Dear Colleague Letter on Housing Instability

In recognition of National Homelessness Awareness Month, the Office of Family Assistance (OFA) released a Dear Colleague Letter (DCL) on the important role TANF programs can play in support of families experiencing housing instability. The letter highlights program flexibilities and strategic partnerships which TANF programs and partners can adopt in local efforts to reduce homelessness for children and families. It is intended to encourage state TANF programs to build on or develop strategic partnerships with housing, workforce development, and human services leaders to maximize TANF flexibilities to provide economic and other supports to families with children who are experiencing housing instability and homelessness. OFA builds on its 2013 Information Memorandum and a 2022 report by the Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation to reemphasize collaborations, flexibilities, and opportunities available to TANF programs as they look to meet the needs of the children, youth, and families they are serving who may be experiencing housing instability. The examples proposed in this DCL support the TANF program purposes, in particular, Purpose 1: to aid needy families so that children can be cared for in their own homes or in the homes of relatives, and Purpose 2: to end the dependence of needy parents on government benefits by promoting job preparation, work, and marriage.