["Journal of Community Psychology, Volume 54, Issue 3, April 2026. ", "\nABSTRACT\nYouth homelessness is widely studied, yet little research traces developmental housing pathways across time. This study used a life‐course lens to explore how youth navigate instability from childhood into emerging adulthood, and how connection, structure, and meaning‐making shape recovery. By mapping temporal movement, we identify turning points that shift trajectories toward stability. Eight youth (ages 21–26) enrolled in a cash‐transfer program participated in Life History Calendar interviews to reconstruct housing trajectories and contextual life events. Transcripts and calendars were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis, incorporating within‐case mapping and cross‐case comparison. Eight interrelated themes traced developmental pathways into and out of homelessness. Early instability stemmed from caregiving rupture, institutional displacement, and accumulated adversity. Adolescence was marked by survival‐based autonomy, mistrust, and systems that supported and surveilled simultaneously. In emerging adulthood, youth rebuilt connections through peers, identity‐affirming community, and structured housing programs. Recovery was anchored in belonging, stability, and meaning‐making rather than individual effort alone. Youth homelessness unfolds as a developmental process shaped by intersecting trauma, inequity, and adaptive coping. Findings highlight the need for policies and interventions that reduce surveillance barriers and expand identity‐affirming, autonomy‐supportive housing models. Developmentally grounded support may strengthen long‐term stability and engagement.\n"]