Using the law to prevent and end youth and young adult homelessness in Georgia
Our Youth Homelessness program provides free civil legal services for youth and young adults aged 12-24 at risk of or experiencing homelessness in the metro Atlanta area by advocating for their rights and clearing barriers to housing, employment, education, healthcare, and benefits.
Hosted by Alston & Bird, March 2025
Moderator: Liz Harding Chao, Founder & Executive Director of SLCY
Panelists:
Kyra Stoute, Former Chair, Atlanta Youth Action Board
Faryn Christie, Attorney, SLCY
Megan VandeBogert, CEO, HTS, Inc and Kathleen Campbell, Thrive by Hope Program Manager, HTS, Inc
Garrett Mason, Board Member and Youth Advocate, SLCY
Panel Event: How Attorneys Are Preventing & Ending Youth Homelessness in Georgia
Our Approach
Powered by Community
We partner with youth-serving organizations across the metro Atlanta area, from youth homeless service providers like CHRIS 180, Lost N Found Youth, HTS, Inc, and Youth Empowerment Success Services, to colleges and universities, student affinity groups, local nonprofits, the library system, and the local kiki ballroom scene.
Through our partnerships, we ensure that we are already present where young people are, making referrals and service pathways easier for youth to navigate.
Accessible
We break down legal barriers between young people and legal systems by educating them on their rights and increasing access to benefits and resources.
Youth-centered
We center youth leadership and lived experience to ensure we are responsive, empowering, and offering support that is grounded in young people’s needs.
Holistic
Effective legal representation includes ensuring that a young person's basic needs are met so that they can focus on achieving their hopes and dreams.
Equity-focused
We focus on reaching LGBTQIA2S+, gender expansive, and BIPOC youth because we know they experience homelessness, family separation, and system-involvement at disproportionately high rates.
Partners
Press
Media Release: Southern Legal Center for Youth Receives $25,000 Grant from the Community Foundation of Greater Atlanta to Support Youth Housing Stability
December 1, 2025
Southern Legal Center for Youth (SLCY) is proud to announce a $25,000 grant from the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta to support its Youth Homelessness Program, which is the only program of its kind in Georgia. This funding will enable the organization to expand its legal services and outreach efforts for young people experiencing housing instability across metro Atlanta.
“Access to safe and stable housing is a fundamental right, yet far too many young people face homelessness because of legal barriers that can be prevented with early intervention from an attorney,” said Liz Harding Chao, Executive Director of Southern Legal Center for Youth. “At least 3,300 youth and young adults experience homelessness on any given night in metro Atlanta. This generous grant from the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta will allow us to provide critical legal assistance to help youth and young adults navigate complex housing challenges and secure long-term stability.” Read more...
Georgia State University: Law Student Leads the Charge to End Youth Homelessness
October 9, 2024
Liz Harding (J.D. ‘26) student at Georgia State University, is excelling in her fight to end youth homelessness in Atlanta and beyond. As the founder of the Southern Legal Center for Youth (SLCY), the first legal aid organization in Georgia to provide free civil legal services specifically to young people aged 12-24 who are at risk of or currently experiencing homelessness.
Harding combines her passion for public interest law with her background in data and evaluation to address critical legal needs for young people experiencing homelessness.
Southern Legal Center for Youth is a non-profit organization whose mission is to support the health, safety, stability, and education of young people in the Southern United States by advancing their legal rights. Read more...