Rapid Re-Housing Reduced Homelessness for Transition-Age Youth Years After Assistance Ended

A new study from the California Policy Lab found that Rapid Re-Housing (RRH) reduced future homelessness among transition-age youth and other participants in Los Angeles County long after short-term rental assistance ended. Researchers followed participants for four years, providing new evidence on the long-term effects of RRH.

The study examined outcomes for people who enrolled in an RRH program and successfully used a subsidy to rent housing, compared with similar participants who enrolled but did not secure housing through the program. Single adults and transition-age youth who leased up experienced a 30% reduction, and families experienced a 25% reduction in future homelessness over four years.

The youth findings are notable because families and transition-age youth ages 18 to 24 account for half (50%) of RRH participants in Los Angeles County, however have been largely absent from previous long-term evaluations of the program.

Researchers found that housing stability gains continued after rental assistance ended, although effects for individuals gradually faded after about three years. The study found no evidence that receiving short-term rental assistance reduced employment or earnings.

The researchers also found room for program improvement: More than one-third (37%) of people who enrolled in RRH did not successfully use their subsidy to lease up and rent. The findings suggest that helping young people quickly secure housing, with improvements in securing a lease, can produce lasting reductions in homelessness.

New Federal Youth Homelessness Prevention Grant Available to Government Agencies & Higher Education Institutions

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Administration for Children and Families (ACF) has released a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for the new Primary Prevention Demonstration Program (PPDP), with applications due August 17. Established under the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (RHYA) Program, the PPDP supports efforts to identify and implement strategies that prevent homelessness among youth and young adults ages 12-26.

Eligible applicants include state, county, city, township, and federally recognized tribal governments, as well as public and state institutions of higher education and independent school districts. ACF expects to award 14 grants ranging from $350,000 to $500,000 over a 24-month period, for a total investment of $7 million.

ACF also released a NOFO for the Basic Center Program and a NOFO for the Street Outreach Program, with applications for both due August 17. Eligible applicants include nonprofit organizations in addition to the government agencies and higher education institutions eligible for the PPDP.

The Basic Center Program provides up to 21 days of emergency shelter and counseling services to runaway and homeless minors. The Street Outreach Program funds street-based services for runaway and homeless youth under age 22 who have experienced or are at risk of experiencing, sexual abuse, sexual exploitation, or human trafficking.

ACF expects to award 77 Basic Center Program grants ranging from $100,000 to $350,000 over three years, totaling $27 million, and 20 Street Outreach Program grants ranging from $100,000 to $200,000 over three years, totaling $4 million.

KIDS COUNT Data Book Ranks California 33rd in the Nation in Child Well-Being

The Annie E. Casey Foundation recently released the 2026 KIDS COUNT Data Book, which ranks California 33rd in the nation in overall child well-being. California’s 2026 ranking is a slight decline from its 32nd-place ranking in the 2025 KIDS COUNT Data Book. 

The 2026 report ranks California ninth in the nation in Health but 34th in Education. Educational outcomes have improved in some areas: The share of California’s high school students who did not graduate on time declined from 16% in 2018-19 to 14% in 2023-24. In other areas, challenges remain: In 2024, 71% of the state’s fourth graders were not proficient in reading, and 75% of eighth graders were not proficient in math.  

California ranks 45th in the nation for Economic Well-Being. Although the report highlights progress in reducing child poverty, it notes that over three million California children live in households with high housing costs. 

The report concludes that every state can do more to support children, youth, and their families. The Annie E. Casey Foundation encourages stakeholders to use the report’s findings to guide future actions to improve outcomes for children and youth. 

In JBAY’s July 21, 2026 Weekly Policy Newsletter, the article titled, “Federal Administration Releases Guidance on New $1,000 Investment Accounts for Foster Children” contained an error. The article referenced only SB 180, but should have referenced both SB 180 and AB 152. The corrected article appears below.

Federal Administration Releases Guidance on New $1,000 Investment Accounts for Foster Children

The U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS), in coordination with the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), has released proposed regulations and implementation guidance for the new Fostering the Future Accounts created under H.R. 1. Available to foster children, these accounts are specialized versions of the federally-backed, tax-advantaged 530A investment accounts—often referred to federally as "Trump Accounts." Foster children are eligible to receive an initial $1,000 federal deposit.

Beginning at age 18, account holders may use the funds for qualified expenses such as higher education, homeownership, starting a small business, or retirement. The accounts are similar to California programs that help young people build assets, including California Achieving a Better Life Experience (CalABLE) Accounts, CalKIDS Accounts, and Hope, Opportunity, Perseverance and Empowerment (HOPE) Accounts.

The ACF's guidance also clarifies that Fostering the Future Accounts may be rolled over into an ABLE account. In addition, states may claim eligible Title IV-E administrative costs for establishing and managing the accounts and may contribute eligible Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) funds to foster children's accounts.

Last week, the IRS received public comments from six state and national organizations. Recommendations focused on automatic enrollment, streamlining deposit and withdrawal procedures, and explicitly allowing child welfare agencies to open accounts and authorize the initial $1,000 deposit for eligible foster children.

These recommendations align with California's recently enacted budget trailer bills SB 180 and AB 152, which exclude funds held in 530A accounts from eligibility determinations for means-tested public benefits until they are withdrawn or transferred. The policy mirrors protections for California's HOPE for Children Trust Account Program, helping ensure young people can build savings without jeopardizing access to critical public benefits.

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