TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — As University of Arizona students toss their caps and prepare for life after college, many are focused on their next job or city. But for some, the most urgent concern is housing.
For 22-year-old Valeria Mendoza, graduation last spring wasn’t just a celebration — it was a turning point marked by the fear of homelessness.
"I was so scared. I was really nervous. I literally didn't know what I had to do," Mendoza said.
Mendoza has known housing instability since age 12 when she moved to the U.S. from Mexico.
"Housing was a little all over the place. I had to couch surf for a little," she recalled.
Her circumstances began to change when she connected with Youth On Their Own, or YOTO, a Tucson nonprofit that supports at-risk youth in completing high school. Mendoza said YOTO helped with college applications, scholarships, job readiness, and access to daily necessities such as shampoo and canned food.
"They really supported me, like getting my college application in, finding scholarships," she said.
Her scholarships covered housing throughout college, but when she graduated in May 2024, Mendoza once again found herself without a place to stay. At the same time, she said her lack of full-time work experience made it difficult to secure a job.
"It was like a roller coaster — coming from having to couch surf, to securing housing for four years, then having to go back again," she said. "Now that I consider myself more independent and stuff, it was really stressful for me."
Then, Point Source Youth (PSY), a national nonprofit, partnered with eight service providers across seven states — including YOTO — on a new pilot program offering direct cash assistance to young adults facing housing instability.
The Targeted Housing Assistance Program launched in Pima County in May 2024 and concluded in December, after all available funds had been distributed.
At this time, Mendoza was a volunteer at YOTO and supported the organization in finding applicants for the program when she was suddenly at risk of losing her own housing and became a recipient herself.
"I didn't know what I was going to do, so this really helped me to stay housed and continue my goals without any worries," she said.
To identify participants, YOTO surveyed alumni between the ages of 19 and 23. The survey asked about their living situations — whether they were in danger of eviction within 14 days, unsafely housed, couch surfing, or unstably staying with others. Based on those responses, 27 young adults, including Mendoza, were selected to receive support.
Each received an average of $4,629 through the one-time cash assistance program. According to findings from PSY, YOTO, and Johns Hopkins University, 89% of participants were considered “stably housed” within 30 days — meaning they either remained in their current housing without risk of eviction or were able to obtain new housing and remain secure in it.
“Just having someone to believe in you and just to give you that support was really life-changing,” Mendoza said. “Like, who goes in the world and just gives you like $4,000 with no strings attached?”
With the help of the program, Mendoza avoided homelessness, found a job and renewed her lease.
“It really was life-changing for me at the moment,” she said.
Although the implementation phase of the program has ended, YOTO is continuing to work with Point Source Youth on analyzing the results. They say they are interested in reviewing the data to determine whether to expand the effort in the future.
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Maria Staubs joined KGUN 9 as a multimedia journalist and producer in July of 2024. Her passion for writing and storytelling stems from anchoring her middle school’s news show and editing her high school’s yearbook. She holds a bachelor's degree in journalism and mass communication with a minor in film and media production, as well as a master's degree in mass communication. You can email Maria at maria.staubs@kgun9.com or reach out to her on X/Twitter or Instagram.
