Homelessness and Housing Instability Among LGBTQ Youth
in The Trevor Project 2021 Mental Heatlh survey, 28% of LGBTQ youth reported experiencing homelessness or housing instability at some point in their lives. Of those who did also reported having depression, anxiety, considered suicide or self-harm, and attempted suicide. LGBTQ youth who reported experiencing homelessness or housing instability had higher rates of victimization, being in foster care, and food insecurity, compared to their stably housed LGBTQ peers.
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Source: The Trevor Project
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The following are resources for Utah LGBTQ+ youth who may be experiencing homelessness and housing instability:
The Youth Resource Center
Volunteers of America, Utah's Youth Resource Center is a drop-in resource center and emergency shelter for all youth aged 15 through 22 who are imminently at-risk or experiencing homelessness.
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They provide essential basic need items, three hot meals a day, pantry food, showers, laundry, life-skills groups, housing and employment case management, dental and medical care assistance, and access to mental health services on-site.
From 7:30 PM to 8:30 AM the YRC transitions into a thirty-bed emergency overnight shelter.
Locations:
Ogden, Utah
2760 Adams Ave, Ogden, UT
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Cedar City, Utah
100 West 140 South, Cedar City, UT
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St. George, Utah
340 East Tabernacle Street, St. George, UT
Youth Futures Utah
Youth Futures provides safe shelter, collaborative resources, respectful guidance, and diverse support to homeless, unaccompanied, runaway, and at-risk youth ages 12-18 in Utah. They have three facilities in Ogden, Cedar City, and St. George. Shelters are open 24 hours per day. Youth can also access food, clothing, hygiene items, laundry facilities, computer stations, and case management between 6:00 am to 8:00 pm every day of the week.
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The team goes out twice per week to provide outreach and crisis services on the streets to youth in Ogden and St. George, Utah.
Transgender Advocate
Transgender Utahns have many new rights and protections when it comes to housing and homeless shelters.
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It is illegal for a housing provider to do any of the following because of your gender identity or because you are perceived as not conforming to gender stereotypes:
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Refuse to admit you to a homeless shelter
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Tell you housing is unavailable when it is available
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Set different terms, conditions, or privileges for sale or rental of a dwelling
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Provide different housing services or facilities
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Deny you a mortgage loan, or impose different terms or conditions on a mortgage loan
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Deny you property insurance
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Conduct property appraisals in a discriminatory manner
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Harass, coerce, intimidate, or interfere with you exercising your fair housing rights
