Blueprint to End Youth Homelessness
When you lift them up, they can soar.
By 2028, we plan to have 250 units filled with formerly homeless young people thriving independently. And with your help, that journey begins this year as we open our next 25 units in cities like Boston, Dallas, and wherever the need is greatest.
We cannot achieve this ambitious goal without the support of compassionate individuals like you.
The Problem
Every young person deserves a safe place to call home. Yet for too many youth overcoming homelessness, the path forward is blocked by the lack of safe, affordable housing. Even those who leave our care with jobs, savings, and support often find themselves unable to secure a stable place to live. In the U.S., there are only 35 affordable rental units for every 100 low-income households, leaving a gap of 7.3 million affordable homes. And even housing labeled “affordable” remains out of reach for youth earning minimum wage or working low-income jobs. With your help, we are taking what people think of as affordable housing (subsidized) and changing the rules to create truly affordable housing. We need to break the cycle of instability and stop repeat homelessness.
The Pathway to Restoration
In 2023, Covenant House introduced The Journey Home, a road map to ending youth homelessness. This map consists of three pathways.
Having housing that is affordable for youth is a crucial step in the pathway to restoration. With the help of donors like you, Covenant House is executing a plan to acquire, build, and manage affordable-for-youth housing to give young people overcoming homelessness a real chance at the life they dream of.
The Path Forward
Your donation will directly contribute to safe, truly affordable housing that empowers youth to thrive beyond homelessness. With your help, we can reach our goals this year and in the years to come.
build 25 affordable-for-youth housing units by the end of 2025
expand to 250 affordable-for-youth housing units by the end of 2028
create 1,000 affordable-for-youth housing units by the end of 2035
How You Make This Possible
Your investment helps to:
• Acquire facilities
• Complete renovations to turn units into homes
• Hire community managers and support staff
• Help youth move into their new homes
Support the Journey Home for Our Youth
Help build and expand affordable-for-youth housing options
The rise in the number of homeless youth is outpacing the number of available, affordable homes. Your support as an Open Arms Society member today can help us scale up our affordable housing solutions in the midst of this housing crisis. Give a leadership gift now to help provide safe, permanent homes for hardworking young people who’ve fought to overcome homelessness.
What Does All This Mean?
For homeless young people, affordable-for-youth housing gives them a real chance at a promising future.
Instead of falling back into homelessness, they gain access to safe housing they can truly afford. There, they can learn how to become independent, feel a sense of community, and plan for a brighter future. It means:
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No more living on the streets or shelters: They have a place to call their own.
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Dignity and independence: They live in their own space, on their own terms.
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Support without pressure: Community managers are there if needed, but services aren’t forced.
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Time to grow: They’re not rushed out; they can stay for 3–5 years while they work, study, or heal.
- A community of peers: They’re surrounded by others who understand their journey and support each other.
Ultimately, these housing facilities you will help us build give our youth a place where they can focus on becoming who they want to be without the constant fear of losing their footing.