Streamlining the Rehousing Process

Optimizing Permanent Supportive Housing through Coordinated Entry

A modern apartment complex with a mix of gray, white, and red brick exteriors, featuring large windows, balconies, and landscaped greenery in the foreground under a bright blue sky.

Project Context: 

  • Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) is an effective and evidence-based solution that combines deeply affordable housing with integrated support services to reduce homelessness and improve behavioral health outcomes. 
  • Communities use Coordinated Entry Systems (CES) to refer people experiencing homelessness to PSH. The CES model was introduced by the Department of Housing and Urban Development in 2009 to standardize how people are assessed, prioritized, and referred to critical housing resources, but this model also introduced new complexities.
  • Coordinated Entry Systems require cooperation, data standardization, and performance monitoring. However, many jurisdictions lack the staff capacity and data systems necessary to closely manage their PSH stock. This can lead to long timelines for placement into PSH units while units stay vacant for months. 

How the GPL is Supporting: 

  • Conducted a national analysis of Coordinated Entry Systems and PSH providers through a survey and stakeholder interviews to examine how jurisdictions manage their PSH systems and surface shared challenges. 
  • Applying findings from this research to two technical assistance projects with local Coordinated Entry Systems where we are testing promising solutions to improve PSH utilization. This technical assistance work is focused on responding to four system improvement opportunities identified in our national research:  
    • Creating reliable, real-time data on PSH systems. 
    • Alleviating limited staff bandwidth and creating capacity for performance improvement 
    • Standardizing housing processes across providers and PSH projects. 
    • Coordinating with other housing stakeholders like Public Housing Authorities (PHAs) or Veterans Affairs (VA).
  • Convening a learning community for Coordinated Entry Systems stakeholders to learn directly from their peers about innovative approaches to Coordinated Entry. Topics include insights from research, best practices developed through technical assistance projects, and case studies of innovative jurisdictions that model effective PSH system management.