Continuum of Care assistance is limited to people who are homeless within one of the four categories of 24 CFR 578.3, and the category must be documented at intake

coc.income_eligibility.homeless_definition_four_categories · v1.0.0

'Homeless' for Continuum of Care purposes means one of four things. First, an individual or family who lacks a fixed, regular and adequate nighttime residence -- meaning a primary nighttime residence that is a place not designed for or ordinarily used as a regular sleeping accommodation such as a car, park, abandoned building, bus or train station, airport or campground; or living in a supervised shelter providing temporary living arrangements including congregate shelters, transitional housing and hotels or motels paid for by charitable organisations or government programs; or an individual exiting an institution where they resided for 90 days or less who resided in an emergency shelter or a place not meant for human habitation immediately before entering it. Second, an individual or family who will imminently lose their primary nighttime residence, provided it will be lost within 14 days of the date of application for homeless assistance, no subsequent residence has been identified, and the household lacks the resources or support networks needed to obtain other permanent housing. Third, unaccompanied youth under 25 or families with children and youth who are defined as homeless under another named Federal statute, have had no lease, ownership interest or occupancy agreement in permanent housing during the preceding 60 days, have experienced persistent instability measured by two or more moves in that 60 days, and can be expected to continue in that status for an extended period because of the listed chronic conditions or barriers. Fourth, any individual or family fleeing or attempting to flee domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking or other dangerous or life-threatening conditions relating to violence against them, who has no other residence and lacks the resources or support networks to obtain other permanent housing. Acceptable evidence of homeless status is set out at 24 CFR 576.500(b).

Confidence

high

Effective from

2012-08-30

Consequence model

agency finding with cure

Last reviewed

2026-08-29