healthier lives and have a better chance for a brighter future.

Thank you,

Name
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