Maryland and Baltimore are pairing up with local nonprofits to provide housing for unsheltered youth and young families in the city for at least the next three and half years.
Baltimore’s Office of Homeless Services and Department of Social Services will rapidly house and support vulnerable youth and families who are experiencing or returning to being unhoused.
Under the agreement, the city will identify older unsheltered youth and offer them care at the apartment community Restoration Gardens 1 near Druid Hill Park.
Young families facing being unhoused will be offered shelter at the Y in Central Maryland’s Geraldine Young Family Life Center.
In total about 60 people can be served per year.
“Every young person in Baltimore deserves a safe place to call home and the support they need to thrive. Tackling youth homelessness is not just about housing — it’s about dignity, opportunity, and giving our young people the foundation to build a better future,” said Mayor Brandon Scott. “This collaborative effort between Baltimore City agencies, the State of Maryland and dedicated nonprofit providers represents a significant step forward in addressing youth and family homelessness and ensuring vulnerable households have the support they need to achieve housing stability and self-sufficiency.”
The city and nonprofits will also fund case management services for the people it refers, as well as skills workshops, educational programs and connections to community resources.
The agreement for the services runs through June 2029.
The announcement comes as the Trump administration recently said it plans to cut funding for permanent housing next year.
Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development Secretary Jake Day estimated 4,500 people in Maryland will lose housing due to the decision.
“Forty two million dollars in cuts to Maryland’s allocation will reverse our progress to reduce unsheltered homelessness, send families back to dangerous or unstable living conditions and increase burdens on hospital emergency departments, fire, police, EMS, and shelters,” Day told WYPR in a statement. “The lack of alternative housing options like vouchers or affordable housing to meet this massive need means the vast majority of these households will return to homelessness. Homelessness in Maryland is anticipated to immediately increase by 25 percent, with additional impact over time due to loss of overall housing stock.”
The Trump administration said that the Continuum of Care Program will significantly lower its grant allocations for permanent housing from 87% to 30% nationwide. HUD estimated the move could put as many as 170,000 out on the street nationwide, according to internal documents obtained by POLITICO.
