General Background Information

Featured Article

Ending homelessness just got more complicated

By The Editorial Board
March 19, 2017
The Sacramento Bee

Danny Rasmussen, 69, has lived along the American River for 15 years. Sacramento is on the verge of implementing a new plan to address homelessness, although it would depend heavily on uncertain pools of federal funding. Paul Kitagaki Jr. – pkitagaki@sacbee.com Read more here

Articles

Factsheets

Links to homeless resource organizations

 

General Information: Tools

  • Addressing Tuberculosis Among People Experiencing Homelessness - Slides from 4/17/14 webinar (2014, US Interagency Council on Homelessness)
    PRESENTATIONS / VIDEOS
    Overview of work being done at the national and local level to prevent and address TB among people experiencing homelessness and those working with homeless populations.
    View

Online Tools

  • The electronic grants management system managed by HUD’s Office of Special Needs Assistance Programs (SNAPS) is known as e-snaps. It supports the annual Continuum of Care (CoC) Program Application and the Annual Performance Reporting (APR).
  • The Homelessness Data Exchange (HDX) is an online data submission tool for reporting to HUD. The HDX allows Continuums of Care nationwide to submit data on the Housing Inventory Count (HIC), Point-in-Time (PIT) Count, Annual Homeless Assessment Report (AHAR)
  • The Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) is a local information technology system used to collect client-level data and data on the provision of housing and services to homeless individuals and families and persons at risk of homelessness.
  • As a nationwide database, the Integrated Disbursement and Information System (IDIS) provides HUD with current information regarding the program activities underway across the Nation, including funding data. HUD uses this information to report to Congress and to monitor grantees.
  • The Point-in-Time (PIT) count is a count of sheltered and unsheltered homeless persons on a single night in January. HUD requires that Continuums of Care conduct an annual count of homeless persons who are sheltered in emergency shelter, transitional housing, and Safe Havens on a single night. Continuums of Care also must conduct a count of unsheltered homeless persons every other year (odd numbered years). Each count is planned, coordinated, and carried out locally.
  • The Annual Homeless Assessment Report (AHAR) is a HUD report to the U.S. Congress that provides nationwide estimates of homelessness, including information about the demographic characteristics of homeless persons, service use patterns, and the capacity to house homeless persons.
  • The Homelessness Analytics Initiative (HAI)—a collaboration between the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)—is intended to provide users with access to national, state, and local information about homelessness among the general population, homelessness among Veterans, risk and protective factors for homelessness, services and resources.
  • A state-by-state look at homeless demographics and contacts for further assistance.
  • What is the basic knowledge that every direct service provider needs to know? The Homelessness Resource Center reviews need-to-know training topics to help service providers do their jobs.
  • Ending homelessness for families and children is a priority for the nation and each community. By providing the right amount of assistance to help families obtain or regain permanent housing as quickly as possible and ensuring access to services to remain stably housed, achieving an end to family homelessness is possible.
  • A site for kids who have seen homeless people on the street and want to know who they are and how they can help them.