Chester County 2024 Continuum of Care System Performance Data
What is Coordinated Entry?
Coordinated entry supports fair, equitable, and rapid access to housing assistance and stability services. All services in the coordinated entry system are tracked through the Chester County Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) to help generate data that informs system improvement. Each year, we evaluate this data looking for markers of success and areas for improvement. Each year, we report our system performance data to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and evaluate this data looking for markers of success and areas for improvement. According to HUD, an effective coordinated entry system ensures that assistance is allocated as effectively as possible and that is to access no matter where or how people present.
How do we measure success?
To measure the efficacy of our system overall, HUD requires we look for:
an overall decrease in the number of people experiencing homelessness,
a decrease in the number of people experiencing homelessness for the first time, and
a decrease in the length of stay in emergency shelters and transitional housing.
decrease in the rate of returns to homelessness,
successful employment or income growth, and
successful placement/retention from permanent housing.
What does the data tell us?
People Entering Shelters and First-Time Homelessness
Thanks to the work of our network of partners, Chester County continues to see a steady decrease in the number of people entering participating emergency shelters in our community over the past five years, from 1,259 in 2019 to 741 in 2023 (a 41% decrease).
In addition, the County has seen a decrease in the number of people experiencing homelessness for the first time in the last year, from 694 in 2022 to 529 in 2023 (a 24% decrease).
The decrease in the overall number of people entering shelters and those experiencing homelessness for the first time could be attributed to increased prevention efforts, including housing relocation, stabilization services, and eviction prevention case resolution. Additionally, two Grant and Per Diem transitional housing organizations, Fresh Start and the Veterans Multiservice Center, closed their programs at the end of their lease with the Coatesville Veterans Affairs Medical Center on March 31, 2023.
Length of Stay in Emergency Shelters
The average length of stay in emergency shelters has increased by 61% from 103 days in 2022 to 128 days in 2023. The median length of stay in emergency shelters has increased by 43% from 74 days in 2022 to 106 days in 2023.
The increase in the average length of stay could be attributed to continued inflation, the high cost of housing, fewer openings in the rapid rehousing programs, and fewer vouchers issued through the Housing Choice Voucher Program, as well as other demographic shifts and health factors affecting people experiencing homelessness.
Housing Assistance and Stability Services
Coordinated entry supports fair, equitable, and rapid access to housing assistance and stability services while the Housing First approach supports stable housing and individual choice as a foundation for meeting basic needs, accessing support services, and achieving long-term goals.
The data continues to show that Housing First works in helping individuals and families remain housed. 91% of people who exited from a program to permanent housing did not return to homelessness two years later.
Of those individuals who were enrolled in permanent housing programs, 97% remained in permanent supportive housing or exited to permanent housing.
Roughly 44% of individuals leaving CoC funded programs in 2023 increased their total income thanks to case management support to find employment or job training opportunities as well as support enrolling in government assistance and benefits programs (e.g. SSI, SSDI, etc) that helps set them up for long-term stability and well-being.
Similarly, nearly 42% staying in CoC funded programs in 2023 also increased their total income.
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