WA SB 5082 proposes housing funding for foster children aging out of the system

OLYMPIA – Jonas Rios entered foster care at 17 years old and was put in eight different placements before turning 18. He entered the Extended Foster Care program that attempted to cut off support a month before his 21st birthday, forcing him to jump from hotels to college dormitories. He then couch-surfed for six months until he was granted a housing voucher from the Foster Youth Independence Program and received stable housing for the first time at 22.   

“I couldn’t be a person,” Rios said. “You cannot be a person when you’re moving that much.” 

Rios is one of many young Washingtonians who experienced housing instability and homelessness in Extended Foster Care. He and other members of the Mockingbird Society, an advocacy organization for youth in the foster system, joined together to testify on Monday in support of Washington Senate Bill 5082, which would provide a housing assistance program for those in Extended Foster Care.  

Sen. Claire Wilson, D- Auburn, chair of the Human Services Committee is the main sponsor of the the bill, aiming to prevent youth from falling through economic cracks by providing increased housing and financial stability for young people ageing out of the foster care system.  

“These are our children,” Wilson said. “They are state-raised.”  

In 2024, 757 youth entered Extended Foster Care according to the Department of Children Youth and Families, with 13% of those experiencing homelessness. 

Federal restrictions currently prevent young adults from accessing both Extended Foster Care resources and housing vouchers from Foster Youth Independence at the same time. Extended Foster Care provides continued foster care services, including residential support and a monthly subsidy, while Foster Youth Independence offers rental assistance through housing vouchers. The monthly subsidy from Extended Foster Care is $861- far below the statewide cost of living.  

According to the MIT Living Wage Calculation, the necessary wage for a living income in Grant County is $2,644 and includes housing, food and other expenses.   

The housing vouchers only cover rent but not additional living expenses. As a result, many former foster children are at risk of homelessness. 

“You can't get stable because you're too scared that if you tell somebody that you have this resource that they'll take it away from you,” Rios said.  

SB 5208, if passed, would establish the Extended Foster Care Housing program to provide both rental assistance equivalent to Foster Housing Independence and associated housing fees for eligible young adults.  

The bill will also require DCYF to facilitate a transition planning process to ensure young people have continued housing and financial stability as they transition out of the system.  

Sen. Judy Warnick, R- Moses Lake was also in attendance as a committee member of Human Services.  

“I’m intrigued,” Warnick said.  

She said that while housing is crucial, having family or adult support is also essential for a successful transition into adulthood. She expressed support for the transition planning process but anticipated it would take time to implement. 

Warnick added that she expects the bill will go through the Human Services committee and head to Ways and Means where she will hear the bill again to discuss program funding. 

The state is currently facing a $10 to $16 billion deficit in the operating budget causing Republicans and Democrats to scramble to find ways to address the shortfall. While many Republicans advocate to cut unnecessary programs, many Democrats are in support of creating new sources of revenue, especially as voters upheld the capital gains tax last November.  

“It is going to cost money,” Warnick said. “And that’s one of the biggest issues we are facing.” 

    WILSON