SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Inner City Law Center announced that Assembly Bill 1899, a youth homelessness prevention bill co-sponsored by the organization, passed the California State Assembly with bipartisan support and will advance to the state Senate.
According to the press release, AB 1899 would establish California’s first Office of Youth Homelessness Prevention within the California Housing and Homelessness Agency. The proposed office would focus on coordinating efforts throughout the state to help reduce youth and young adult homelessness across California.
The bill passed the Assembly with a 74-0 bipartisan vote after previously passing the Assembly Housing, Human Services and Appropriations committees with unanimous support. According to the release, the legislation was introduced in February by Assemblymember Jessica Caloza in partnership with Inner City Law Center and the California Coalition for Youth.
Mike Feuer, a senior policy adviser for Inner City Law Center, stated in the release that youth homelessness is an important issue that should be treated as an urgent statewide concern. According to Feuer, the legislation is intended to create an office specifically dedicated to preventing homelessness among youth and coordinating prevention efforts throughout California.
The organization argued that youth homelessness is closely related to California’s broader homelessness crisis. According to the press release, about 50 percent of chronically homeless adults first experienced homelessness before reaching the age of 25. Inner City Law Center stated that early intervention and prevention efforts may reduce long-term homelessness among young people before they reach adulthood.
The release also noted that California accounts for about one in four unaccompanied homeless youth in the United States, meaning nearly 10,000 young people report experiencing homelessness without a parent or guardian. According to the organization, youth who experience homelessness are more likely to remain vulnerable to homelessness as adults.
Feuer also referenced the state of Washington’s Office of Homeless Youth, which the release states contributed to a 40 percent decrease in youth homelessness after the office was established in 2015. According to the statement, the Washington model demonstrates how coordinated statewide prevention systems may have a greater opportunity to reduce homelessness among youth populations.
The organization argued that California should adopt a similar statewide prevention strategy specifically focused on preventing youth homelessness. According to the release, supporters believe that creating an office dedicated to improving coordination between agencies would increase attention on prevention instead of focusing only on homelessness after it occurs.
Inner City Law Center stated that the legislation is intended to develop long-term statewide solutions for youth homelessness. According to the organization, the proposed office would help coordinate housing support, prevention strategies and statewide planning involving youth and young adults facing housing instability.
The release stated that youth homelessness is both a housing issue and a social justice issue. According to the organization, many young people experiencing homelessness face barriers such as poverty, family instability, foster care involvement and limited access to stable housing resources. Supporters of the legislation argue that earlier intervention may reduce long-term harm and improve stability for vulnerable youth populations.
The organization also emphasized that homelessness prevention efforts may reduce pressure on emergency shelters, public assistance systems and other crisis-response services. According to the release, focusing on prevention could improve long-term outcomes while reducing future homelessness.
Feuer applauded Assemblymember Caloza and the California Coalition for Youth for supporting the legislation and helping advance the bill through the Assembly. According to the release, the unanimous bipartisan support demonstrated growing recognition that youth homelessness requires greater statewide attention.
The press release concluded by stating that California’s youth deserve greater urgency and investment in homelessness prevention efforts. According to Inner City Law Center, the advancement of AB 1899 represents a significant step toward establishing a coordinated statewide prevention strategy to address youth homelessness before young people become adults facing chronic homelessness.
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