Learn about the critical developments in our nation's ongoing homelessness crisis. MINNESOTA: Avenues for Youth, a nonprofit serving homeless youth from all over the country, has outgrown its 90-year-old shelter in the Near North neighborhood of Minneapolis. The building, which Avenues rents from the Minneapolis Public Housing Authority, is run-down and cramped. Seventeen young people currently live on its second floor, tripled up in bedrooms and negotiating just two bathrooms. Among a group with significant trauma — studies have shown homeless youth face higher rates of child abuse, neglect and sex trafficking than their peers — conflicts frequently flare in close quarters. This summer, Avenues broke ground on a new facility at 1404 N. 8th Av., a vacant lot across the street from Bethune Park. The project, expected to cost more than $24 million and open by fall 2026, will allow Avenues to serve 500 youth annually, up from 300 currently. There will be space to hang out, more emergency shelter beds, individual rooms for the transitional housing program (on average a year-long stay) and affordable apartments for those 18 and older to build rental history. Read more: https://www.startribune.com/minneapolis-shelter-is-expanding-in-the-face-of-new-threats-against-homeless-and-lgbtq-youth/601366670 -- WASHINGTON, D.C.: The challenges for LGBTQ+ youth include finding acceptance, including within their own families. Cesar Toledo, the executive director of the Wanda Alston Foundation in D.C., said 40% of homeless youth identify as LGBTQ+. He told WTOP, nationally, one out of four Americans who come out as young adults are forced out of their homes by family members. Currently, he said, “On any given night, more than 200 LGBTQ+ youth are unhoused and put in very dangerous life situations here in the District of Columbia alone.” Read more: https://wtop.com/dc/2025/06/slay-and-saute-a-new-program-for-homeless-lgbtq-youth/ -- OREGON: PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — The pink rose boutonniere crafted by their mom and pinned to their pink-shouldered cowboy vest made the perfect ensemble for Lennon Sandoval to wear to “pink pony prom.” This year’s edition of the annual event, held to celebrate teen and young adult members of the LGBTQ+ community in Portland, Oregon, was inspired by “Pink Pony Club,” the popular Chappell Roan anthem about queer liberation and self-acceptance. It was organized by the SMYRC (Sexual & Gender Minority Youth Resource Center), part of New Avenues for Youth, a nonprofit dedicated to ending youth homelessness. Drag artists paused the dancing to perform for attendees, who tossed faux money at the stage. Earplugs rested on tables and signs directed attendees to a low-sensory area for those who needed a break from the stimulation. Read more: https://apnews.com/photo-essay/lgbtq-prom-youth-pride-photos-11232658047bf47e0e46f8a968b0985d# -- Experiencing or supporting someone facing homelessness in the LGBTQ+ community? Visit the National Coalition for the Homeless website for resources, support, and ways to take action. 🏳️‍🌈🏠 www.nationalhomeless.org Sharing these stories is crucial for raising awareness of the homelessness crisis. Share them with others to raise awareness and inspire action. Follow for more. #Homeless #EndHomelessness #HomelessLivesMatter #Homelessness #LGBTQYouth #HomelessnessAwareness #NCHresources #PrideMonth (fb)

Learn about the critical developments in our nation's ongoing homelessness crisis. CALIFORNIA: Transitional housing programs that are considered a lifeline for young adults aging out of foster care face funding cuts that could reduce services, local advocates tell Axios. Why it matters: Roughly one in four foster youth will experience homelessness within four years of exiting the system, according to the National Foster Youth Institute. State of play: SF Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA), which connects foster youth with adult mentors, has lost federal and state funding in recent months, potentially limiting volunteer recruitment and training, said chief operating officer Paul Knudsen. Read more: https://www.axios.com/local/san-francisco/2025/06/11/foster-youth-homelessness-funding-cuts-sf -- TEXAS: Laredo approved a draft plan allocating more than $5 million in federal funding for housing rehabilitation, homelessness assistance, rental aid and affordable housing programs in the 2025-26 fiscal year. The item passed this past week without discussion or objections. District VII Councilmember Vanessa Perez and District VIII Councilmember Alyssa Cigarroa were not present. The funding is part of the city’s proposed 2025-26 One-Year Action Plan and the broader 2025-29 Consolidated Plan, both required by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The allocations would be administered through three federal programs: the Community Development Block Grant, the HOME Investment Partnerships Program and the Emergency Solutions Grant. Read more: https://www.lmtonline.com/local/article/affordable-living-conditions-community-homeless-20359322.php?utm_ -- DELAWARE: GREENWOOD — A first-of-its-kind housing program for homeless and former foster youth has officially opened in Sussex County, marking a major step forward in addressing youth homelessness in southern Delaware. The West End Neighborhood House celebrated the grand opening of Life Lines South on Monday. The program, located in a renovated former bed and breakfast in Greenwood, offers ten private efficiency units for young adults aged 18 to 23. It is the only supportive housing program of its kind in Sussex County, providing not just shelter, but also on-site case management and wraparound services aimed at guiding youth toward independence and long-term stability. Read more: https://delawarelive.com/housing-homeless-former-foster-youth-sussex-co/ -- Sharing these stories is crucial for raising awareness of the homelessness crisis. Share them with others to raise awareness and inspire action. Follow for more. #Homeless #EndHomelessness #HomelessLivesMatter #Homelessness (fb)