TAMPA, Fla. — The Tampa Hillsborough Homeless Initiative is focusing its efforts on homeless youth today, conducting a specialized count aimed at better understanding the scope of youth homelessness in the community. 

The effort follows last week’s annual countywide homeless canvass. 

What You Need To Know

 Last year, more than 1 in 5 of those homeless in the Tampa area were under the age of 25

 EPIC is opening a new Common Ground Youth Hub on North Florida Avenue in Tampa to provide outreach and resources for homeless or at-risk youth

 This will. be the first youth count of homeless in Hillsborough County conducted at the Common Ground Youth Hub

For more information, visit here https://www.thhi.org/copy-of-youth-count-2026

Data from the nonprofit shows that more than one-fifth of Hillsborough County’s homeless population last year was under the age of 25 — a statistic leaders say highlights the need for more targeted outreach.

This year’s youth count is centered at a brand-new resource: the EPIC Common Ground Youth Hub on North Florida Avenue in Tampa. 

Organizers hope the hub will serve as both a gathering place for young people and a key tool in collecting more accurate data.

For Angelique Young, the issue of youth homelessness is deeply personal.

A graduate of Tampa’s Chamberlain High School, Young is now just a year away from earning her associate degree in business administration. 

But much of her childhood was marked by housing instability.

“I’ve been homeless since high school — the end of elementary school, beginning of middle school,” Young said.

She lived with her mother and siblings, often forced to move due to fraudulent landlords or properties that went into foreclosure. Despite the constant upheaval, Young said her mother pushed her to stay focused on school.

“She was like, ‘Hey, don’t worry about this, I got it,’” Young recalled. “Even though I knew she was struggling, I knew we weren’t in a good place. But having that support kept me pushing because she didn’t want me to end up in a situation like this.”

The Common Ground Youth Hub is operated by Empath Partners in Care, also known as EPIC. 

The goal is not only to identify youth experiencing homelessness, but to provide them with a safe space to connect, learn new skills and access resources.

Resource Navigator Joey Gerlak says the hub offers something many homeless teens lack — a sense of community.

“It’s helpful for youth because they can meet other people within their age range who are going through similar circumstances,” Gerlak said. “That helps them feel less alone. And the staff here — it’s our job to hear them out and listen to them.”

Youth homelessness can be difficult to track. 

Unlike adults, homeless teens are less likely to be found sleeping on the streets or staying in shelters. 

Many move from couch to couch, staying temporarily with friends or extended family. 

Others are reluctant to identify themselves as homeless.

That makes gathering accurate data especially challenging.

Organizers believe having a central, youth-focused location like the Common Ground Hub will make it easier to reach those who might otherwise go uncounted.

The Tampa Hillsborough Homeless Initiative says today’s youth count is expected to provide more reliable data than in previous years. 

Leaders stress that understanding the true depth of the problem is critical to securing additional aid and directing resources where they are most needed.

For Young, the hub represents something she didn’t have growing up — a place where young people can seek help without judgment.

“We do have people that are willing to help and just listen,” she said. “And I feel like that’s one of the main things we’re needing — just someone to listen to us.”

Organizers hope that by combining outreach, community support and improved data collection, the new youth hub will be a step toward breaking the cycle of homelessness for the next generation.