Chair Stevens on drop-in center access to new HPD vouchers

But I do want to ask a question still regarding the vouchers.

Will the drop-in centers have access to the vouchers?

Because that's technically not shelter.

So trying to understand, will those providers have access to...

These new HPD vouchers?

So we, you know, the commission mentioned how this is an ecosystem.

So young people who are in residential programs are going to be going to the drop-in centers to work with the housing navigators around this new voucher that's being developed.

So, you know, the...

The details haven't been worked out about exactly how, who and when and how and what it will be.

So we, I'm not, what was listed in the, in the,

But, yeah, what was the document that came out that said that there was the city hat project coming up?

Was it out of city council?

I was reading about it in the paper, basically.

And so that's where, you know, we're still in the preliminary discussion around.

How the vouchers will be accessed.

The housing navigators are in the drop-in centers.

Susan highlighted the work of the housing navigators.

We want that to continue.

So just if it's very specific about residential programs are the only place, it doesn't mean that the drop-in center folks will not be accessing it because young people...

At the drop-in centers are also in our residential programs.

Young people access multiple drop-in centers to get all the services that they need often by their choice.

So the line isn't as straight as...

No, it isn't, which is why I think it's important for you guys to be a part of the conversation now.

Yes, 100%.

You know, you guys are the experts, and I say this all the time.

You're the experts in this work.

You're the one to, like, understand the workflow and understand diversity in the drop-in center or Shelton, how those things aren't the same.

And we don't want language to be developed that then doesn't allow young people to get access.

And so, again,

And I think that this is a place where we have to make sure that you guys are part of the conversations earlier on and not later on.

Because sometimes I feel like folks just kind of forget, like, oh, no, no, no.

Hey, guys.

And I don't want that to be the case.

And so I want to make sure that we're working together, that you are the folks developing that piece of the policy and making sure that that's part of it.

So that is some work for us to do and following with HPD.