The city is set to fund a major expansion of queer youth programs in the Castro, from housing and health services to employment assistance and mental health and substance abuse programs. If approved by both the Board of Supervisors and the mayor as expected, $750,000 in next year's budget will be divided among six different providers to fund the various programs.

Pushed by Supervisor Bevan Dufty and the sextet of agencies, the funding has been packaged under the title "Community Partnership for LGBTQQ Youth." The funding closely matches the programs that queer homeless youth wanted as part of the LGBT Community Center's Youth Empowerment Team report issued in January. The survey found that homeless queer youths' top needs are safe housing and jobs along with access to healthcare.

The partnership plan is an outgrowth of three years of networking and discussions among Dufty and officials from Larkin Street Youth Services, the LGBT Community Center, the Lavender Youth Recreation and Information Center, the queer youth program at the Eureka Valley Recreation Center, Dimensions Clinic, and New Leaf: Services for Our Community.

"I think this will be a watershed in terms of how we address the needs of our youth and transitional young adults," said Dufty, who especially thanked Supervisor Chris Daly, chair of the board's budget committee this year, for backing the proposal. "I am so grateful that we are really going to take services for LGBTQ youth in a positive direction this year. It is better than anything we've ever seen before."

The five-member budget committee unanimously approved the proposal last week and only one more supervisor is needed to include the plan in the budget and send it to Mayor Gavin Newsom for final approval.

"I cannot imagine these funds being jeopardized, but it won't be finalized for another three

Rec and Park General Manager Yomi Agunbiade. Photo: Rick Gerharter

The plan calls for $341,000 to be spent on housing, including expanding the Castro Youth Housing Initiative at the Perramount Hotel on Market Street from 10 to 20 beds; renting three market-rate, three-bedroom apartments in the Castro area; and hiring an outreach counselor and case manager to work with the youth. Larkin Street will oversee the housing programs.

The plan allocates $90,625 for expanding an employment program at LYRIC to place 15 youth in job training positions with local nonprofits and public sector agencies. Dimensions Clinic would receive $55,892 in order to double its clinic hours by either expanding to a second evening or weekend day hours to be determined by the needs of the youth.

The LGBT Community Center is slated to receive $82,500 to staff a queer youth program at the Eureka Valley Recreation Center on Saturdays and to pay for the staffing and food supplies needed to run its Tuesday night meal program. Another $180,000 would be split between LYRIC to provide case management services and the community center to provide 16 to 24 hours a week of activities and programs for LGBTQQI youth ages 24 and under.

New director for EVRC queer youth program

Last week the Recreation and Parks Department also confirmed the hiring of Karla Rosales to oversee the EVRC queer youth program. Rosales replaces Mitcho Thompson who is retiring on July 14 as director of the program after 10 years.

Thompson helped launched the program a decade ago and had postponed his retirement three times while the department dragged its feet on naming his replacement. In June, after the department issued a booklet on summer programs that omitted the EVRC queer youth program, Thompson expressed concerns to rec and park officials – as well as Dufty – that the program would shut down if the position were left vacant after he left.

"I did complain and no one seems to know why that happened," said Thompson in a June interview about the omission in the program book. "My concern is if I am not here, it will completely shut down."

Eryk Washburn, 26, a peer facilitator for the youth program, also said at the time that he, too, became concerned about the program's future after it did not appear in the department's summer guide.

"It makes me think they are trying to just end it," said Washburn, who recently transitioned out of the Perramount housing program into his own apartment in a new building on Sixth Street.

After the Bay Area Reporter inquired about staffing for the program, Dufty and Rec and Park Director Yomi Agunbiade confirmed on Friday, June 30 that Rosales, an out lesbian filmmaker and poet who runs the department's latchkey program, would start on July 15. Dufty had been pushing for Rosales to be given the position since late 2005.

"We are always looking to find the best people for the right programs. We think Karla will be great. She has some great ideas to make that program work," said Agunbiade, who added he was unsure why the department's summer booklet does not list the youth program or any other LGBT-related programs at EVRC. "The next program would be for fall programming. It is something Karla will make sure happens going forward."

Washburn said the rec department needs to maintain the EVRC program because it provides a rare respite for queer youth in the Castro.

"It is vitally important. We see at least 40 people a day who are either homeless or in shelters or on the street. It is a safe space where they can relax from the mentality of the streets where you have to think about how to survive," he said.