HUD and Others Have Used Data to Estimate the Extent of Homelessness, but Estimates Have Limitations

Despite the limitations discussed above, HUD uses data from point-in-time  counts to estimate the number of those experiencing homelessness on a  single night in January. However, this estimate does  not include people who do not meet the definition of homelessness for  HUD’s programs but do meet definitions of homelessness for other  programs. For example, HUD’s counts would not include families living with  others as a result of economic hardship, who are considered homeless by  Education. Data from Mainstream Programs Could Improve Understanding of Homelessness, but Programs Have Not Consistently Collected Information on Housing Status

Federally-funded mainstream programs, whose primary purpose is to  provide a range of services and funds to low-income households, often  provide these services and funds to those who are experiencing or have  experienced homelessness or to those defined as being at risk of becoming  homeless. However, these programs have not consistently collected data  on homelessness and housing status. Finally, agencies have not always consistently collected or analyzed data  on housing stability or homelessness because these are not the primary  purposes of their programs. Definitional Differences and Data and Methodological Issues in Research Studies Hinder Development of Comprehensive Understanding of Factors Associated with Homelessness

		Definitional Differences and Measurement Issues in Research Studies Make Analysis of Factors Associated with Homelessness Difficult

The 45 research studies analyzing factors associated with homelessness  that we reviewed used different definitions or measurements of  homelessness, although many of the studies used definitions or measures  that were more closely affiliated with the McKinney-Vento Individual  definition than with the broader McKinney-Vento Children and Youth  definition (see appendix II for a list of the 45 studies). Definitional Issues Have Posed Challenges for Service Providers and Make Collaborating at Local and Federal Levels More Difficult

		Definitional Differences Limited Providers’ Ability to Serve Certain Populations Effectively

Among the majority of the advocates, government officials, service  providers, and researchers we interviewed that identified differences in  definitions of homelessness as an important barrier to providing services,  several noted that families and youths living in some precarious situations  were not eligible for federal assistance under a narrow definition of  homelessness. In part because of data limitations, researchers have collected data on  narrowly defined samples that may not be useful for understanding  homelessness more generally or do not often consider structural factors,  such as area poverty rates, which may be important in explaining the  prevalence and causes of homelessness. Such guidance may  allow these and other agencies on the Interagency Council on  Homelessness to collaborate more effectively to provide coordinated  services to those experiencing homelessness. 2. Determine whether the benefits of using this common vocabulary to  develop and implement guidance for collecting consistent federal data  on housing status for targeted homelessness programs, as well as  mainstream programs that address the needs of low-income  populations, would exceed the costs. Agency Comments and Our Evaluation

We provided a draft of this report to the Departments of Education, Health  and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development, Labor, and Justice  and the Executive Director of the Interagency Council for their review and  comment. Although we recommend that the agencies work  through the council to address this recommendation, decisions about  individual program data collection will necessarily be made by the agency  overseeing the program. Although HHS did not comment explicitly on our  second recommendation, they did provide comments on data collection. Education, HHS, and HUD also provided technical comments which we  addressed as appropriate. Appendix I: Objectives, Scope and Methodology

The objectives of our report were to (1) assess the availability,  completeness, and usefulness of data on homelessness collected by  federal programs; (2) assess the extent to which research identifies factors  associated with homelessness; and (3) analyze how differences in the  definitions of homelessness and other factors, such as the level of agency  collaboration, may impact the effectiveness of programs serving those  experiencing homelessness. We also reviewed regulations and government  reports across a number of programs specifically targeted to address  issues related to homelessness as well as mainstream programs, such as  Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Head Start, and Public  Housing, that often provide services to people experiencing homelessness.
Why GAO Did This Study

Multiple federal programs provide homelessness assistance through programs targeted to those experiencing homelessness or through mainstream programs that broadly assist low-income populations. Programs' definitions of homelessness range from including primarily people in homeless shelters or on the street to also including those living with others because of economic hardship. GAO was asked to address (1) the availability, completeness, and usefulness of federal data on homelessness, (2) the extent to which research identifies factors associated with experiencing homelessness, and (3) how differences in definitions and other factors impact the effectiveness of programs serving those experiencing homelessness. GAO reviewed laws, agency regulations, performance and planning documents, and data as well as literature on homelessness, and spoke with stakeholders, such as government officials and service providers, about potential barriers.

What GAO Found

Federal agencies, including the Departments of Education (Education), Health and Human Services (HHS), and Housing and Urban Development (HUD), collect data on homelessness. However, these data are incomplete, do not track certain demographic information well over time, and are not always timely. HUD collects data and estimates the number of people who are homeless on a given night during the year and the number who use shelters over the course of the year; these estimates include the people who meet the definition of homelessness for HUD's programs, but do not include all of those who meet broader definitions of homelessness used by some other agencies' programs. For example, HUD's counts would not include families living with others as a result of economic hardship, who are considered homeless by Education. Data from federally-funded mainstream programs such as HHS's Temporary Assistance for Needy Families could improve agencies' understanding of homelessness, but these programs have not consistently collected or analyzed information on housing status because this is not their primary purpose. Because research studies GAO reviewed often used different definitions of homelessness, relied on data collected at a point-in-time, and focused narrowly on unique populations over limited geographical areas, the studies cannot be compared or compiled to further an understanding of which factors are associated with experiencing homelessness. Furthermore, although researchers GAO interviewed and most studies noted the importance of structural factors such as area poverty rates, and those that analyzed these factors found them to be important, few studies considered them. Most of the studies analyzed only the association of individual-level factors such as demographic characteristics, but these studies often did not consider the same individual-level factors or agree on their importance. Many of the government officials, service providers, advocates, and researchers GAO interviewed stated that narrow or multiple definitions of homelessness have posed challenges to providing services for those experiencing homelessness, and some said that having different definitions made collaborating more difficult. For example, some said that persons in need of services might not be eligible for programs under narrower definitions of homelessness or might not receive services for which they were eligible because of confusion created by multiple definitions. Different definitions of homelessness and different terminology to address homelessness have made it difficult for communities to plan strategically for housing needs and for federal agencies such as Education, HHS, and HUD to collaborate effectively to provide comprehensive services. As long as agencies use differing terms to address issues related to homelessness, their efforts to collaborate will be impeded, and this in turn will limit the development of more efficient and effective programs. Commenting on a draft of this report, HHS and HUD raised concerns about its treatment of homelessness data. We characterize and respond to those comments within the report.

What GAO Recommends

GAO recommends that Education, HHS, and HUD (1) develop a common vocabulary for homelessness; and (2) determine if the benefits of collecting data on housing status in targeted and mainstream programs would exceed the costs. To the extent that the agencies explicitly addressed the recommendations in their comments, they agreed with them.