FosterAdoptConnect put KSHB 41 reporter Alyssa Jackson in touch with Michelle Phoenix. Jackson covers Kansas City, Missouri, and Johnson County. Share your story idea with her.
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Motherhood is special to Michelle Phoenix. She has a one-year-old nicknamed "Zeke."
She was able to secure housing for her and her baby through a program in Johnson County called "Foster Youth to Independence."
"I, myself, have lived in my car before. I didn't have anywhere to go — money for food, money for housing, money for even gas. I would stay in my car in the parking lot of a hotel I worked at," Phoenix said.
A small apartment can rent for more than $1,000 in Johnson County.
For young people aging out of the foster care system, that cost can limit their ability to find a place of their own.
Phoenix had to grow up quickly and learn how to be an adult when she was a teenager.
"My first doctor appointment I ever made myself, I was 16 years old," she said. "I didn’t realize how expensive phone bills were, or car insurance, or cars."
KSHB 41's Alyssa Jackson asked Phoenix: "You aged out, and it was like 'Ok, now time to be on my own? What did you notice about the rental market, trying to find housing?'"
"My apartment I live in now is $1,100 something. If I didn’t have the help I have from the housing authority, I wouldn’t be able to afford it. For youth aging out, it’s scary," she said.
The housing program started in March 2024. It's for young adults aging out of foster care who are either homeless or at risk of experiencing homelessness.
It's administered through the Johnson County Housing Authority, which provides a rental subsidy.
The program gives them a budget and provides automatic case management, so young adults can successfully manage their budget and obligations under a lease.
"Being an 18-year-old with no credit, no residential history and no co-signer is a huge barrier," said Heather McNeive, director of housing services for Johnson County.
According to Johnson County, 50% of young adults who age out of foster care are likely to experience homelessness at least once, if not several times, before they turn 25 years old.
An average of 20-25 households in Johnson County have youth who age out each year. The housing program's support lasts until an adult turns 25 years old. Then, they can decide to end their participation or get priority for a regular Section 8 housing voucher.
"It can be life changing…literally life changing. There’s no other word I can think of but life-changing," Phoenix said.
The housing authority gets the vouchers from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
In 2024, the program started with a request for two vouchers. Now, it has 19 vouchers.
Two are currently available, but more can be requested. HUD will send the vouchers within 90 days.
"We’ve seen homeless families getting access to units they wouldn’t probably otherwise be able to access without that incentive," McNeive said.
The program follows a non-competitive application process.
Starting this month, the Johnson County Housing Authority added a larger incentive for landlords who participate in the program.
Landlords will receive a sign-on bonus of up to three times the rent for signing a 12-month lease.
The housing authority also has a damage claim fund in the event the security deposit doesn't cover potential damages to a unit.
"There's a stereotype that section 8 tenants and young adults are more likely to damage a unit — completely not true, but we want to take care of that and help landlords feel more secure," McNeive said.
In a market that's tough for anyone to find affordable housing, the housing program is a chance for former foster youth to build the kind of home they never had.
"It’s like someone’s giving you a helping hand," Phoenix said. "It gives you an opportunity to find yourself, to save money to make savings for the future, to have food in the fridge."
More information on the Youth to Independence Program here.
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