HMIS: The Homelessness Management Information System is the information system designated by a local Continuum of Care (CoC) to comply with the requirements of CoC Program interim rule 24 CFR 578. It is a locally implemented data system used to record and analyze client, service, and housing data for individuals and families who are experiencing homelessness or at-risk of homelessness.

Project and Program are terms used to mean different things across the federal agencies. A program refers to the federal funding source (e.g., HUD CoC, HHS PATH, VA SSVF, etc.) whereas a project refers to a distinct unit of an organization as set up in the HMIS (e.g., Rapid Re-Housing).

Admissions (Not HUD): The measure in which an individual is admitted into a HMIS project or program. An individual can have multiple admissions once discharged from a previous program. However, an individual cannot be admitted into two projects or programs at once.

Individual Count (Not HUD): When determining the distinct count of individuals in HMIS services, reports include only the individual’s most recent admission.

HMIS Project Type (Not HUD): All programs are defined and required to fall under a HMIS Project Type. HMIS Project Types are determined by their criteria for admission, target audience, capacity, resources, and source of funding.

Emergency Shelter Entry Exit: A project that offers temporary shelter (lodging) for people experiencing homelessness in general or for specific populations of people experiencing homelessness. Requirements and limitations may vary by program and will be specified by the funder.

Emergency Shelter Night by Night: The NbN emergency shelter type may be used by some high-volume shelters and shelters where a significant proportion of clients spend a night at the shelter as needed on an irregular basis.

Permanent Supportive Housing: A project that offers permanent housing and supportive services to assist people experiencing homelessness with a disability (individuals with disabilities or families in which one adult or child has a disability) to live independently.

Transitional Housing: A project that provides temporary lodging and is designed to facilitate the movement of individuals and families experiencing homelessness into permanent housing within a specified period of time, but no longer than 24 months. Requirements and limitations may vary by program and will be specified by the funder.

Street Outreach: A project that offers services necessary to reach out to people experiencing unsheltered homelessness, connect them with emergency shelter, housing, or critical services, and provide urgent, non-facility-based care to those who are unwilling or unable to access emergency shelter, housing, or an appropriate health facility. Only persons who are residing on streets or other places not meant for habitation should be entered into a street outreach project. Projects assisting persons other than unsheltered persons.

Services Only A project that offers only Housing Project or Housing Structure Specific or Stand-Alone supportive services (other than Street Outreach or Coordinated Entry) to address the special needs of participants. Other A project that offers services, but does not provide lodging, and cannot otherwise be categorized as another project type.  

Safe Haven A project that offers supportive housing that (1) serves hard to reach people experiencing homelessness with severe mental illness who have been unsheltered and have been unwilling or unable to participate in supportive services; (2) provides 24-hour residence for eligible persons for an unspecified period; (3) has an overnight capacity limited to 25 or fewer persons; and (4) provides low demand services and referrals for the residents. 

PH – Housing Only A project that offers permanent housing for people experiencing homelessness but does not make supportive services available as part of the project. 

PH - Housing with Services (no disability required for entry) A project that offers permanent housing and supportive services to assist people experiencing homelessness to live independently but does not limit eligibility to individuals with disabilities or families in which one adult or child has a disability. 

Day Shelter A project that offers daytime facilities and services (no lodging) for people experiencing homelessness.

Homelessness Prevention- A project that offers services and/or financial assistance necessary to prevent a person from entering an emergency shelter or place not meant for human habitation. 

PH – Rapid Rehousing A permanent housing project that provides housing relocation and stabilization services and/or short- and/or medium-term rental assistance as necessary to help an individual or family experiencing homelessness move as quickly as possible into permanent housing and achieve stability in that housing. 

Coordinated Entry A project that administers the CoCs centralized or coordinated process for assessment and referral of individuals and families seeking housing or services, including use of a comprehensive and standardized assessment tool.

Project Population Type- Grouping of HMIS Project Types that serve a predominantly unique population

 Sheltered Homelessness Programs
• Emergency Shelter Entry Exit
• Day Shelter
• Emergency Shelter Night by Night
• Safe Haven

Unsheltered Homelessness Programs
• Street Outreach

Prevention of Homelessness Programs
• Coordinated Entry
• Homelessness Prevention
• Services Only Programs

Transitional Housing Programs
• Transitional Housing

Permanent Housing Programs
• Permanent Supportive Housing
• Permanent Housing – Housing Only
• Permanent Housing – Services Only
• Rapid Re-Housing
• Other