SAN FRANCISCO (Map, News) - Nine San Mateo County youths who have grown too old for the foster-care system will now have a home and a way to become self-sufficient adults.

A new apartment complex for former foster youths who have turned 18 — the first of three planned in the county — opened Thursday in South San Francisco in an effort by the county to continue providing assistance to young people who have no support from adults.

Providing a home for emancipated foster youths is especially important because half of them become homeless within one year of leaving the foster-care system, said Renee Smylie, director of Children and Family Services. The Human Services Agency provides protection and support to more than 400 foster children in the county.

“Housing is a main staple of someone’s life — you can’t focus on a job or education or being self-sufficient if you’re worried where you [are] going to put your head at night,” Smylie said.

The new homes come rent-free for youths who are either working or studying full time. Its residents — who are being selected through an interview process by the county — will also learn how to open a bank account, cook dinner and other life skills that will help them grow into fully functioning adults, according to Smylie. The youths will only be able to stay in the homes for two years, after which they can participate in other life-skills programs offered by the county.

“We have to keep helping them so they can get into good colleges, have opportunity to find good jobs and learn good trades,” South San Francisco Mayor Pedro Gonzalez said.

San Mateo County purchased the apartment complex, located at 701 Grand Ave., with the assistance of South San Francisco. The other two homes for former foster youths will be located in East Palo Alto and an undetermined site in the county, officials said.

The youths will have a resident adviser at the complex who is herself a former foster youth. The adviser, Shameka West, a student at San Francisco State University, entered the foster-care system when she was 2 years old.

“Most former foster youth don’t have any stable housing, they are not getting income, and for the most part they don’t have any basic skills or don’t know where to turn for help,” said West, 21, who is pursuing a criminal justice degree with a minor in Africana Studies. “Transitional housing that the county is providing really helps — it’s some sort of stability that’s needed to become independent.”

svasilyuk@examiner.com

Comments from Examiner Readers

1:38 PM MST on Sat., Jan. 19, 2008 re: "Governor seeks 1,000 foster parents"

Examiner Reader said:
Only one good parent is needed for each good child. BRAC has nothing to do with our educational system. BRAC gets their own schools. These foster kids have always been dysfuntional and no one can handle them in the past. The parental training program suggested is the first to ever have any kind of progress. Thats a proud accomplishent. No drugs, ever for these children.

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1:16 PM MST on Sat., Jan. 19, 2008 re: "Governor seeks 1,000 foster parents"

Examiner Reader said:
Recruiting more foster parents is a great start, but it is only one part of the solution. A fundamental chamge in our education system are the best chances of moving this society forward. If the Gov tried these he couls realize his stated goals. Mandatory school uniforms; longer school days and year -round school with a revised curriculum that includes "mandatory" social skills, physical education and arts as part of the curriculum); a comprehensive truancy program, and return of the Public Technical Schools (paid for with private dollars). BRAC will require electricians, plumbers, motor vehicle repair persons, welders, brick masons, heating/air conditioning, appliance repair persons, and etc on an on-going basis. These jobs will pay more than any street-level drug dealer could ever make, and they are much safer.

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12:07 PM MST on Sat., Jan. 19, 2008 re: "Governor seeks 1,000 foster parents"

Examiner Reader said:
Some sick people to watch out for, minds are in the gutter, best to do a backround check on 11:13.

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11:50 AM MST on Sat., Jan. 19, 2008 re: "Governor seeks 1,000 foster parents"

Examiner Reader said:
When the government starts paying for these childrens lives, only then will they have a say so in their present, past and future. As a matter of a fact tehy may just run away and waste all of our tax money. Thats usually the case.

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11:13 AM MST on Sat., Jan. 19, 2008 re: "Governor seeks 1,000 foster parents"

Examiner Reader said:
Will these be same race placements? Placements within the same community? Those are crucial issues. Or will this become an effort to redistribute foster children to other jurisdictions, communities and schools. Is the goal to seek 1,000 affluent Black families just like they want a 1,000 educated Black males to mentor. How did that project go?

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8:48 AM MST on Sat., Jan. 19, 2008 re: "Governor seeks 1,000 foster parents"

Examiner Reader said:
Beleive this solution and care when you see it. Our tax dollars finally to good use with the cost of living increase.

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8:20 AM MST on Sat., Jan. 19, 2008 re: "Governor seeks 1,000 foster parents"

Examiner Reader said:
Foster parents, hmmmmmmmmm , Maybe O'malley and his judge wife can take on a couple of someone elses kids. She can bring them home right from the courthouse. Its an ideal situation for her.

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8:16 AM MST on Sat., Jan. 19, 2008 re: "Governor seeks 1,000 foster parents"

Examiner Reader said:
Everytime theres a problem O'malley's answer is to spend more money on yet another compain. Why not HOLD PARENTS RESPONSIBLE. Theres already laws but he won't inforce them.

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8:12 AM MST on Sat., Jan. 19, 2008 re: "Governor seeks 1,000 foster parents"

Examiner Reader said:
Many foster children come with issues. They can become a negative influence in the home and most importantly on the birth child of the parents. These are children who often have been traumatized and were born into situations that no child should be born into. Many people are unwilling to put their families and especially their children at risk.

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7:33 AM MST on Sat., Jan. 19, 2008 re: "Governor seeks 1,000 foster parents"

Examiner Reader said:
Most of these problems come from Baltimore City where they refuse to be fixed.

And if being a foster-parent is such a good idea, how come the three appointees that O'Malley brought with him to Annapolis -- the ones with the cabinet level salaries but not the cabinet level positions -- don't become foster parents? Better yet? Why doesn't O'Malley become a foster parent?

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6:58 AM MST on Sat., Jan. 19, 2008 re: "Governor seeks 1,000 foster parents"

Examiner Reader said:
Oh Yeah, this brillant idea will stop crime. Give me a break. O'Malley has gone crazy in his mind.

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5:45 AM MST on Sat., Jan. 19, 2008 re: "Governor seeks 1,000 foster parents"

Examiner Reader said:
For most people it isn't the money that prevents them from taking in a foster kid. It is the intrusion of the government in every other aspect of their lives: medical, psychological, financial. It isn't enough to give the kids love, and devotion, and a safe place to stay. You have to give up privacy too.

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