Making Youth Homelessness a Priority in the Next Congress

In the 2026 midterm elections, Democrats won control of both the House of Representatives and the Senate, bringing a significant change to Washington. The new congressional majorities will take office in January 2027. The National Network for Youth (NN4Y) congratulates newly elected and returning members and stands ready to work with lawmakers across party lines to prevent and end youth homelessness.

For young people without a safe place to live, the urgency to advance policies that prevent and end youth homelessness remains the same. Minors, young adults, and young parent families need housing, trusted relationships, and opportunities to build stable futures, and community organizations need reliable resources to provide that support. These needs exist in every state and congressional district.

Responding to the election results, Darla Bardine, Executive Director of NN4Y, said, “Every young person deserves a safe place to live and the support to build the future they want. We are ready to work with anyone committed to that goal. Our responsibility is to bring young people’s expertise and providers’ experience to Congress—and turn that knowledge into meaningful action.”

The election creates new opportunities for 2027–2028, but critical work remains before the current Congress concludes. NN4Y will continue pressing lawmakers to protect funding for youth homelessness programs and advance bipartisan legislation already before them. We are evaluating the remaining pathways to pass our three priority bills before the end of this Congress and working with congressional champions and partners to identify opportunities for action.

Our legislative priorities include the Runaway and Homeless Youth and Trafficking Prevention Act, the Homeless Children and Youth Act, and the Housing for Homeless Students Act. Together, these proposals strengthen youth programs, remove barriers to homeless assistance, and help young people pursue education while maintaining affordable housing.

Visit each bill’s action page to learn more, endorse, and urge your members of Congress to support passage this year.

In partnership with young people and our NN4Y members, we will update our National Policy Agenda for the next Congress. This will build on previous progress and advance the systemic changes needed to prevent and end youth homelessness. Educating newly elected and returning members and their staff will be central to this work as we help them understand young people’s experiences and opportunities for federal action.

Our priorities include:

• Continue to strengthen federal investments.​​​​​ Advocate for sustained and increased funding for prevention strategies, Runaway and Homeless Youth Act programs, education supports for students experiencing homelessness, and dedicated youth housing and community system improvements. These investments support prevention, outreach, shelter, housing, and pathways to stability.
• Remove barriers that leave young people without help.​​​​ Advance the Homeless Children and Youth Act so young people whose homelessness is recognized by other federal programs can be assessed for HUD homeless assistance, including those staying temporarily with others because they have nowhere else to go.
• Strengthen youth homelessness and trafficking prevention programs.​​​ Advance the Runaway and Homeless Youth and Trafficking Prevention Act to update the federal framework supporting youth services and improve communities’ ability to respond to young people’s needs.
• Connect housing stability with education and opportunity.​​ Advance the Housing for Homeless Students Act to remove an eligibility barrier that can force young people who have experienced homelessness to choose between full-time education and affordable housing.
• Ensure equity in practice.​ Advance policies, funding, and implementation that address barriers facing LGBTQ+ youth and youth of color, including LGBTQ+ youth of color, and ensure equitable access to safe, affirming housing and support.
• Make youth expertise central to federal policymaking. Bring young people with lived experience into the development of legislation, funding priorities, and oversight—and ensure community providers help lawmakers understand how federal decisions affect access to support.

Bipartisan partnership will remain essential. NN4Y will work with returning champions, build relationships with new members, and help lawmakers understand both the immediate needs in their communities and the policy barriers to preventing and ending youth homelessness that Congress can remove. As some longtime champions leave Congress, we will also work to sustain bipartisan leadership for youth homelessness legislation and cultivate new champions in both chambers. To do this, will need your partnership and action.

“Young people cannot put their lives on hold while Washington debates what comes next,” Bardine said. “We need Congress to protect the programs communities rely on today and build a stronger foundation for tomorrow. That means listening to young people, investing in community solutions, and making sure help is available before a crisis becomes homelessness.”

Educating new members of Congress and their staff early is especially important as they establish their priorities. We want preventing and ending youth homelessness to be part of their agenda from the start. Our 2027 National Summit on Youth Homelessness + Hill Day will provide an opportunity for you to build those relationships, foster new congressional champions, and bring concrete policy solutions directly to congressional offices. These early conversations can help develop lasting champions for preventing and ending youth homelessness.

NN4Y invites our members, young leaders, and partners to help educate the incoming Congress. Share what is happening in your community, demonstrate what effective support makes possible, and urge your elected officials to make preventing and ending youth homelessness a priority.