AUSTIN (KXAN) — An Austin man who became homeless at the age of 18 — after aging out of the foster care system — is now thriving with a roof over his head.

Through a housing pilot program put on through Foster Angels of Central Texas, Darius has been given a safe place to sleep at night.

“He’s had a safe and comfortable place to sleep for over 100 days now,” Fosters Angels senior program manager Sarah Crocker said. “This has given him the opportunity to learn new things with a safety net.”

However, he’s one of many young adults who have suffered the same fate.

According to Texas CASA, 20% of youth in foster care become instantly homeless when they age out.

With skyrocketing rental prices in Austin, many of these young adults have been sleeping on the streets or bouncing between homes.

Slammed with rental assistance requests, Foster Angels recently rented out its first apartment to support young adults who have aged out of foster care with short-term housing.

The pilot program is part of a partnership with Affordable Central Texas.

In November, Darius was able to move into a fully furnished apartment in northwest Austin.

The Bridge at Northwest Hills Apartment was selected as a safe sight, located close to a grocery store and on a bus line.

This has given Darius a big boost while he focuses on his studies at Austin Community College, where he’s majoring in music production.

“I’ve seen a big change in him from day one,” Bridge at Northwest Hills property manager Cathy Rinaldi said. “He loves neighbors, he participates in our functions and it’s really nice to see him grow.”

This housing pilot programming is being privately funded by Gottesman Residential Real Estate.

Looking ahead, Foster Angels aims to add a second unit for former foster kids within the apartment complex.