What is Coordinated Entry?

The US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has required every Continuum of Care (CoC) to operate a CE system since 2014. A centralized CE system improves the efficient distribution of resources and allows communities to gather valuable data about who is being served, what resources are needed, and how equitably those resources are distributed. This information helps CoCs make informed decisions about how to best support the community.

Instead of calling individual providers for services, each with their own rules and waitlists, CE is a standardized process that connects people to an array of services from different organizations. The goal of the CE system is to assist in allocating resources efficiently, equitably, and transparently. It also serves to simplify the process for individuals seeking assistance.

When someone has a housing crisis and accesses the CE system, the first step in the process is for CE staff to do an assessment of their situation. In particular, CE staff seek to find out what the person needs to resolve their housing crisis. First, if the client is not already homeless, CE staff assess whether homelessness can be prevented. If not, the CE staff then give a housing needs assessment to the client and their needs and vulnerability are assessed.

Following the housing needs assessment, clients are referred to emergency shelters, transitional housing, as well as to other community resources as available. Clients who are literally homeless are included in a community by-name list, from which households are matched to available housing resources following the CoC’s prioritization policy and local housing eligibility. Rapid Rehousing (RRH) and Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) programs require certain documents, like documentation of literal homelessness, proof of income, completion of a vulnerability index assessment, among other documents. Lastly, based on their vulnerability and fit with particular programs, eligible individuals and families may be matched to RRH and PSH referrals. If an unit becomes available and the household completes the remaining steps, they can move into their new home.

It’s important to note though that coordinated entry is not a guarantee of housing. There is a far greater demand for housing than supply. People experiencing homelessness often must wait extended periods of time before they are matched to housing. In September 2026, the median time to housing from a referral was 196 days.

CE is also not a first-come, first-served waitlist. People experiencing homelessness are prioritized based on vulnerability, which is measured by a number of factors, rather than how long they have been waiting. It’s also worth noting that the system is not perfect. The CoC is constantly looking for ways to improve their coordinated entry process. However, with demand of resources far outpacing the supply, even a perfectly run system can still only do so much. CE is a tool for prioritizing scarce resources and not necessarily a solution to homelessness itself.