Kaleidoscope Youth Center announced Tuesday that they would be closing their housing program, which they reported has served over 50 people experiencing homelessness and/or housing insecurity or vulnerability since it was introduced in 2019.
“Our program was established at a time when many doubted the necessity of a housing program that centered the needs and experiences of LGBTQIA+ young adults, even though approximately 40% of the homeless youth population is LGBTQIA+ – and they are 120% more likely to experience homelessness than their non-LGBTQIA+ peers,” the organization shared via a press release.
Kaleidoscope Youth Center (KYC) was created in 1994 and currently stands as the largest and longest-standing organization in Ohio solely dedicated to serving and supporting LGBTQ+ youth. The organization shared that, like other LGBTQ+ nonprofits, they have been “hit hard” by the current socio-political climate. According to the press release:
“In August 2025, we learned from the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) that our funding would not be renewed for the 2025 – 2026 fiscal year. This grant has been a significant source of funding for our housing program since 2021. Notably, this information was received approximately 45 days past the start date of July 1st, and we are now left with a pending deficit and the need to quickly relocate 10 young people without resources, within the next 60 days.”
The ODH grant totaled $241,500 and would have covered two full-time staff and expenses for the housing program.
Threats to Ohio youth shelters
Additionally, KYC received a letter from ODH asking for additional information on their programs. The letter read:
“Per HB 96 (136th General Assembly), the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) is seeking additional information from organizations that submitted applications for Services for Homeless Youth and Pregnant Homeless Youth (HY26) grant funding.
HB 96 includes the following requirement for the distribution of Youth Homelessness funds: ‘No funds shall be distributed to youth shelters that promote social gender transition, in which an individual goes from identifying with and living as a gender that corresponds to the individual’s biological sex to identifying with and living as a gender different from the individual’s biological sex. Please submit a letter indicating whether your entity qualifies for funding under this requirement.‘”
This language in HB 96 – Ohio’s 2-year operating budget – was vetoed by Gov. Mike DeWine in July.
“The reality is that a homeless child has been through a horrible experience and likely needs to be met where that child is at emotionally,” DeWine said. “If a shelter has to call a homeless youth a pronoun that is incongruent with that youth’s gender to get that person into a shelter so the child won’t freeze to death, it needs to be done without fear of getting funding clawed back.”
Regardless of the governor’s veto, KYC’s response was that their housing program is not a youth shelter, so the language didn’t apply.
Uncertain timeline
KYC shared in their press release that the participants in their housing program were informed on September 8 that the program would be closing.
“Although we do not have a current date by which they will need to move, the soonest would be early to mid-November,” the press release read.
Kaleidoscope shared their plans for the immediate future for the housing program, which included maintaining the program through July 2026 when their final lease ends, requesting donor support, discussing “creative options” with their landlord and identifying opportunities to support youth as they transition into another housing opportunity.
“The truth is, we lack affordable, low-cost housing in Columbus and Franklin County,” the press release read. “Trans youth are consistently underemployed. City and county budgets are tight because everyone is in need. When we say elections have consequences, this is what we mean. 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.”
KYC is not the only Ohio LGBTQ+ nonprofit to recently announce that they have been hit hard by government cuts.
Community AIDS Network/Akron Pride Initiative (CANAPI) announced last month that the U.S. Department of House and Urban Development (HUD) has ended more than $330,000 in federal grants to the organization – roughly 25% of the organization’s total annual programing budget.
“This is an absolute travesty,” said CANAPI Board President Julie Beckert. “In the days, weeks, and years ahead we will be looking to our community partners to lean in with their support as we continue to fight for our clients and provide them the life-saving resources and support they so desperately need.” 🔥
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- Donations to support Kaleidoscope Youth Center’s programming can be made here.
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