YOUNG ADULT HOMELESSNESS

A deeper look at what young people
face and how ROOTS responds

When a young person has nowhere safe to sleep,
every night becomes about survival.

At ROOTS, we meet young adults ages 18 to 25 who arrive carrying strength, resilience, and the heavy weight of trying to make it on their own. This page explains why young adult homelessness happens, what our guests are up against, and how ROOTS shows up with safety, stability, and dignity.

Why Young Adults Become Homeless

Young adult homelessness does not happen for one reason. It happens when systems fail, resources fall short, or home is no longer safe. Many of the young people we serve have already survived immense hardship long before they walk through our doors.

Family conflict or rejection

LGBTQ+ discrimination

Foster care exit

Rising rents and lack of affordable housing

Mental health and trauma

Migration from out of state

Survival experiences such as couch surfing or living in unsafe environments

What Life Looks Like for Young Adults Experiencing Homelessness

Young people navigating homelessness face challenges that most adults never see. Their days are shaped by uncertainty, exhaustion, and the constant work of trying to stay safe.

They often go long periods without sleep.

They worry about where to keep their belongings.

They navigate public spaces where they are not always welcome.

They face higher rates of violence, exploitation, and health risks.

They juggle school, work, and survival with limited support.

They experience a deep sense of isolation and invisibility.

Young adult homelessness is a crisis, but it is not a defining identity. Young people who come to ROOTS are students, workers, artists, caregivers, and leaders. They are building their lives with remarkable strength, even when the world has made it difficult.

How ROOTS Shows Up

ROOTS provides more than a bed. We create real safety, real community, and real pathways forward. We do this by centering dignity, meeting needs immediately, and building long-term support.

Safety and Stability Every Night

Consistent Case Management

Belonging and Community

Support for LGBTQIA+ Young Adults

A Path Toward Long-Term Stability

Why This Work Matters

Young adult homelessness is preventable, and the impact reaches far beyond today. When young people have stability, community, and support at this stage of life, they are far less likely to become adults experiencing long-term homelessness. By showing up for young adults now, we reduce the number of people who will enter homelessness in the years ahead and help shrink a crisis that is growing across the country.

When young adults find safety, they can move into housing, continue their education, build careers, strengthen relationships, and create futures that feel possible. Their lives change, and so does the future landscape of homelessness in our community.

When you support ROOTS, you do more than meet an immediate need. You help stop adult homelessness before it starts. You help a young person step out of survival mode and into a place where they can begin again

Young adults do better when communities work together. To see the organizations we collaborate with to strengthen safety, housing, health, and stability for young adults, visit our Partners in This Work page.

Partners in This Work