Every year in the Houston area, more than 200 youth exit the foster care system when they reach the age of 18 or graduate from high school and many will risk becoming homeless within the first two years of leaving foster care. The Hay Center has broken ground on its new $39 million campus for youth aging out of foster care.

The center will have a 41,000 square foot, 50-unit affordable housing building plus a separate 17,125 square foot facility for wraparound services related to education, employment, case management, life skills, mentoring, and housing.

The residential building will have a mix of efficiency and one-bedroom apartments as well as a community space, kitchen, small gym, business center, and private study rooms.

The center will serve homeless young adults, 18-24 years old, at or below 50 percent of the area’s median income. Five of the units will allow for a single parent and one child.

Construction is expected to take about 14 months.