Baltimore City Mayor's Office of Human Services

Baltimore proposed a randomized evaluation of housing interventions for unaccompanied homeless youth, ages 18 to 24.  The Homelessness Services Program in the Mayor’s Office of Human Services currently implements transitional housing and permanent supportive housing, and plans to begin implementing rapid rehousing for youth. The city anticipates excess demand for its youth housing services, creating an opportunity for random assignment as a fair way to allocate scarce resources that meanwhile allows for rigorous evaluation. Each intervention would include supportive services to increase access to education, benefits, behavioral health services, and family reconnection. Baltimore aims to identify the impact of its housing interventions on homelessness, exits to permanent housing, employment, and benefits stability and growth.