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OLYMPIA—Much of Rep. Julio Cortes’ legislative focus has revolved around addressing Washington’s housing and homelessness crisis, particularly where youth are impacted. This legislative session, Washington state passed several bills to increase supply, stabilize rent and housing costs, and support those who are still unable to afford housing, including:
- HB 1217 Providing renters with predictability, stability and protection from price gouging to help working families, low-income individuals and seniors on fixed incomes.
- HB 1696 Dismantling systemic racism in the real estate industry by allowing loan forgiveness for qualifying individuals.
- HB 1899 Allowing the Department of Commerce to determine the best data available to ensure a more accurate homelessness count.
Rep. Cortes’ efforts have not gone unnoticed: after a highly competitive selection process, the Everett Democrat was named to the National Conference of State Legislatures‘ 2025 cohort of the Youth Homelessness Fellows. This program, offered at no cost to participants, brings together a bipartisan cohort of state legislators and legislative staff committed to addressing and preventing youth and young adult homelessness.
Each cohort participates in meetings designed to deepen their understanding of youth homelessness and explore evidence-based state policy solutions focused on elimination and prevention. This small group structure encourages meaningful discussions with experts and peers, and as part of the Fellows program, participants also receive individualized support to help advance their action plans.
Earlier this month (June 4-6), Rep. Cortes joined legislators and legislative staff from 17 states in Minneapolis to discuss, among other topics, aligning policies and programs with the science of adolescent brain development; the various definitions of youth homelessness, demographics and population characteristics for youth experiencing homelessness, including risk and prevention factors; policy opportunities and challenges to address vulnerable populations; and how the federal landscape affects state policymaking related to youth experiencing homelessness, as well as what states are doing to address this complex issue.
“This is a nation-wide problem and there is no surefire fix that will work for every community but seeing that many of us are actively working on solutions is reassuring,” said Cortes. “It was inspiring to join a group of bipartisan legislators from around the country and learn about different ideas, strategies and opportunities to break the cycle of youth homelessness.”
Since its launch in 2022, the program has welcomed more than 40 alumni who are now part of a growing network of policymakers leading the discussion to address youth homelessness in their states.
NCSL is the leading bipartisan organization representing the nation’s 7,386 legislators and more than 30,000 legislative staff. It provides a wide range of policy resources on youth and young adult homelessness.
To learn more about the program and to view the full list of the 2025 cohort members, visit https://www.ncsl.org/human-services/youth-homelessness-fellows-program.
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