‘It’s a blessing’ | Organizations seeking to help LGBTQ homeless youth in Mecklenburg County

September 27, 2022

by Lexi Wilson, WCNC-Charlotte

Roof Above provides rental assistance for the adults living at Journey Place, to make sure it stays affordable.

Several different organizations are seeking solutions to give young adults, who are homeless and part of the LGBTQ community, a safe place to call home in Mecklenburg County.

Data shows LGBTQ young people are 120% more likely to experience homelessness than non-LGBTQ youth.

According to research from The Trevor Project, 28% or nearly one in three LGBTQ youth will experience homelessness at some point in their lives; 62% also reported having seriously considered suicide in the last year.

Through an ongoing collaboration with Time Out Youth and Roof Above, The Relatives will house four young adults experiencing homelessness in a newly renovated, suite-style, four-bedroom house called Journey Place.

“It’s a blessing,” John Washington said.

For Washington, having a home to go to wasn’t always guaranteed.

“I was homeless when I first turned 19,” Washington said.

At 22 years old, Washington has been in and out of foster care and has no family support — but he says he did find support through Time Out Youth, a nonprofit that offers support to LGBTQ youth ages 13-24.

“Sometimes they have been shunned or rejected from an early age,” The Relatives executive director Trish Hobson said.

The Relatives provides youth, who are often homeless or feeling trapped by adversity, with the safety and security they need.

In this model, they provide the home and Time Out Youth provides the tenants. The rent is $500 per month.

“We really want our young people to feel they are worthy of this kind of housing,” Hobson said.

Hobson says the LGBTQ community faces many barriers when it comes to accessing safe and affordable housing.

“Legally landlords cannot discriminate against the LGBTQ population, but it still happens,” Hobson said. “It can be sort of subtle, it can be they show up on site an apartment is no longer available, so it’s often really difficult.”

It’s a difficult situation, especially when stable housing is the foundation of a successful life. But a collaboration between several housing partners is helping young people find meaning and purpose in their life again.

“You have to believe in yourself, for things to happen cause the only person who can convince you to do something is yourself,” Washington said.

Roof Above provides rental assistance for the adults living at Journey Place, to make sure it stays affordable. If you or someone you know need assistance, contact The Relatives at 704-501-8252 or visit The Relatives online.

See more at WCNC-Charlotte.

The Charlotte Journalism Collaborative is supported by the Local Media Project, an initiative launched by the Solutions Journalism Network with support from the Knight Foundation to strengthen and reinvigorate local media ecosystems.

About The Project

Solutions Journalism Network launched the Charlotte Journalism Collaborative in 2019, a partnership of six major media companies and other local institutions focusing on issues of major importance to the Charlotte region. The collaborative is supported by $150,000 from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, as part of its $300 million commitment to rebuild the future of local journalism, essential to a functioning democracy.

The Charlotte Journalism Collaborative (CJC) is modeled on the Solutions Journalism Network method of investigating and reporting news with a primary focus on solutions to community problems. “At a time when local journalism jobs are disappearing and trust in media has hit an all-time low, the Solutions Journalism Network has taken on the challenge by organizing collaborative journalism reporting projects that promote excellent reporting and civic dialogue. the model has the potential to be part of a new wave of great local reporting, which is vital to building strong communities,” said Karen Rundlet, Knight Foundation director for journalism.

‘It’s a blessing’ | Organizations seeking to help LGBTQ homeless youth in Mecklenburg County

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