Senator Scott Wilk, R-Santa Clarita, announced that more than $2 million in funding from the Housing Navigators Program (HNP) is set to go to child welfare services in Los Angeles and San Bernardino Counties, including Santa Clarita.

A program of the California Department of Housing and Community Development, the HNP funds housing specialists “navigators” to serve in counties across the state, according to officials with Wilk’s office.

These navigators are set to help young adults aged 18 to 21 locate and maintain housing, according to officials.

The HNP was designed to prioritize and benefit the foster youth population in particular.

“Support for foster youth has been a legislative focus of mine for years,” Wilk said. “They often struggle after leaving the system and data unfortunately shows that California’s housing and homelessness challenges disproportionately impact them. I am very pleased to see an HCD program that recognizes the needs of our foster youth.”

The Senate Republican legislative package on combating homelessness, which calls for Accountability, Compassion and Treatment (ACT), acknowledges that former foster youth can be at a greater risk for homelessness, according to Wilk.

A study found that “close to 31 percent of transition-age foster youth experience homelessness” in California.

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