Today the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) put into place the new definition of homelessness. According to HUD, “This final rule, published in the Federal Register… integrates the regulation for the definition of “homeless,” and the corresponding recordkeeping requirementsfor the Emergency Solutions Grants program, the Shelter Plus Care program, and the Supportive Housing Program.” The full press release, including the details on the definition of homelessness, can be found here.
Some of the highlights on the new definition are:
- An individual or family who lacks a regular, fixed, stable nighttime residence including
- A place not meant for human habitation
- Publicly or privately supervised shelter or temporary living arrangement including emergency shelter, transitional housing, hotel or motel paid for by an agency
- Persons in institutions for 90 days or less provided they were homeless prior to entry
- An individual or family at imminent risk of losing housing
- Will lose residence within 14 days – including owned or rented units, hotel/motel paid for with household funds, staying with family or friends
- No subsequent residence has been identified
- Lacks resources or networks (friends, family, faith-based) to obtain other housing
- Unaccompanied youth 25 or younger and families who don’t qualify under the HUD definition but
- Individual or family
- Fleeing domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking or other dangerous or life-threatening condition related to violence that has taken place at residence or makes household fearful of returning to residence
- Has no other residence
As a recipient of funding from HUD, Project H.O.P.E. works to make sure all individuals who meet this definition are able to get access to the medical care they need, and that is so critical to maintaining self sufficiency.
