Study Shows Rent Free Community Housing Improves Academic and Personal Wellness Outcomes for Housing Insecure College Students

A study conducted by The Hope Center for College Community and Justice examined a rent-free community housing intervention model available to students across the state of Florida by the Southern Scholarship Foundation (SSF) in order to determine its impact. The study, which spanned from 2018 to 2021, found that program participants were less likely to be engaged in paid employment than their counterparts in a control group and participants reported lower stress, more self-perceived support of their needs by their campus, and higher sense of belonging on campus. Participants were also six percentage points more likely to have graduated during the two-year time period studied than the control group (24.8% vs. 18.8%). 

The authors suggest that the financial and community supports allow scholarship recipients to hold reduced employment responsibilities and have greater time and flexibility to study. Researchers designed the study to carefully isolate the effect of housing in comparison to eligible applicants who did not move into the scholarship housing community. Consequently, this is the first study to report causal estimates of the impact of housing on academic outcomes. The full report is available here. 

Two CA Communities Awarded Federal Youth Homelessness Demonstration Program Grants, Bringing CA's Share of Funding to 16%

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has announced awards totaling $83.7 million to 17 communities across the county, including two in California, for the Youth Homelessness Demonstration Program (YHDP). Since 2016, a total of 16% or $61.8 million of the $388.4 million YHDP funds awarded have been to communities in California, where one in three (32%) of the nation’s homeless youth reside.

The two California communities awarded during the most recent (sixth) round are Sacramento City & County Continuum of Care (CoC), who received $6.51 million and Santa Maria/Santa Barbara City & County CoC, who received $5.17 million.

YHDP assists communities with developing and executing a coordinated community approach to preventing and ending youth homelessness. Over the next several months, selected communities will work with their youth advisory boards, child welfare agencies and other community partners to create their local plan.

11/16 Webinar: Engaging Those With Lived Experience in the Policy-Making Process

On Wednesday, November 16^th from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. the Alliance for Children’s Rights is hosting a webinar focused on how to engage those with lived experience in the policy making process. Panelists will share their recommendations on how policymakers and advocates can authentically engage people with lived experience in the decision-making process.

Participants will learn from subject matter experts and understand how advocates support people with lived experience in the decision-making and advocacy process. Register for the webinar by following this link. 

Upcoming Webinars, Trainings, and Events

• Equity in the Time of Need: Best Practices and Recommendations for California's College Basic Needs Center



• 2023 Reproductive Health Equity Project Virtual Conference

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