Homeless Youth and Advocates rally to secure beds for 21-24 year-olds in Youth Shelters

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City Hall, NYC - Young people who are currently or formerly experiencing homelessness gathered on the steps of City Hall on August 24th , 2017; to urge Mayor de Blasio, the City Council, and the Department of Youth and Community Development (DYCD) to extend the age that homeless youth can receive housing in residential programs funded by DYCD up to the age of 25. Advocates for the homeless and service providers articulated the various needs and experiences of their clients in an effort to combat the city’s homelessness crisis impacting youth--in particular, LGBTQ, gender-non conforming, and non-binary youth of color.

Participants included: Youth experiencing homelessness, Queerocracy, VOCAL-NY, ACT-UP NY, Ali Forney Center, Coalition for Homeless Youth, Diaspora Community Services, GMHC, New Alternatives for LGBT Youth, Theater of the Oppressed-NYC, Princess Janae Place, and other impacted organizations.

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New York State has recently enacted legislation to extend the age in NYS-licensed homeless youth housing programs until age 25. The federal efforts to end youth homelessness through HUD and the Interagency Council of Homelessness also define youth homelessness as lasting until the age of 25. DYCD was given the option to expand the age for youth housing to 25, but has not done so.

Back in April of 2017, youth experiencing homelessness and advocates implored the city to extend the age on #40toNoneDay, a national day of awareness to end LGBTQ youth homelessness.

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#40toNoneDay #Activism #CityHall #displacement #DYCD #Homeless #Homelessness #HouseTheHomeless #Housing #HousingNotShelters #HousingNotWarehousing #HousingRights #humanrights #LGBTQ #MayorDeBlasio #NewYork #OurCity #PeacefulProtest #Queerocracy #‎Solidarity #rally #VocalNY #YouthHomelessness

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