Comment: Loss of funding for homeless youth would be costly

By Joseph Alonzo / For The Herald

In Washington state, we have made incredible progress in addressing youth homelessness. Since the creation of the Office of Homeless Youth in 2015, our state has taken a data-driven, youth-centered approach that has resulted in a 40 percent decrease in the number of unhoused youth and young adults since 2016.

Programs like the Homeless Prevention and Diversion Fund (HPDF), Bridge Housing Post-Inpatient Housing Program, Homeless Student Stability Program (HSSP), Protected Health Care Grants, and the Washington Youth and Families Fund have been pivotal in decreasing the amount of youth and young adults experiencing homelessness. These programs are providing young people with safe housing, access to mental health services and support systems that help them build a pathway toward stability.

But now, as budget decisions loom, the future of these programs is at risk. Reducing funding for programs that are demonstrably working jeopardizes the progress we’ve made and threatens to push youth and young adults back into emergency shelters; or worse, onto the streets. This is not just a moral failure; it’s a costly mistake that will perpetuate the cycle of homelessness.

At Cocoon House, we are committed to supporting and empowering young people in Snohomish County. Our staff utilize the programs and resources provided through the Office of Homeless Youth regularly to help youth and young adults. Take, for example, the impact of the HSSP program, which helps youth connected to schools navigate creative solutions to prevent and end situations of homelessness. Our team has seen firsthand how HSSP changes lives, allowing youths who are struggling with housing to continue with vital education programs. Like a young person who, with support from this program, secured stable housing for the first time and was able to focus on their education and future, breaking the cycle of instability.

Let me be clear: Cutting funding for these programs doesn’t save money; it wastes it. Programs like HPDF and HSSP cost nearly half as much per person as emergency shelters and rapid re-housing. Without these supports, our state will add strain to already overburdened systems by routing people to emergency shelters and crisis services. This not only harms vulnerable youth but also drains public resources. Simply put, prevention is both compassionate and cost-effective.

Our state has made tremendous progress over the past nine years in combatting youth homelessness. Today, nearly 10,000 young people are no longer homeless because of these programs. But there is still more to do.

We need continued state investment to ensure that every young person in Washington has a safe place to call home and the opportunity to build a brighter future. Policymakers must recognize that funding these programs is an investment in the future of Washington’s youth.

Now is the time for legislators to have the courage and commitment to keep doing what works. Our young people — and our communities — are counting on them.

Joseph Alonzo is chief executive officer for Cocoon House, an Everett-based organization providing shelter, housing and services to unhoused youths, 12 to 17.