According to a recent federal report (PDF here), there were nearly 40,000 unaccompanied homeless youth on a single night in 2015, 87% of which between the ages of 18 and 24. The National Alliance to End Homelessness expects that this is a significant undercount and estimates that in a year there are 550,000 unaccompanied youth and young adults who are homeless for more than one week. Vulnerable young people – especially those transitioning from foster care, juvenile justice, and residential treatment – comprise one of the fastest-growing demographics in homelessness.

The reality is even harder for certain subpopulations within this group. Every year, an estimated 1,000 young adults age out of the foster care system in Pennsylvania. These emancipated young adults face a number of challenges during the transition to adulthood, with housing stability being among the greatest. We also know that LGBTQ-identified young adults are experiencing homelessness at an alarmingly…