Young homeless adults looking for relief can now get help in Tompkins County.

Tompkins Community Action is now welcoming 18-to-25 year old adults into their Amici house, giving them a place to live and giving them much needed support.

“We have staff that will work young people on their goals, education finishing their… their high school diplomas or their GED’s,” said TC Action Executive Director Lee Dillon. 

Dillon said the building puts a dent in the county’s homeless. Many of those homeless are teens and young adults, not sleeping on the streets, but couch surfing.

“Last year there was over 300 between the ages of 16 and 24 who identified as having unstable housing in the county," said Neoma Mullens, Leaning Web Executive Director.

Mullens said many are still on waiting lists. But bringing in some of those into Amici house helps combat the homeless issue. Amici House can hold around 50 families.

“We have 19 rooms that can fit two people and four rooms that can fit three people.” Dillon said. 

And like many other residential buildings, it didn’t take long for people to start moving in. As of Monday, they moved in 11 families and on Wednesday they added an additional six.

“You can see it on faces when people move in. When they see their apartment for the first time and they get their key and you’re excited," said Housing and Energy Director Danielle Harrington. 

The 23 new housing units are partly furnished and offer such comforts as furniture but also a bed that’s done up with fresh linens.

“Really the people moving in and have me be a backpack and some stuff. They don’t have their, coming from the streets, the shelter, people’s couches,” Harrington said. 

But it’s not a free ride. Residents put part of their income towards rent. Harrington mentioned the ultimate goal is for them not to return to homelessness. Along with education, they’ll be teaching them life skills.

“They makes a dent but there’s still quite a few units in the county who need affordable housing.” Mullens said. 

But the hope is that Amici isn’t the last project. Moving forward, they hope to build a youth emergency shelter.  

Tompkins Community Action also offers other services like Family Literature, Home Energy Audits, and a food pantry.