Kaleidoscope Youth Center (KYC) in Columbus, which supports queer youth in central Ohio, is ending its housing program.
Kaleidoscope announced the program's closing on Tuesday in a statement on its website, saying "our youth are scared, and so are we."
"It is not okay that they are facing the threat of returning to homelessness. And it is not okay that they are having to independently raise money to meet their basic needs," the statement reads.
KYC's housing program began in 2019 and has helped more than 50 young people experiencing homelessness or housing insecurity. KYC reports that LGBTQ+ youth are 120% more likely to experience homelessness than their non-LGBTQ+ peers and that they represent a disproportionate part of the current homeless population.
"The truth is, we lack affordable, low-cost housing in Columbus and Franklin County. Trans youth are consistently underemployed. City and county budgets are tight because everyone is in need," the statement reads.
KYC said that it lost $500,000 in grant funding last year. In August, KYC found out that the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) was pulling back more funding that had supported the housing program since 2021. KYC said they received the notification about 45 days after the start of the fiscal year.
"We are now left with a pending deficit and the need to quickly relocate 10 young people without resources, within the next 60 days," KYC's statement reads.
Before finding out its funding was gone, the organization received a letter from ODH saying that Ohio's biennial budget does not allow state funds to go to youth centers that promote "social gender transition."
KYC responded to that letter by saying that it was not a youth shelter.
KYC said those in its housing program were notified on Sept. 8 that the program would be closing. KYC does not know by when those young people will have to move, but says the earliest would be November.
The center is asking local governments and donors for support in the hopes of maintaining the program through July of next year, but said the actual timeline for closing is still up in the air. It said the housing team is providing mental health services and support to participants.
