Lesson 2: Homeless Eligibility & Project Types/Activities

Category 1: Literally Homeless- Individual or family who lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence​

• Has a primary nighttime residence that is a public or private place not meant for human habitation; or​

• Is living in a publicly or privately operated shelter designated to provide temporary living arrangements (including congregate shelters, transitional housing, and hotels and motels paid for by charitable organizations or by federal, state and local government programs); or​

• Is exiting an institution where (s)he has resided for 90 days or less and who resided in an emergency shelter or place not meant for human habitation immediately before entering that institution.​

Category 2: Imminent Risk of Homelessness- Individual or family who will imminently lose their primary nighttime residence, provided that: ​

• Residence will be lost within 14 days of the date of application for homeless assistance; ​

• No subsequent residence has been identified; and​

• The individual or family lacks the resources or support networks needed to obtain other permanent housing. ​

Category 3: Homeless Under other Federal Statutes- Unaccompanied youth under 25 years of age, or families with Category 3 children and youth, who do not otherwise qualify as homeless, but who: ​

• Are defined as homeless under the other listed federal statutes;​

• Have not had a lease, ownership interest in permanent housing during the 60 days prior to the homeless assistance application; ​

• Have experienced persistent inability as measured by two moves or more during in the preceding 60 days; and​

• Can be expected to continue such status for an extended period of time due to special needs or barriers.

Category 4: Fleeing/Attempting to Flee Domestic Violence- Any individual or family who:​

• Is experiencing trauma or lack of safety related to, or fleeing, or is attempting to flee domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, or other dangerous, traumatic, or life-threatening conditions related to the violence against the individual or a family or individuals current housing situation, including where the health and safety of children are jeopardized; ​

• Has no other residence; and​

• Lacks the resources or support networks to obtain other permanent housing.​

Determining/Documenting Disability Status: This is required only when a disability is required for entry into a program.

Chronic Homelessness: Evidence of chronic homelessness must be documented by either 3rd party verification or intake worker observation.

Chronic Homelessness is defined as:

• A homeless individual with a disability who lives in a place not meant for human habitation, a safe haven, or in an emergency shelter and has been homeless at least 12 months or on at least 4 separate occasions in the last 3 years (as long as the combined time is at least 12 months and each break in homelessness separating occasions included at least 7 consecutive nights of living as noted before.)

• An individual who has been residing in an institutional care facility (including jail, substance abuse or mental health treatment facility, hospital or other similar facility) for fewer than 90 days and met all the criteria mentioned in the first bullet.

• A family with an adult head of household (or if no adult, a minor head of household) who meets all of the criteria of bullet 11, including a family whose composition has fluctuated while the head of household has been homeless.

• HUD has also created a flowchart to show the Definition of Chronic Homelessness.