Sacramento Steps Forward and partner organizations launched the Sacramento Youth Resource Guide on Sept. 30, a free mobile app that lets young people search for housing, food, health care, and other basic services from a smartphone. The tool is aimed primarily at transition-aged youth, generally ages 16-24, though anyone in the Sacramento area can use it.
How the app works
Rather than building a separate database, the app pulls its listings directly from 2-1-1 Sacramento's existing resource database, covering housing and shelter, food assistance, health and wellness, transportation, employment, education, and legal services. Users can search by keyword or location, save resources for later, and contact service providers directly from within the app. A built-in connection to 2-1-1 Sacramento lets users reach a live resource navigator when self-service search isn't enough.
Built with input from young people
The app was developed by Sacramento Steps Forward, 2-1-1 Sacramento, the tech firm SkyClutch, and the Sacramento Continuum of Care Youth Action Board, a group of young people with lived experience of housing instability. Board member Caleb Merrill said in a statement that the app "brings our community's resources into the pockets of youth" and the case managers who serve them. Geoffrey Fralick, a youth program specialist at Sacramento Steps Forward, noted that young people facing housing instability often juggle school, work, and health needs simultaneously, frequently without an established support network to guide them through the system.
What the app can and cannot do
Organizers are clear that the app does not create new housing units or expand service capacity in Sacramento. It is designed to reduce the friction of finding existing help, not to solve shortages in shelter beds, food assistance, or health care access. Sacramento Steps Forward has also produced training materials, including a video walkthrough and printable guides, to help service providers introduce the tool to the youth they assist. Funding came through California's Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention Program, with additional staffing support from the federal Youth Homelessness Demonstration Program.
Availability and feedback
The Sacramento Youth Resource Guide is available free on the Apple App Store and Google Play by searching "Sac Youth Resource Guide." More details, including download links and provider resources, are posted on the Sacramento Steps Forward website. Those seeking shelter or housing help directly can also call 2-1-1 and press 8, or dial the toll-free line at 1-844-546-1464. Organizers say they will keep gathering feedback from young users and service providers as the rollout continues.