Leomon was a homeless youth who didn’t have a job and felt like a failure. He did have a dream, though: he wanted to get an education and become the man he imagined he could be. Once Leomon embraced his desire to change his life, the transformation was amazing. He got a haircut, some new clothes, and, with the help of organizations that provide Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC)-funded housing to homeless youth, an immaculate apartment. He was a totally new person, and poised for great things. Unfortunately, an IRS rule forced him to choose between pursuing an education and having a roof over his head. He chose shelter, and has had to shelve his dream of going to school.

Under current law, homeless youth -- or those who have experienced homelessness in the recent past -- attending college full-time cannot take advantage of housing built with funds from the LIHTC Program, due to the “student rule.”  The student rule was put in place to prevent LIHTC dollars from being used to build campus dormitories, so that funds could be saved for more serious, long-term housing needs. However, it has created an unintended hardship for people like Leomon, who wish to attend college but do not have the means to secure housing on their own.

We at Huckleberry House, a homeless youth shelter, believe that we should be doing everything in our power to encourage our homeless youth to get the skills they need to leave the streets behind them. Education is key to this. Show your support and help us get the attention of our representatives in Congress. Urge them to alter the IRS loophole so that LIHTC-funded housing can be made available to homeless students.

As the Huckleberry House knows all too well, stable and affordable housing is the single most critical hurdle between a young homeless person and their ability to obtain an education. Eliminating the student rule for this fragile population will eliminate a significant barrier to their dreams.

Please sign our petition asking our representatives in Congress to alter the IRS loophole so that LIHTC-funded housing can be made available to homeless students.