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Coordinated Entry Policies

By Name List Eligibility Policy (revised 03.18.24)

Any household experiencing homelessness within the Eastern Pennsylvania CoC's geographic region is eligible for HUD-funded Rapid Re-Housing (RRH) and Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) programs.

Experiencing homelessness means that a household's current living situation (on the night before contacting Coordinated Entry) is one of the following:

• Living and sleeping outside or in places not meant for human habitation
• Fleeing or attempting to flee domestic violence or human trafficking 
• Staying in an emergency shelter
• Staying in a hotel or motel paid for by a charitable organization or government program or,
• Exiting an institution (ex. jail, prison, a psychiatric hospital, medical hospital, or drug/alcohol treatment program) after staying there for no more than 90 days and having been homeless before entering that institution

Households can only access the CoC's RRH and PSH programs by contacting the Coordinated Entry Call Center (211) or visiting a regional Coordinated Entry Access Site for intake, assessment, and placement on the By Name List in PA HMIS. Coordinated Entry does not provide direct services like housing, financial assistance, or case management. Further, By Name List placement does not guarantee housing or services because the need for these programs far outweighs the current resources available to CoC housing providers.

Emergency Shelter Eligibility Policy (revised 03.18.24)

Any household experiencing literal homelessness within the Eastern Pennsylvania CoC's geographic region is eligible for a referral from Coordinated Entry to one or more Emergency Shelters for which they meet the eligibility criteria. 

Experiencing homelessness means that a household's current living situation (on the night before contacting Coordinated Entry) is one of the following: 

• Living and sleeping outside or in places not meant for human habitation
• Fleeing or attempting to flee domestic violence or human trafficking
• Exiting an institution (ex. jail, prison, a psychiatric hospital, medical hospital, or drug/alcohol treatment program) after staying there for no more than 90 days and having been homeless before entering that institution

The Eastern PA CoC region does not have enough Emergency Shelter beds, case managers, or programs to refer people who are at a risk of becoming homeless. 

However, any household at imminent risk of becoming homeless may be referred to one or more Homelessness Prevention programs for which they meet the eligibility criteria. 

Being at imminent risk for homelessness means that a household's residence will be lost within 14 days of the date of application for homeless assistance, the household has not identified another residence, and the household lacks the resources or support networks needed to obtain other permanent housing. In addition, veterans may be referred to Supportive Services for Veterans Families (SSVF) if their residence will be lost within 30 days. 

Coordinated Entry Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Are Transitional Housing participants eligible for By Name List placement?

No. Transitional housing facilitates the movement of homeless individuals and families to permanent housing within 24 months of entering the program (see 24 CFR 578.37(a)(2)). For a program to be considered transitional housing, the participant must have a lease or occupancy agreement for a term of at least one month that ends in 24 months and cannot be extended (unless approved by HUD). Therefore, households enrolled in Transitional Housing programs do not meet the criteria for experiencing homelessness. 

Although the HUD Category 1 definition of homelessness include "transitional housing" as an example of lacking "a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence," this phrase is referencing more broadly any temporary housing project whose primary intent of the program is to serve homeless persons and whose actual program clients are predominantly homeless. 

However, many programs operating within the CoC's geographic region are called transitional housing but do not meet the 24 CFR 578.37(a)(2) or the Category 1 definition. The CoC is not required to place households on the By Name List who are enrolled in programs called transitional housing that act like emergency shelters but are not registered and identified on its official Housing Inventory Count as Emergency Shelter.