Addressing Barriers to Homelessness Data in Illinois

Jantz, Ethan; Cooper, Alyssa; Connelly, Sean

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/118153 Copy

Description

Title

Addressing Barriers to Homelessness Data in Illinois

Author(s)

• Jantz, Ethan
• Cooper, Alyssa
• Connelly, Sean

Issue Date

2023-06-08

Keyword(s)

homelessness, Illinois, programs, housing, services

Abstract

While long-term trends in homelessness rates have been in decline, rates started to increase in 2015.1 In Illinois, Governor JB Pritzker signed an executive order in 2021 establishing an Interagency Task Force on Homelessness with the goal of achieving Functional Zero homelessness state-wide. In June 2022, the Task Force released the Home Illinois, Illinois’ Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness2 that sets the foundational vision to realize the goal of making homelessness rare, brief, and one-time. One of the major hurdles state governments face in addressing homelessness is a lack of current and accurate data reporting. This is not because the data do not exist—some exist—but more so because the data are not shared well or even formatted in a way that facilitates sharing. Much of the relevant data are collected and maintained by local organizations known as Continuums of Care (CoCs) who are only mandated to report data to the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). A lack of current and consistently reported data hinders a state government’s ability to use its legislative and administrative tools to address the issue of homelessness. Recognizing this challenge, the Illinois Office to Prevent & End Homelessness (IOPEH) committed to exploring the feasibility of a statewide homelessness data reporting system in the Home Illinois Plan.3

Publisher

Institute of Government & Public Affairs

Type of Resource

text

Language

en

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