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John William Tuohy lives in Washington DC

I believe the police are a fantastic choice for this; they see the results of poverty first hand, on a street level.




Maricopa County sheriff, HUD partner to help young adults transition out of foster care
Christopher Roth

Maricopa County Sheriff Paul Penzone and Chris Patterson, a HUD regional administrator, speak Wednesday. (Photo: Christopher Roth/The Republic)
The Maricopa County Sheriff's Office and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development on Wednesday said they will begin working together to help young adults who age out of the Arizona foster care system when they turn 18.
The agencies will partner on a program called the Foster Youth to Independence Initiative designed to help those transitioning out of the system find housing to avoid homelessness and other issues that can accompany that, said Sheriff Paul Penzone, during a press conference to announce the effort.
Under the program, HUD will work to provide housing vouchers for the young adults that will help supplement the cost of renting an apartment.
"We are thrilled to have the support of the government, supporting a program that helps foster children, who are aging out of the system, get them into homes they can call their own. Not having stable living conditions leads to the probability that they end in the criminal justice system,'' Penzone said.
Chris Patterson, a HUD regional administrator, said the effort is a first step in what he sees as an expanding effort to help keep young adults coming out of foster care off the streets.
"I was in the foster system as a youth, and I know how important it is to find places for foster kids to find stable ground once they become adults,'' Patterson said.
"These vouchers demonstrate HUD'S commitment to making sure these young people will have homes to invite people into, and it gives them a sense of identity,'' he said.
The Sheriff's Office will work with HUD in advancing the ongoing effort, though details on how the partnership will work were limited at Wednesday's press conference.
Angel Peterson was among the young adults making the transition who attended the event.
"Growing up in foster care, my group home was more like family than friends. I hope the younger people without families can look up to me and see that I was a product of the success of this program,'' Peterson said.
Jillian Clark entered the system at age 15.
"It was different for me because growing up you think about what you want to do, and who you want to be, and for me it was about who I was, and who I want to be. This program will help me answer those questions."
Penzone said an estimated 15% to 20% of young adults who age out of foster care will experience homelessness.