YouthCount 2.0
What We Do
Homeless youth are a vulnerable and invisible population that has been historically undercounted in federal, state, and local efforts to enumerate the homeless population. Conflicting definitions of youth homelessness across federal agencies make it difficult to correctly identify the size of the population. Accurate data on the prevalence and the composition of the homeless youth population are significantly lacking both nationally and locally. YouthCount 2.0! is a community generated project led by the University of Houston and funded by the Houston Community Foundation to count youth in unstable housing in Harris County.
YouthCount 2.0! used an inclusive definition of homelessness to count youth between the ages of 13-24 who were homeless or unstably housed. We counted youth who were staying in shelters or transitional housing programs and those that spent the previous night on the streets, in a car, hotel/motel, vacant apartment, or other place not meant for human habitation. We also counted youth who were currently staying with a friend or non-custodial family member but didn’t know where they would stay in the next 30 days.