Transitions to Adulthood of Children in Subsidized Housing

Yana Kucheva, University of California, Los Angeles

Early adulthood is a demographically dense period characterized by multiple short-spaced transitions to higher education, marriage, parenthood, employment and independent living. It is a period when young adults “[try] out various life possibilities and gradually [move] toward making enduring decisions” (Arnett 2000, 473). However, the life circumstances of many young people may compel them to adopt adult roles at earlier ages or limit the types of transitions they can make (Keller et al. 2007). This paper will first examine the timing and types of transitions to adulthood of children who grew up in subsidized housing. Second, it will shed light on the degree to which the subsidized housing program reproduces itself by examining the frequency with which children who lived in subsidized apartments utilize housing subsidies as adults.