Homeless Assistance Programs

Federal homeless assistance — primarily funded through the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (1987) (42 U.S.C. §§ 11301–11473) and administered by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) — provides approximately $3.5 billion per year in grants to fund emergency shelters, transitional housing, permanent supportive housing, rapid rehousing, and homeless prevention services across the country. On a single night in January 2024, more than 770,000 people experienced homelessness in the United States (per HUD's 2024 Annual Homelessness Assessment Report) — an 18% increase from 2023 and the highest count since reporting began in 2007, driven by rising rents, post-pandemic disruptions, and expanded encampment visibility in major cities. The primary HUD program is the Continuum of Care (CoC) program, which funds a local planning body in every region to coordinate homeless services — requiring communities to demonstrate a coordinated access system, use "Housing First" approaches, and prioritize permanent supportive housing for the chronically homeless. Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG) provide rapid rehousing and homelessness prevention funding through states and localities. The HUD-VASH program (housing vouchers plus VA case management for homeless veterans) is a separate critical component. Federal policy has increasingly embraced the Housing First model — providing permanent housing without sobriety or treatment preconditions — over shelter-and-services approaches, though this has generated political controversy in cities dealing with visible encampments. The Supreme Court's decision in City of Grants Pass v. Johnson (2024) eliminated a prior Ninth Circuit rule that had restricted anti-camping enforcement, giving local governments broader authority to clear encampments.

Current Law (2026)

Legal Authority

• 42 U.S.C. § 11301 — Findings and purpose (Congress finds that homelessness is a national problem requiring federal action; purpose is to meet critical needs of homeless individuals and families)
• 42 U.S.C. § 11302 — General definition of homeless individual (four categories: literal homelessness — living in shelter, street, or place not meant for habitation; imminent homelessness — losing housing within 14 days; homeless under other federal statutes — families with children or unaccompanied youth who are unstably housed; fleeing domestic violence)
• 42 U.S.C. § 11381 — Continuum of Care program purposes (promote communitywide commitment to ending homelessness; provide funding for efforts to quickly rehouse individuals; promote access to mainstream programs; optimize self-sufficiency)
• 42 U.S.C. § 11382 — CoC applications and grants (collaborative applications from geographic areas; HUD competitive grants; coordinated entry systems; HMIS data requirements)
• 42 U.S.C. § 11383 — Eligible activities (acquisition, rehabilitation, new construction, leasing, rental assistance, supportive services, operating costs, HMIS, project administration)
• 42 U.S.C. § 11384 — Incentives for high-performing communities (bonus funding for communities that demonstrate reduced homelessness, shorter shelter stays, and reduced returns to homelessness)
• 42 U.S.C. § 11386 — Program requirements (matching requirements; occupancy charges — 30% of income or higher of 30% of adjusted income/10% of gross; participation in supportive services not mandatory for permanent housing)
• 42 U.S.C. § 11386c — Renewal funding for permanent housing (permanent supportive housing grants may be renewed indefinitely; HUD prioritizes renewal of permanent housing projects)
• 42 U.S.C. § 11408 — Rural housing stability grant program (flexible grants for rural communities addressing homelessness; re-housing, prevention, and stabilization services)
• 42 U.S.C. § 11411 — Use of unutilized and underutilized public buildings and real property for assistance to the homeless (federal surplus property)
• 42 U.S.C. § 11432 — McKinney-Vento Education provisions (children experiencing homelessness have the right to remain in their school of origin; immediate enrollment rights; transportation assistance; liaison in every school district)

How It Works

Federal homeless assistance operates through a structured system centered on local planning bodies called Continuums of Care (CoCs), which coordinate homeless services across approximately 400 geographic regions.

Each of the approximately 400 regional Continuums of Care (CoCs) brings together homeless service providers, government agencies, nonprofits, faith-based organizations, and local advocates to plan and coordinate services; CoCs submit collaborative applications to HUD for competitive grant funding under 42 U.S.C. § 11382, a structure formalized by the HEARTH Act of 2009. HUD awards CoC grants based on community need, performance, and strategic planning; funds can be used for permanent supportive housing (PSH), rapid re-housing (RRH), transitional housing, supportive services, and Homeless Management Information Systems (HMIS). Since the mid-2010s, HUD has prioritized permanent housing — especially PSH for chronically homeless individuals and rapid re-housing for families — over transitional housing, reflecting the Housing First approach: getting individuals into permanent housing as quickly as possible without preconditions like sobriety or employment, with supportive services offered but not required. A separate formula-based Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) program provides states and cities with first-response funding for emergency shelter operations, homelessness prevention (short-term rental assistance, utility payments), rapid re-housing, and street outreach.

CoCs must operate a coordinated entry system — a standardized process for assessing individuals' needs and matching them to appropriate housing and services, ensuring the most vulnerable are prioritized rather than served on a first-come basis. HMIS (Homeless Management Information Systems) are federally mandated data collection systems tracking who is experiencing homelessness, what services they receive, and outcomes; HMIS powers HUD's Annual Homeless Assessment Report and informs funding decisions, while domestic violence service providers use a separate comparable database for safety reasons. The McKinney-Vento Act (Title VII-B) at 42 U.S.C. § 11432 gives children and youth experiencing homelessness specific educational protections: the right to remain enrolled in their school of origin even after moving to a different district (with district-provided transportation), immediate enrollment in a new school without records or immunizations, and a designated McKinney-Vento liaison in every school district to enforce these rights.

How It Affects You

If you're experiencing homelessness or are at risk of losing housing: Your first call should be 211 — the national social services helpline available in most areas that can connect you to your local shelter, emergency housing assistance, utility assistance, and rapid re-housing programs. To find CoC resources in your area, use HUD's CoC locator at hudexchange.info/grantees/find-a-grantee. Through your area's coordinated entry system, you'll receive a standardized vulnerability assessment that prioritizes the most at-risk people for available housing resources — people with the highest acuity get prioritized for permanent supportive housing (PSH), those who need a shorter-term bridge get rapid re-housing. If you're at immediate risk of eviction rather than already homeless, ask specifically about homelessness prevention through the Emergency Solutions Grant program — short-term rental assistance and utility payments that can prevent loss of housing. Veterans have a separate, better-resourced pathway: the HUD-VASH (VA Supportive Housing) program combines HUD rental vouchers with VA case management; call the National Call Center for Homeless Veterans at 1-877-4AID-VET (1-877-424-3838) or visit va.gov/homeless. For veterans facing imminent homelessness, SSVF (Supportive Services for Veteran Families) provides emergency financial assistance and case management through local nonprofits.

If you're a parent with children who are homeless or unstably housed: The McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (Title VII-B) gives your children specific educational rights that many families don't know about. Your children have the right to remain enrolled in their school of origin even if you've moved — the school district must provide transportation to keep them there, at no cost to you. If you enroll in a new school, your children must be enrolled immediately, even without records, immunization documentation, or proof of address. Every school district must have a McKinney-Vento liaison who coordinates these services — call your district's main office and ask for the McKinney-Vento liaison specifically. The liaison can also connect you with other district resources, including supplies and after-school programs. Youth who are unaccompanied (not with a parent or guardian) and homeless have the same rights. Find your state's McKinney-Vento coordinator at ed.gov/programs/homeless.

If you're fleeing domestic violence: You qualify as homeless under federal law (the HEARTH Act definition includes people fleeing DV where return would jeopardize safety) and can access the full range of homeless assistance programs. DV-specific shelters funded through HUD use a separate database system (not HMIS) for privacy and safety reasons — your location and information are not shared with the public HMIS. When calling 211 or a CoC hotline, say you're fleeing domestic violence; you'll be connected to DV-specific resources first. The National Domestic Violence Hotline (thehotline.org, 1-800-799-SAFE/7233) can connect you with local emergency housing options and safety planning. HUD's Emergency Solutions Grant program funds homelessness prevention and rapid re-housing specifically for DV survivors, operated through local programs.

If you're a service provider, nonprofit, or local government working on homelessness: Federal funding flows through your local Continuum of Care — participating in CoC planning meetings is the primary way to shape local resource allocation and apply for HUD CoC grants. Your organization must participate in HMIS (Homeless Management Information System) as a condition of most HUD-funded contracts — HMIS tracks client data, bed utilization, and outcomes, and powers the Annual Homeless Assessment Report (AHAR). DV providers are exempt from HMIS but must maintain comparable data in a separate system. HUD's Coordinated Entry requirement means every CoC must operate a single access point for assessing and matching clients to available resources — if your program is not connected to coordinated entry, you're likely missing referrals. The HUD Exchange (hudexchange.info) is the primary federal portal for CoC program guidance, NOFOs, reporting requirements, and training.

State Variations

• States vary widely in supplemental homeless assistance funding — California, New York, and Washington invest heavily at the state level
• Some states have right-to-shelter laws (New York City is the most prominent example)
• State definitions of homelessness may be broader than the federal definition, affecting who qualifies for state-funded programs
• Rural homelessness looks very different from urban homelessness — the Rural Housing Stability program addresses this
• Local encampment policies range from enforcement-oriented to service-oriented, creating vastly different experiences across jurisdictions
• The Supreme Court's Grants Pass v. Johnson (2024) decision gave local governments more latitude to enforce anti-camping ordinances

Implementing Regulations

• 45 CFR Part 1351 — Runaway and Homeless Youth Program: ACF's implementing regulations for the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (42 U.S.C. §§ 5701–5751), which funds community-based shelter and services for youth who have run away from home or are experiencing homelessness — a population distinct from adults and families served by HUD's CoC and ESG programs. The Runaway and Homeless Youth Act focuses on youth who are typically ineligible for adult shelter programs and who may be at acute risk of exploitation.

  • § 1351.10 — Program purpose: grants fund community-based projects to provide safe shelters and supportive services for runaway and homeless youth and their families; there are three program components: (1) Basic Center Program (BCP) — short-term shelter (up to 21 days), counseling, and family reunification for youth up to age 18; (2) Transitional Living Program (TLP) — longer-term housing (up to 540 days) for older homeless youth ages 16–22 to help them develop independent living skills; (3) Street Outreach Program (SOP) — outreach to youth living on streets or in other dangerous situations who are not yet in shelter
  • § 1351.11 — Eligibility: public (state and local government) and private non-profit entities, and coordinated networks of such entities, may apply; faith-based organizations may participate on the same basis as secular non-profits
  • § 1351.12 — Priority criteria: in selecting BCP applications, the Secretary gives priority to applicants serving areas with the greatest need (high rates of youth homelessness or runaways), applicants demonstrating collaboration with local agencies, and applicants with strong records of serving hard-to-reach youth populations
  • § 1351.13 — Federal/non-federal match: the federal share represents 90% of total project cost; grantees must provide at least 10% non-federal match; the low match requirement reflects the typically limited fundraising capacity of community-based youth shelter organizations
  • § 1351.14 — Grant period: initial grants specify how long HHS intends to support the project without requiring recompetition; continuation awards are based on satisfactory performance; grants are typically awarded for 3-year project periods with annual continuation funding contingent on performance review
  • § 1351.15 — Allowable costs: staff training and core service delivery (case management, counseling, crisis intervention, life skills training, substance abuse services, health services, educational and vocational services, aftercare services) are all eligible; aftercare services — additional support after a youth leaves shelter — are specifically called out
  • § 1351.16 — Unallowable costs: capital costs for constructing new facilities are not covered; the program funds services, not buildings

  The ACF Runaway and Homeless Youth Program operates in a different lane than HUD's homelessness programs: it serves youth specifically (often unaccompanied minors), prioritizes family reunification for younger youth, and funds transitional housing that teaches independent living skills rather than permanent housing placement. The program's HHS home reflects its origins as a child welfare and youth development initiative rather than a housing program. Grantees run approximately 350+ Basic Centers and 200+ Transitional Living Programs nationwide. No major amendments to Part 1351 in recent years.

• 24 CFR Part 91 — Consolidated plan requirements:

  • Housing and homeless needs assessment (state and local governments must assess the nature and extent of homelessness — sheltered and unsheltered — as part of their consolidated plan submission to HUD; informs allocation of CDBG, HOME, and ESG funds)

• 24 CFR Part 576 — Emergency Solutions Grants program:

  • Emergency shelter component (eligible activities include renovation, essential services, shelter operations, and URA assistance for shelter facilities)
  • Homelessness prevention component (short-term and medium-term rental assistance, housing relocation and stabilization services for individuals and families at risk of homelessness)
  • Homeless participation requirements (each recipient must involve homeless individuals and families in program planning, policy development, and operations through employment, volunteer service, or advisory roles)

• 24 CFR Part 578 — Continuum of Care program:

  • Planning activities (CoC planning grants for coordinating homeless services, developing coordinated entry systems, conducting Point-in-Time counts, and gaps analyses)
  • Establishing and operating the Continuum of Care (governance structure, board composition, written standards for providing assistance, designating an HMIS lead agency)
  • HMIS requirements (data collection standards, privacy and security protections, unduplicated counts, bed utilization tracking, and outcome measurement for all CoC- and ESG-funded projects)

Pending Legislation

• HR 6403 — Homeless Children and Youth Act of 2025: expands who counts as homeless, requires annual public HMIS data, strengthens school and local coordination for homeless children, youth, and families. Status: Introduced.
• HR 5997 — Helping Homeless Veterans Act of 2025: sets $420M/year for supportive services for very low-income veteran families. Status: In Committee.
• HR 7049 — Improving Mental Health Care and Coordination for Homeless Veterans Act: requires VA staff to perform quick health/housing assessments and coordinate care through EHRs. Status: In Committee.
• HR 7047 — Health Care for Homeless Veterans Act: adds section 2031 to HCHV eligibility and permanently authorizes VA homeless-veteran programs. Status: In Committee.
• S Res 538 — Designates November 2025 as National Homeless Children and Youth Awareness Month. Status: Passed Senate.
• HR 2234 — Reducing Homelessness Through Program Reform Act: would give HUD and local programs more funding flexibility, simpler inspections, fund tech upgrades, and set up health-housing pilots. Status: Introduced.
• HR 1667 — Homeless Children and Youth Act of 2025: would broaden the legal definition of homelessness, make HMIS data public, and force HUD-school coordination. Status: Introduced.
• HR 2206 — Prevent Homelessness Act of 2025: creates a HUD fund for emergency rent, mortgage, utilities, repairs, and services for very low-income households. Status: Introduced.

Recent Developments

• The 2024 Point-in-Time count showed continued increases in unsheltered homelessness, particularly in western states
• HUD continues to prioritize Housing First and permanent supportive housing in funding decisions
• Post-pandemic emergency housing vouchers (80,000 issued under ARP) are being absorbed into the regular public housing voucher system
• Grants Pass v. Johnson (2024) overturned the Ninth Circuit's Martin v. Boise framework, allowing cities to enforce public camping bans even when shelter beds are unavailable
• HUD appeals homelessness judicial decision (March 2026): HUD appealed a judicial decision related to the "paradigm shift" in homelessness policy — signaling the Trump administration's push to move away from Housing First models toward approaches that may condition housing on sobriety, treatment participation, or work requirements. Secretary Turner visited North Carolina communities affected by Hurricane Helene and discussed community-based approaches to addressing homelessness.