Families in Homeless Shelters Increased 7% in '09
USA Today reports that the the recession continued to take its toll as more families with children became homeless for the second straight year, according to a U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development report. The number of families in homeless shelters increased 7% to 170,129 from fiscal year 2008 through fiscal year 2009.

The Recession and Housing Stability
First Focus has released a series of reports that synthesize the evidence on the effects of the recent and prior recessions on child well-being.One of these reports focuses on the impact that inadequate or insecure housing has on a child’s well-being.The report looks at the foreclosure crisis, the increasing number of families who cannot afford rent, and the recent rise in homelessness among families and offers policy recommendations.

New Brief on Homeless Children and Youth in U.S. Schools
A Critical Moment: Child & Youth Homelessness in Our Nation's Schools, a new brief from First Focus and the National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth, summarizes recent federal data as well as findings from a national survey of school districts and state departments of education. Analysis in the brief of recently released federal data shows that the number of homeless children and youth identified in public schools has increased for the second year in a row, and by 41% over the past two school years. The economic downturn was cited most frequently as the reason for increases in child and youth homelessness, followed by greater school and community awareness of homelessness, and the foreclosure crisis.

National Low-Income Housing Coalition Annual Report Released
The National Low-Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC) has released its annual report, Out of Reach, which highlights data from each state and shows that low-wage workers continue to struggle to afford rental housing. The cost of rent in Rhode Island continues to be high, currently 15th highest in the country. From 2000 to 2010, the average cost of rent in Rhode Island increased by 66%, more than in any other state except Hawaii. Download Out of Reach.  

Extending Care Beyond Age 18 for Foster Youth
Finding a safe, affordable place to live for youth who "age out" of foster care is a major challenge for former foster youth. A report from the University of Chicago's Chapin Hall examined how common homelessness among young people is in making the transition from foster care to adulthood, how soon homelessness typically occurs, and whether allowing youth to remain in care until age 21 reduces homelessness. Read these and more findings in Assessing the Impact of Extending Care beyond age 18 on Homelessness: Emerging Findings from the Midwest Study.

HousingWorks RI Issue Brief: Neighborhood Opportunities Program
HousingWorks RI has released an Issue Brief on the Neighborhood Opportunities Program (NOP), in celebration of the program's 10th anniversary. NOP is a unique, state-funded program designed to provide homes for low-wage working families and individuals with disabilities. The program provides funds to cover the difference between the rental cost affordable to very low-wage Rhode Islanders and the cost to owners operating the rental unit. NOP allows rents to be set at a level affordable for renters and sustainable for owners. Funding for NOP has been threatened in the most recent FY-2011 Budget Proposal.

Healthy Housing Presentation Now Available
View a presentation on Healthy Housing, the newest indicator in the 2009 Factbook, prepared by Rhode Island KIDS COUNT. Topics and data covered within the presentation include housing's impact on child health conditions such as asthma, lead poisoning, and unintentional injuries. Also covered is housing cost and accessibility. View the presentation here.