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Homeless Services Glossary of Terms
Term Abbv. Defini�on
Area Median Income AMI The midpoint of a specific area’s income distribution and is calculated on an annual basis by the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Using AMI benchmarks for renter eligibility is typically a requirement if your property benefits under the Low-Income Housing Tax Credits, or LIHTC, program.
Board and Care Non–medical facilities that provide room, meals, housekeeping, supervision, storage and distribution of medication, and personal care assistance with basic activities like hygiene, dressing, eating, bathing, and transferring. Similar to assisted living, except most often at a smaller scale. For those who don’t want to be in a large facility and prefer more of an intimate/home like feel. Usually 4-6 rooms.
Bridge Housing A sheltering opportunity when an individual has a scheduled move in date or program entrance. Designed to get people sheltered as they wait for their upcoming move in/entrance date.
By Name List BNL A comprehensive list of every person in a community experiencing homelessness, updated in real time.
California Interagency Council
on Homelessness
Cal ICH Oversees the implementation of Housing First guidelines and regulations, and identify resources, benefits, and services to prevent and end homelessness in California.
Camping The use of public property for living accommodations purposes such as sleeping activities, or preparations to sleep (including the laying down of bedding for the purpose of sleeping), or storing personal belongings (including but not limited to clothing, sleeping bags, bedrolls, blankets, sheets, luggage, backpacks, kitchen utensils, cookware, and similar material) or making any fire or using any tents or other structure for sleeping or carrying on cooking activities, or living in a parked vehicle. (VMC 9.20.202)
Coordinated Entry System CES An evidence-based strategy that focuses on housing and service coordination designed to link homeless people to the most appropriate housing solution based on their needs. Coordinated by the RTFH via Clarity.
Chronically Homeless Lives in a place not meant for human habitation, a safe haven, or in an emergency shelter, and has been homeless and living as described for at least 12 months or on at least 4 separate occasions in the last 3 years with the combined occasions equal to at least 12 months and each break in homelessness separating the occasions included at least 7 consecutive nights of not living as described.
Clarity The HMIS used by San Diego County's CoC
Continuum of Care CoC Responsibilities of a CoC include designating and operating an HMIS, coordinating the implementation of a housing and service system within its geographic area that meets the needs of the individuals and families who experience homelessness there, and designing and implementing the process associated with applying for CoC Program funds.
Diversion Tasks designed to assist persons experiencing and at-risk of homelessness before the necessity to access CES and other more
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intensive resources. Usually consists of problem solving, utilizing resources available to the individual, including reaching out to family, support networks, community and others for support.
Encampment Encampment: One or more temporary, makeshift, or hand-built structures not intended for long-term continuous occupancy, including tents, that are used to shelter one or more persons or their belongings and that are not authorized by the property owner.
Encampment includes any camp paraphernalia and personal property associated with or located in or around the structures or tents; or a group of individuals that habitually sleep with or without shelter structures in a public or private space.
Engaged
Individuals that are working towards service goals in your homeless outreach program.
Enrolled Any individual in your service area that is qualified for your homeless outreach program. Should be enrolled in Clarity with whatever information is available.
Encampment Resolution
Funding
ERF $750 million competitive grant program available to assist local jurisdictions in ensuring the wellness and safety of people experiencing homelessness in encampments by providing services and supports that address their immediate physical and mental wellness and result in meaningful paths to safe and stable housing. (California) Housing and
Community Development
HCD Helps to provide stable, safe homes affordable to veterans, seniors, young families, farm workers, tribes, people with disabilities, and individuals and families experiencing homelessness.
High Barrier When programs/shelters have requirements that may affect whether someone will be eligible for the program or not. Sobriety, medication compliance, mandatory case management are common barriers.
Homeless Management
Information System
HMIS A mandatory data management system required by CoCs to be in compliance with HUD funding. HMIS is a local information technology system used to collect client-level data and data on the provision of housing and services to individuals and families at risk of and experiencing homelessness. Each CoC is responsible for selecting an HMIS software solution that complies with HUD's data collection, management, and reporting standards.
Homeless/Street Outreach Searching for and connecting with individuals living in situations not intended for human habitation with the intention of getting those individuals off the street and into shelter/housing/programs.
Homeless Preven�on Services provided to keep individuals in their current housing situa�on. Usually consists of paying for past due rent/mortgage/bills and provide case management to help stabilize and prevent another similar incident from happening.
(United States Department
of) Housing and Urban
Development
HUD One of the executive departments of the U.S. federal government. It administers federal housing and urban development laws.
Immediate Threat The subject poses a risk of instant physical harm or imminent danger to public health or safety.
Low Barrier When programs/shelters minimize the requirements for entrance into the program/shelter to be able to accommodate as many people as possible.
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People/person experiencing
homelessness
PEH It’s best practices to not call someone "homeless" but to say "they are experiencing homelessness".
Permanent Supportive
Housing
PSH A type of permanent housing that provides long-term rental subsidies and Intensive Case Management Services (ICMS) to individuals who have experienced chronic homelessness and have disabilities, chronic medical and/or behavioral health conditions. Often placed through CES.
Permanent Local Housing
Allocation Program
PLHA Provides funding to local governments in California for housing- related projects and programs that assist in addressing the unmet housing needs of their local communities.
Rapid Re-Housing RRH Short to medium term move-in and rental assistance with case management meant to rapidly move individuals into housing and help keep them there. Done through CES.
Regional Task Force on
Homelessness
RTFH San Diego County's CoC.
Shelter/Navigation Center A safe and welcoming place where PEH can temporarily reside to be able to work towards housing goals and be removed from the elements.
Supportive Services for
Veteran Families
SSVF A program similar to RRH through the VA. Short-Medium term rental assistance with case management. Designed to create housing stability
Veterans Affairs Supportive
Housing
VASH HUD-VASH is a collaborative program which pairs HUD’s Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) rental assistance with VA case management and supportive services for homeless Veterans. These services are designed to help homeless Veterans and their families find and sustain permanent housing and access the health care, mental health treatment, substance use counseling, and other supports necessary to help them in their recovery process and with their ability to maintain housing in the community.
Vulnerability Index – Service
Priori�za�on Decision
Assistance Tool
VI-
SPDAT
A survey administered both to individuals and families to determine risk and priori�za�on when providing assistance to homeless and at-risk of homelessness persons. Done through CES.
Defini�ons of Homelessness
Category 1 Literally Homeless (1) Individual or family who lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate nigh�me residence, meaning: (i) Has a primary
nigh�me residence that is a public or private place not meant for human habita�on; (ii) Is living in a publicly or privately operated shelter designated to provide
temporary living arrangements (including congregate
shelters, transi�onal housing, and hotels and motels paid for by charitable organiza�ons or by federal, state and local government programs); or (iii) Is exi�ng an
ins�tu�on where (s)he has resided for 90 days or less and who resided in an emergency shelter or place not meant
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for human habita�on immediately before entering that
ins�tu�on
Category 2 Imminent Risk of Homelessness (2) Individual or family who will imminently lose their primary nigh�me residence, provided that: (i) Residence will be lost within 14 days of the date of applica�on for homeless assistance; (ii) No subsequent residence has
been iden�fied; and (iii) The individual or family lacks the resources or support networks needed to obtain other
permanent housing
Category 3 Homeless under other Federal statutes (3) Unaccompanied youth under 25 years of age, or families with children and youth, who do not otherwise
qualify as homeless under this defini�on, but who: (i) Are defined as homeless under the other listed federal
statutes; (ii) Have not had a lease, ownership interest, or occupancy agreement in permanent housing during the
60 days prior to the homeless assistance applica�on; (iii) Have experienced persistent instability as measured by
two moves or more during in the preceding 60 days; and
(iv) Can be expected to con�nue in such status for an
extended period of �me due to special needs or barriers Category 4 Fleeing/ Atemp�ng to Flee DV (4) Any individual or family who: (i) Is fleeing, or is atemp�ng to flee, domes�c violence; (ii) Has no other
residence; and (iii) Lacks the resources or support
networks to obtain other permanent housing