The “Invisible” Homeless

About 50,000 youth in the U.S. sleep on the street for six months or more. Homeless youth face unique developmental challenges and vulnerability.

They are the least visible and the most vulnerable homeless. Most have experienced serious upheaval in their lives. Many have been abused. The longer they are on the streets, the more at risk they become.

The TAY are America’s

18 to 20 YEAR OLD

Transitional Age Youth in Crisis

Often labeled the “unnoticed” or “invisible” homeless population, young people often become homeless due to lack of family support, neglect and abuse.

Unaccompanied homeless youth present unique challenges to existing homeless assistance systems.
Most organizations are built around the needs of homeless adults and families – not unaccompanied young people. Homeless youth and young adults are at pronounced risk for physical abuse, sexual exploitation, mental health disabilities, chemical or alcohol dependency, and death.
The National Alliance to End Homelessness estimates that as many as 50,000 youth are sleeping on the streets, however, due to their “invisible” status, definitive data on youth homelessness does not yet exist.