All of us want to feel seen, understood, and cared for. We seek people and communities that make us feel like we belong and a place to call home. This is especially crucial for youth and young adults facing housing crises. As a statewide organization advancing equitable, community-led solutions to youth and family homelessness, Building Changes understands that communities across Washington need access to proven strategies and programs that meet the needs of their young people where they are.
We are pleased to share that Building Changes has expanded its role to support both the Youth Diversion Infrastructure Project (YDIP) and the Homelessness Prevention & Diversion Fund (HPDF). Working in collaboration with Washington’s communities, the Office of Homeless Youth, and Schultz Family Foundation, we will help ensure community partners have what they need to reach more unhoused youth through these programs. YDIP and HPDF share the goal of reducing homelessness for youth and young adults across our state by providing streamlined access to flexible funding and Diversion support to help young people secure safe housing that works for them.
HPDF, which began in 2020 has housed more than 1,704 households and now operates in ten counties. Between May 2023 and May 2024, HPDF served 611 households, of which 59% were young people of color. A recently released report on HPDF demonstrates how this first-of-its-kind centralized model has been able to scale effectively in diverse regions of the state.
YDIP, which focuses on supporting young people exiting the child welfare system, juvenile detention and rehabilitation centers, behavioral health facilities, and other systems of care, was launched in 2023 and jointly administered by Building Changes and A Way Home Washington. We are grateful for our partnership with A Way Home Washington and YDIP communities, which resulted in the project serving 218 households across Pierce, Clark, Yakima, Walla Walla, and Spokane counties in its first year. Of these, 30% identified as young people of color, and nearly one in seven identified as LGBTQ+.
We are honored that communities across Washington, the Office of Homeless Youth, and Schultz Family Foundation have entrusted us to support YDIP and HPDF and continue the forward momentum towards ending youth homelessness in our state. To facilitate this expanded work, we recently welcomed Julius Henrichsen to the Building Changes team. He will coordinate project implementation, training, peer learning, and outreach efforts. Julius brings years of experience in direct service with young people, along with expertise in providing technical assistance to strengthen youth-centered, Diversion-first approaches to homeless response systems, building solutions from the community up.
“At Building Changes, we are committed to being a beacon of support that adapts to the changing landscape of the homelessness crisis,” said Daniel Zavala, executive director. “We are excited to expand on services that meet the needs of young people in our state by strengthening our partnership with communities and approach to people-centered programs.”
