By Erin Bernall, San Francisco Business Times, October 5, 2020

For young people experiencing homelessness, each day begins in search of urgent basics, such as food and safety. This quest is compounded with threats of violence and exploitation, uncertainty and distrust, and extreme stress, all of which can impact health and wellness for this vulnerable group of young people ages 12-24.

In San Francisco, an estimated one in five individuals experiencing homelessness is under the age of 25, and all are at risk of suffering from mental health issues, which can be exacerbated by the pandemic and discrimination.

While there are myriad reasons young people experience homelessness, this is an issue of systemic oppression. Eighty percent of the young people at Larkin Street Youth Services are BIPOC (Black indigenous person of color) — 45% are Black and 18% are Latinx — and almost half identify as LGBTQ+. Industry data reveals that 83% of young people cited housing affordability as the primary barrier to stable housing.

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