Insights From the Field: Listening Sessions With LGBTQI+ Homeless Youth, Young Adults, and Service Providers

Rhea Acuña (Social Science Analyst, PD&R), Katina Norwood (Social Science Analyst, PD&R)

Introduction

HUD recognizes the need to gain more comprehensive knowledge of the barriers that lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning (one's sexual orientation or gender identity), and intersex (LGBTQI+) youth and young adults (YYA) face when trying to access shelter and stable housing. In particular, HUD values integrating voices from individuals with lived experience and partners who are working on the ground to inform current and future practices. "HUD provides billions of dollars to end homelessness each year," said Marion McFadden, principal deputy assistant secretary (PDAS) for Community Planning and Development. "Communities create their own strategies and priorities for increasing access to affordable housing. We know that youth and young adults are in the best position to advise on meaningful engagement with young people experiencing or at risk of homelessness, many of whom are LGBTQI+."

Homelessness is a persistent and growing problem, especially for LGBTQI+ YYA. According to the Annual Homeless Assessment Report, approximately 8,000 unsheltered individuals identified as transgender, a gender that is not singularly female or male, or gender questioning in 2023, an increase of 19 percent from 2022. However, accurately estimating the extent of housing insecurity and homelessness among YYA, including LGBTQI+ YYA, is difficult because this population tends to avoid accessing services, instead jumping from one precarious living situation to another.

LGBTQI+ YYA experiencing homelessness are especially vulnerable because they face additional and compounded challenges of trauma, stigma, and discrimination while navigating the processes of growing up and attempting to obtain secure and stable housing. Compared with their stably housed cisgender and heterosexual peers, LGBTQI+ YYA who experience housing insecurity also may experience more frequent and sustained mental health challenges, food insecurity, and abuse and harassment. At the same time, research has emphasized the need to recognize the heterogeneity within the LGBTQI+ YYA population. Acknowledging this population's diversity and intersectionality may lead to more responsive policies and practices.

Background

In June 2022, President Biden signed Executive Order 14075, Advancing Equality for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Intersex Individuals. The executive order directs that the federal government take comprehensive action to tackle obstacles that LGBTQI+ individuals face and advance their rights and well-being. This order builds on Executive Order 13988, Preventing and Combating Discrimination on the Basis of Gender Identity or Sexual Orientation, which expanded discrimination protections for LGBTQI+ individuals. In response, HUD launched a new LGBTQI+ Youth Homelessness Initiative to provide technical assistance and training for shelter and service providers and develop new resources for supporting LGBTQI+ YYA.

To better inform these efforts, from winter 2023 to spring 2024, HUD leadership held 5 listening sessions with approximately 30 LGBTQI+ YYA and 45 service providers (both from HUD-funded and other organizations) in Prince George's County, Maryland; Atlanta; Memphis; Dallas; and New York City. HUD selected these locations to represent a range in geography, protections and resources for LGBTQI+ individuals, and capacity, among other factors. Co-leaders of HUD's LGBTQI+ Working Group, Marion McFadden and Demetria McCain, principal deputy assistant secretary of HUD's Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity, facilitated these discussions.

Insights From the Field

The listening sessions revealed insights about challenges, barriers, discrimination, and best practices. The following sections identify major themes and suggest practices for organizations working with LGBTQI+ YYA.

LGBTQI+ YYA need access to YYA-specific and -affirming shelter space to feel safe and comfortable.

Service providers identified a shortage of shelters and services targeted to LGBTQI+ YYA as a major barrier to effectively serving this population. Service landscapes with few or no YYA-designated shelters may rely on adult shelter systems, which often are inappropriate or unsafe environments for YYA. Fewer services exist for LGBTQI+ YYA, and available shelter providers may not be affirming. Transgender, nonbinary, and genderfluid YYA, in particular, face additional challenges, such as accessing a shelter that honors their gender identity and where they can safely store, administer, and dispose of medications such as gender-affirming hormones. In addition, participants proposed that shelters could be more welcoming by intentionally creating an atmosphere friendly to LGBTQI+ YYA — for example, by incorporating color, books, and informational posters featuring LGBTQI+ resources.

Integrating trauma-informed care as well as culturally and structurally competent practices and processes into organizations' workflow improves interactions with LGBTQI+ YYA.

Several service providers recognized that they needed improved training and technical assistance to better serve LGBTQI+ YYA. LGBTQI+ competency education can help staff understand YYA's sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression, and cultural competency and humility training can help staff identify and address racial and other biases. Staff can also practice trauma-informed care by recognizing YYA's intersectional identities and addressing their intersecting needs. Participants identified opportunities through which organizations can incorporate affirming processes into their workflow. For example, intake forms can include questions asking YYA to share their pronouns and their preferred or chosen name in lieu of their legal name. Finally, participants suggested hiring staff who treat YYA with respect and kindness and, whenever possible, staff who reflect the population served.

LGBTQI+ YYA deserve access to wraparound and sustained care, but continuity challenges hinder the provision of these services.

The listening sessions highlighted both the importance of offering comprehensive support to LGBTQI+ YYA and the difficulty in implementing it because of service and funding gaps. Participants indicated that comprehensive service support addressing housing and non-housing needs (including nutrition, medical, and mental health assistance) helps YYA stabilize. YYA also may require post-housing services to remain housed or achieve other goals, such as employment or continued education. Unfortunately, providers noted that such assistance may be contingent on program eligibility, which is determined by funding. Participants also indicated that YYA could lapse into ineligibility based on changing characteristics, such as age or familial status, and a lack of official identification that reflects their identity. Participants stressed that programs should be designed to serve YYA and adjust to meet their needs.

Turning to external partners allows service providers to be responsive within the limitations of the current funding landscape.

Service providers stressed that the population they serve has wide-ranging and evolving needs that must be met within a landscape characterized by limited and restrictive resources, misalignments between local and state priorities, and administrative burdens. Working with external partners, including government, private, and nonprofit networks, has been an invaluable strategy for service providers, allowing them to extend limited and restricted resources to respond to current needs. For example, service providers collaborate with each other to offer wraparound services, "mak[ing] sure that [providers are] flowing together." In addition, federal laws, program rules, and regulations present challenges to serving undocumented individuals, and several providers underscored the fact that increasing numbers of undocumented LGBTQI+ YYA are seeking support. Service providers have leaned heavily on external partners to support undocumented LGBTQI+ YYA.

Both YYA and service providers can benefit from educational resources that focus on identifying and reporting housing discrimination.

Participating YYA and service providers described several instances of service and housing discrimination, but they were unaware or unfamiliar with reporting and enforcement mechanisms. The participants described not only being turned away for services or facing harassment for their sexual orientation and sexual expression but also discrimination based on their race or ethnicity, age, source of income, and familial status. Although some providers were knowledgeable about fair housing laws and reporting tools, many providers were unsure about how to advise YYA who face discrimination. Some participating YYA mentioned that they generally were aware that they can report instances of discrimination, but they were unfamiliar with the reporting process.

Both service providers and YYA value meaningful engagement and recognize the need to improve, deepen, and broaden that engagement.

Participating YYA underscored the need for homelessness response systems to enhance engagement and outreach with YYA to better respond to their situations and reflect their needs and reach those who do not seek assistance through traditional points of entry. All service providers engaged with YYA with lived experience in multiple ways, with YYA being employed by service providers, serving as part of advisory boards (including Youth Action Boards), or participating in internship programs. Service providers value YYA's unique insights and input, and YYA value these opportunities because they allow them to share their expertise, develop their skillsets, and connect to broader networks. However, participating YYA would like service providers to improve their communication, with clear messaging and more advanced notice of opportunities so that YYA can plan their schedules.

Conclusion

The listening sessions have been invaluable in helping HUD leadership consider next steps in addressing LGBTQI+ YYA homelessness. "Today's young adults are tomorrow's adults, and too many have been left behind, unsheltered and victimized by housing discrimination," said PDAS McCain. "A healthy society is one that takes care of its most vulnerable, which HUD strives to do." HUD gratefully acknowledges the contributions of participating YYA and service providers in informing the LGBTQI+ Youth Homelessness Initiative's action items. HUD will continue considering and incorporating their expertise in these efforts.

These listening sessions are just one aspect of HUD's work to address the housing insecurity that LGBTQI+ YYA face. HUD has published an LGBTQIA+ Fair Housing Toolkit and provides ongoing technical assistance to partner organizations working with LGBTQI+ YYA. HUD also plans to implement additional resources and support, including a "Know Your Rights" video designed for YYA to disseminate information about protections against discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation and an LGBTQI+ landing page to collect HUD's LGBTQI+ resources in a single location.