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State Rep. Daniel Pae (R-Lawton) has been selected as one of 24 participants in the 2025 National Conference of State Legislatures Youth Homelessness Fellows Program.
This initiative brings together lawmakers and staff from across the U.S. to gain insights, share strategies, and collaborate on solutions to reduce youth homelessness, which has surged by nearly 40% in Oklahoma over the past five years.
In June 2025, Pae attended sessions in Minneapolis, focusing on understanding the scope of youth homelessness and exploring ways to combat it. He sat down with The Frontier to discuss what he learned, his legislative plans, and why this issue resonates deeply with him.
Pae’s Personal Motivation for Taking on the Issue
Pae explained that his interest in housing policy stems from personal experience as a renter and future homeowner. Rising costs of living and inflation, he said, are pushing people—especially students and youth—into housing insecurity.
“It breaks my heart that children, who are just trying to get through school, also have to worry about where they’ll sleep at night,” Pae said. “This shouldn’t happen in America.”
Hearing from Oklahoma constituents working in housing and youth services made Pae realize the urgency of taking action.
Key Insights from National Youth Homelessness Fellowship
During his time with the program, Pae identified three critical takeaways:
- Youth homelessness is a nationwide crisis, not just isolated to urban centers.
- Policy reform matters just as much as funding—laws must support public-private partnerships.
- At the federal level, shifting legislation around programs like Medicaid and SNAP could hinder current efforts to help homeless youth. Pae emphasized the importance of preserving effective initiatives despite political uncertainty.
Upcoming Legislative Priorities and Interim Study
Pae has proposed an interim study on youth homelessness, pending approval from the Speaker’s office. This aligns with a broader review planned by the Oklahoma Commission on Children and Youth, which aims to explore how to expand access to early childhood education, basic resources, and high school completion support for homeless youth.
“We need proactive investment,” said Pae. “Ignoring the issue won’t fix it—supporting these young people early on will benefit us all long-term.”
Holistic Solutions for a Statewide Challenge
Pae believes Oklahoma’s approach must be comprehensive, blending efforts from government, nonprofits, and the private sector. He cited the youth shelter Pivot in Oklahoma City as an example of effective community collaboration.
His goal is to ensure youth homelessness is addressed in both urban and rural areas, recognizing the economic disparities that exist across different regions of the state.
Potential Regional Collaboration and Compact Models
Looking ahead, Pae is open to exploring interstate collaboration, such as forming a Southwest compact to pool resources and develop joint solutions to the youth homelessness crisis. He believes regional partnerships can enhance effectiveness and broaden impact.
“Let’s stop working in silos. A unified strategy could make a real difference,” Pae noted.
Calls for Increased Resources and Community Engagement
Pae strongly supports increasing funding and resources for programs that serve homeless youth. He highlighted challenges such as food deserts and economic inequality that contribute to the problem, especially in underserved parts of the state.
He also called on community members to volunteer or donate to shelters and services, emphasizing that youth homelessness requires a collective effort.
Listening to Lived Experiences to Shape Policy
Pae plans to include voices of those who have first-hand experience with homelessness in his interim study. He believes that hearing these stories is critical to crafting policy that truly makes an impact.
“Their experiences are powerful and humanizing,” he said. “It reminds us that our work at the Capitol directly affects real lives.”
Why Everyone Should Care About Youth Homelessness
For Pae, youth homelessness is not a partisan issue—it’s a societal responsibility.
“Young people are our future,” he said. “When we invest in them today, we’re building a better society for tomorrow. This isn’t about politics—it’s about compassion, opportunity, and doing what’s right.”
Rep. Daniel Pae is bringing national knowledge and local passion together to address Oklahoma’s growing youth homelessness crisis.
By promoting collaboration, focusing on early intervention, and amplifying the voices of impacted youth, he hopes to drive meaningful change.
With pending studies, regional partnerships, and grassroots support, Oklahoma has the potential to become a model for compassionate, proactive policy that protects its most vulnerable young residents.