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Examining efforts to address youth homelessness in metro Detroit

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(WXYZ) — In tonight's 7 UpFront segment we're examining efforts to address youth homelessness, particularly the One Night Without a Bed effort that continues throughout the month of December.

Joining us to talk about it is the founder and CEO of Detroit Phoenix Center Courtney Smith.

You can see the full interview in the video player above.

"Youth homelessness is definitely a hidden crisis here in our city," Smith says. "On any given night across the United States, there are 34,210 young people who are experiencing homelessness. Because it is such a hidden crisis it is often hard to identify the young people because they have to self-identify. They may be living doubled up, couch surfing, living in shelters, house sitting, they may be in abandoned buildings, they may be transient, maybe living in homes with no running water or heat. It is definitely a hidden crisis here."