Case Study: The Houston Alumni and Youth (HAY) Center creates a transformative housing campus for foster youth with Gensler

The Houston Alumni and Youth (HAY) Center adds 50 residential units with Gensler

The Houston Alumni and Youth (HAY) Center, a nonprofit supporting foster youth, faced an urgent need for transitional housing. With only the capacity to house 10 youth at a time, their city-leased properties isolated young people from essential support services, leaving them vulnerable to homelessness. Partnering with architecture firm Gensler, the center sought to create a safe and stable campus to help youth achieve lasting independence.

Gensler designed a transformative 58,000-square-foot, two-building campus for The HAY Center. The solution included 50 residential units for emergency and transitional housing, alongside classrooms, support services, and communal courtyards. The new campus allows all of the nonprofit's essential programs to thrive under one roof, more than quadrupling its housing capacity. Gensler's design, which promotes community and easy transit access, addresses a critical gap in the care system and provides a secure environment for youth to transition to adulthood.

The Houston Alumni and Youth (hay) Center