What are population and subpopulation statuses?

Population and subpopulation statuses are categorizations used in the by-name dataset to identify individual and household characteristics that help us understand the unique needs of people experiencing homelessness in a given community. Identifying and tracking population and subpopulation statuses for each person allows communities to tailor system-level interventions more effectively and match people with the right resources based on their specific circumstances. Key terms are listed below and are explained in more detail in the Built for Zero Reporting Reference Guide. 

Population status: Sometimes referred to as household type, this status includes single adults, youth, and families 

Subpopulation status: This status includes individuals who are veterans and/or chronically homeless 

No Longer Meets Population Criteria: This status is used to identify when a person’s population or subpopulation status changed over the course of the month and often indicates a change to their unique characteristics or housing situation. This status is part of a community’s monthly outflow, which is explained in more detail here. Real world examples of when a person no longer meets population criteria are included below. 

*While it is important to understand the population status of everyone in the homeless response system, this resource will specifically focus on single adults, as well as the subpopulations of veterans and chronically homeless individuals.

Why does tracking population and subpopulation status matter?

Tracking population and subpopulation status recognizes that each person within the homeless response system has a distinct journey and set of needs. Understanding these unique characteristics enables us to meet people where they are, providing the most effective support on their path to housing stabilization. Many housing resources have specific eligibility criteria related to factors such as chronic homelessness, veteran status, and household composition. Therefore, it is crucial to ensure that communities are able to track these particular population characteristics and facilitate access to appropriate resources.

Some real world examples of why tracking population and subpopulation status matters are outlined below.

It helps communities match people with the right resources.

Example: ABC City has observed a high rate of unsuccessful housing referrals and convenes a workgroup to address the issue. The group includes a Lived Expertise Advisory Board, housing providers, housing navigators, and direct service providers. Through their discussions, they identify a key challenge in accurately understanding the population characteristics of their unhoused neighbors. As a result, they often match individuals with resources that do not align with their specific needs. To address this, they develop an action plan to more effectively track population and subpopulation status to ensure people are connected to resources that best suit their unique circumstances. They commit to monitoring the data monthly to assess whether the strategies they have implemented increase the rate of successful housing referrals.

It helps communities develop a nuanced understanding of who is experiencing homelessness and ensure that services are aligned with the diverse needs of those within the region.

Example: XYC City has observed a high number of individuals experiencing chronic homelessness within their community. In response, they convene a Front Line Staff Learning Loop to better understand the issue. Through this process, they identify a critical gap in direct service staff capacity to effectively support their unhoused neighbors in resolving their housing crises. As a result, individuals entering homelessness are unable to access the necessary support to meet their self-determined needs, leading to an average of 500 days spent experiencing homelessness. In response, the community applies for a grant to hire two staff — one case manager and one peer support specialist — and develops a resource navigation guide detailing local resources and the process to access them. They then monitor the data to determine if this strategy is having an impact on reducing the number of people approaching the chronic homeless threshold.

It helps communities ensure the correct providers are at the table to support the unique needs of their community.

Example: EFG Balance of State noticed that they have a high number of veterans experiencing homelessness in their region. However, the homeless response system has little to no insight into veteran specific services and does not partner with the VA. This has resulted in significant delays identifying which resources a veteran is eligible for and connecting them to appropriate supports. Over a period of six months, they prioritize cultivating a relationship with the VA and discover that their community has several SSVF and HUD VASH vouchers. They then monitor their data and discover that this partnership with the VA has resulted in an increase in housing placements and a decrease in the length of time veterans experience homelessness.

What is household type and how is it tracked?

Household type, sometimes referred to as population status, refers to the make-up of individuals in a single household, regardless of their relation to one another. Key terms related to tracking household type are listed below.

Single Adults: Includes households with at least one member over the age of 25 and all other members over the age of 18

Youth: Includes households in which all members are age 24 and younger

Families: Includes households with multiple members and at least one member under the age of 18

*While it is important to understand the household type of everyone in the homeless response system, this resource will specifically focus on single adults.

Household type can be tracked using HMIS Universal Data Element 3.03 – Date of Birth, 3.15 – Relationship to Head of Household, and 2.07 field 4 – Household Type.

What is veteran status and how is it tracked?

Built for Zero recognizes HUD’s definition of veteran and is inclusive of anyone who has ever been on active duty in the armed forces of the United States, regardless of discharge status or length of service. 

Veteran status can be tracked using Universal Data Element 3.07 in HMIS. While this is a self-reported field, communities are encouraged to do some verification of this status to ensure the accuracy of their by-name dataset and to support appropriate resource matching. To do this, it is vital that VA partners are at the table. 

In some instances, a community may not have the capacity to verify veteran status. In this case, BFZ recommends including anyone who self-identifies while working through a verification process that ensures all veterans are served equitably.

Veteran status cuts across all household types, and all veterans should be included in the BFZ Veteran reporting group AND the Single Adults reporting group, regardless of their age or household type. Some examples are outlined below. 

• A 23-year-old veteran in a household with their 21-year-old non-veteran sibling should be included in the Single Adults reporting group, while the 21-year-old non-veteran should be excluded.
• A 40-year-old veteran in a household with their 40-year-old non-veteran partner and minor children should be included in the Single Adults reporting group. All non-veteran household members should be excluded. 
•  A 30-year-old veteran and their 25-year-old veteran sibling in a household with their 16-year-old sibling should be included in the Single Adults reporting group while the 16-year-old sibling should be excluded.

What is chronic status and how is it tracked?

Built for Zero recognizes HUD’s definition of chronic homelessness and is inclusive of any person with a disability who has been homeless for 12 consecutive months or experienced four episodes of homelessness totaling 12 or more months over the past three years. 

Chronic homeless status can be tracked using Universal Data Elements 3.917 – Prior Living Situation and 3.08 – Disabling Condition in HMIS. While these are self-reported fields, communities are encouraged to do some verification of this status to ensure the accuracy of their by-name dataset and to support appropriate resource matching. 

When and how a community verifies chronic homeless status depends on many local factors. It is recommended that anyone who is presumed to be chronically homeless be included in this reporting group. 

People who are chronically homeless are some of our most vulnerable neighbors. The longer they stay without a home, the more trauma they experience and the more barriers to housing they’re likely to face. Identifying those people in the community who were not chronic at entry and become chronic later and those who are at risk of chronicity is a key part of maintaining a quality by-name dataset, and it is a critical part of supporting this vulnerable group of people. It’s also helpful for communities to know how many people are close to becoming chronically homeless so they can better understand and support this group.

What is no longer meets population criteria and how is it tracked?

No longer meets population criteria (NLMPC) denotes that a person’s unique population characteristics have changed. This change in population often indicates a need for different services and resources. We track NLMPC because it helps to understand how people’s status can change over time in a dynamic system. It also supports informed decision-making to identify the resources most needed in a given area. Some examples of NLMPC are outlined below.

• A household consisting of two 25-year-olds welcomes their first baby. This change would result in the two 25-year-olds exiting the Single Adults reporting group due to no longer meeting population criteria and entering the Family reporting group as newly identified. 
• A 24-year-old turns 25. This change would result in the individual exiting the Youth reporting group due to no longer meeting population criteria and entering the Single Adults reporting group as newly identified. 
• It’s discovered that a 30-year-old who self-identified as a veteran never served a day of active duty. This realization would result in the individual exiting the Veteran reporting group due to no longer meeting  population criteria and remaining active in the Single Adults reporting group.

Tracking no longer meets population criteria as part of outflow can help to understand changes in a population or subpopulations over time. Read more about tracking outflow here. While the method of tracking those who no longer meet the population criteria may look different from community to community, the Built for Zero data reliability workbook is a useful tool to understand when a person has experienced a change in their population status month over month (resource coming soon!).