SACRAMENTO – California State Senator Scott Wilk, R-Santa Clarita has announced that more than $2 million in funding from the Housing Navigators Program will go to child welfare services in Los Angeles and San Bernardino Counties.

A program of the California Department of Housing and Community Development, the Housing Navigators Program funds housing specialists, known as “navigators”, to serve in counties across the state. These navigators will help young adults aged 18 to 21 locate and maintain housing. The program 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,” said Wilk. “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 a Housing Navigators Program program that recognizes the needs of our foster youth.”

The Senate Republican legislative package to ACT on combating homelessness, which calls for Accountability, Compassion, and Treatment, acknowledges that former foster youth can be at a greater risk for homelessness. A study found that “close to 31% of transition-age foster youth experience homelessness” in California.

Wilk represents the 21st Senate District which includes the Antelope, Santa Clarita and Victor Valleys.