Youth Homelessness
Story by Spencer Clifton | Pictures by Zahn Schultz | Design by Anthony Cole
Approximately 4.2 million youth and young adults experience homelessness each year, according to a study conducted by the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL). Of these homeless adolescents, 700,000 are isolated and away from their families. These youth, ages 13-25, face a number of high-risk conditions due to a lack of protective stability from a parent or guardian.
From the warm home-cooked meals your parents used to make to the cozy bed that you could return to at the end of a long day, there is always something that may be taken for granted— stability. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, in the early and most vital part of your life, having a stable home, strong support system, proper medical care and basic education is essential to your growth as an individual.
These adolescents face high-risk consequences that can greatly affect the outcome of their lives.
The Causes
Family dynamic is described as one of the main contributing risk factors for youth homelessness according to the Congressional Research Service.
Jacob Seers*, senior Education major, says “my mother kicked me out after my grandmother passed. She deemed my [sneaking out] to be inexcusable.” Adolescents without a supportive family dynamic can find themselves in a position of unstable residency.
Some geographical factors also play a role in understanding homelessness in America, such as increased urbanization and individual location.
Darlene Salcedo, Central Washington University (CWU) alumna, declares, “the rise of the tech industry and the lack of affordable housing,” is contributing to increased populations of homeless people in Seattle.
You would think that an increase in high-paying jobs would provide opportunity for local employment, however Salcedo explains, “the tech hub provides great high-income opportunities for highly trained and educated people.” This influx of jobs may be excluding people with limited educational opportunities.
Location can also influence the likelihood of becoming homeless. Penny Hamilton, a former college student, has suffered multiple accounts of youth homelessness. “I don’t remember how it happened, just that we had a house, then we didn’t, [and] then I was living with my dad. My mom was an addict at the time so she couldn’t find a job” they say.
The Fight for Survival
Basic needs such as shelter and food are necessities for living a stable life. One in three homeless teens turn to sexual exploitation in order to meet basic needs, according to the NCSL.
Alma Guzman is a former Youth Case Manager for the Northwest Community Action Center, a program dedicated to providing service to at-risk youth and families who struggle with self-sufficiency. They also provide education and employment opportunities to youth and families in need.
“Many students were with friends and couch surfing, without a stable place. They were in and out of shelters and just trying to find a place to stay tonight,” explains Guzman.
Seers mentions, “[I slept] on the side of the Safeway in Kent…I was able to use the data from my cellphone to find places to stay on hookup apps.” He adds that sex would occasionally be involved when staying the night with strangers from these apps.
While attending Evergreen State College, Hamilton experienced over three months of homelessness. They say, “I put that I was homeless on my Tinder profile and found places to rest that way. I would meet up with somebody, have sex and hang around for a few days.”
This would continue for weeks and did not stop until they were able to find someone who offered long-term residency in trade for sex.
This practice among homeless teens can lead to a number of problems, from the spread of sexually transmitted infections and youth pregnancy to facing the dangers of sexual assault and other acts of violence.
The fight to fulfill these needs do not stop here. Finding ways to get food was another battle that often required alternative means. “At the time I remember being encouraged by my mom and sister to shoplift food and toiletries. I was really young so I...just did whatever I was told” says Hamilton.
While Hamilton and their family sought out food illegally, others were left scrounging for scraps. “My mother cut me off from my bank account, which made looking for food or shelter hard. I was forced to find food from the trash...the kindness of strangers helped too” says Seers.
29 percent of homeless adolescents report having substance abuse problems, according to NCSL.“Kids had problems within the program. Some were coming out of treatment and some relapsed in the program,” explains Guzman.
Student Homelessness
Stress is nothing new to the life of a college student. However, the external stressors that some students face are more severe than people may think.
It has become apparent that up to 36 percent of college students have unstable housing and struggle to have enough food, according to a study conducted by researchers at Temple University. Of these students, nine percent reported experiencing homelessness while being enrolled in school.
Hamilton lost their housing because of “a complex situation that forced [them] to drop out two-thirds of the way through the year, partly having to do with financial problems.” After finding residency in trade for sex, they continuously tried to find work since they could no longer continue their studies.
“In all honesty that was the lowest point of my life and it’s sculpted who I am as a person,” says Hamilton. “I take what I learned and try to use it to live a comfortable life.”
Students like Hamilton who may be subject to homelessness in college face a list of potential consequences. They now have to pay back thousands of dollars in financial aid due to their low academic standing while they were homeless.
Youth homelessness is an issue that affects millions of individuals each year (NCSL). Learning the risk factors and issues associated with homelessness is the first step toward helping those in your community.
*Name changed for privacy
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