Cash Assistance Program Prevents Youth Homelessness
By Henry Street Settlement
“We cannot end youth homelessness without preventing it in the first place, and we know how to successfully do so: by providing young people with the cash and tailored support they need, when they need it,” said Point Source Youth Executive Director and Co-Founder Larry Cohen. Speaking at a press briefing May 6, 2025, at Henry Street Settlement, Cohen noted that young adult homelessness has more than doubled to 4.2 million over the past decade.
Henry Street was one of two New York City organizations, along with The Door, and one of eight groups in seven U.S. cities that partnered with Point Source Youth on the pilot program.
At the briefing, Point Source Youth presented initial findings from its Targeted Housing Assistance Program, which provided a one-time cash payment and social services to young people experiencing imminent housing crises. The goal of the one-time payment was to provide immediate financial relief and support to stabilize their housing and prevent homelessness. Henry Street and the Door distributed an average of $3,534 and $3,945, respectively.
The program rested on the idea that young people should be trusted to determine how their funds should be spent.
Henry Street distributed funds to 46 young people; 97 percent were safely housed after a month. (The program is based on a model in Washington, where 93 percent of youth were still housed after a year.) Nationwide, the funds benefited 345 young adults and 623 total individuals in total; many of the funding recipients were able to keep additional family members housed as well. The program had an outsized impact on young people who are already working but had fallen behind on rent due to unforeseen circumstances. For many, the one-time cash infusion meant the difference between staying in their home and experiencing homelessness.
Matthew Phifer, Executive vice president for employment and education at Henry Street, emphasized the alignment of Point Source Youth and Henry Streetin fighting poverty and fostering authentic connections and mutual trust among the youth we serve. Photos by James Matthew Daniel.
In addition to cash, service providers gave financial counseling and housing navigation support to participants for up to six months, and each program recipient worked with a provider to complete a customized housing action plan, which required them to identify housing solutions, create their housing plan, create a budget, and outline their action steps to remain stably housed.
After participating in the pilot program, a New Yorker named Taurice said, “I know that I’m a hard worker so I feel like there are good things coming my way. As long as I stay on this path, I’m going to have a bright future ahead.”
With basic needs met recipients reported being able to create new opportunities for themselves, concentrating on employment and education, or moving to a more affordable city with more job opportunities.
Funders of Point Source Youth include the Schultz Family Foundation, New York Community Trust, Trinity Church Wall Street, the NYC Fund to End Youth Homelessness, Raikes Foundation Tipping Point, and the Oak Foundation.
From left, Larry Cohen, co-founder and executive director of Point Source Youth; Asia, youth consultant; Garrett Mason, youth consultant, Matthew Phifer of Henry Street; and Gabriella Sperduto and Dana Friedman of The Door. Photos by James Matthew Daniel.
