September 30, 2007

Solano County to start housing program for transitioning youth

   ANDREA WOLF/Times-Herald staff writer

In October, First Place for Youth will open Solano County's first supportive housing program for transitioning foster youth. First Place for Youth is a nonprofit Bay Area organization providing services to children making the difficult transition from foster care to adulthood.

The new center will be able to provide permanent housing and supportive services for up to 30 foster care youth, and hopes to expand to reach all the young adults in need in the near future.

"First Place is honored to be invited into Solano County and looks forward to ensuring that even more vulnerable youth receive the support and guidance they need at this critical time in their life," Deanne Pearn, co-founder, said.

Young adults 18 to 24 will be provided with two years of rent subsidies and an apartment in either Vallejo or Fairfield. After the two years, the tenants can choose to stay in the apartment if they want, Pearn said.

Youth with children are usually placed in one-bedroom apartments, and single youth will most likely share a two-bedroom apartment with a roommate.

"It is a good way to learn how to pool resources and learn to live with a roommate, which is an important skill here in the Bay Area," Pearn said. "What makes this program unique is that it is a permanent housing program. So many other programs are transitional and just prolong homelessness for another 18 months."

Pearn said that in addition to rental assistance, counseling and guidance resources are also available.

"This is really a community effort and we need full support to make sure these kids are successful," Pearn said.

New Beginnings Support Services has teamed up with First Place for Youth to help youth with necessities of moving into their own apartment, New Beginnings founder Cynthia Grady said.

"We are really excited about the partnership, so far we have placed eight kids in Vallejo into new apartments," Grady said.

Community members are welcome to attend First Place for Youth's grand opening on Oct. 18 at 1545 N. Texas St., Fairfield. For more information about the new program contact Mei-Hua Gee at (510) 272-0979, ext. 295.