Policy and Guidance

What is a Policy?

A Coordinated Entry (CE) policy is a foundational framework that outlines how a community organizes access to homeless services in a fair, consistent, and strategic way. Required by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for all Continuums of Care, CE policies are designed to ensure that people experiencing or at risk of homelessness are assessed and connected to community resources based on vulnerability and need, rather than on a first-come, first-served basis. The purpose of a CE policy is to establish system-wide standards for how individuals enter the homeless response system, how their needs are assessed, how they are prioritized, and how referrals to housing and services are made. By creating a unified, transparent process, CE policies promote equity, reduce barriers, and help communities make the most effective use of limited housing resources.

Policy Document Downloads:

• CES-Access-Policy
• CES-Assessment-Policy
• CES-Prioritization-and-Referral-Policy

What is a Guidance?

Coordinated Entry (CE) guidance documents provide instructions on how to implement processes, policies, or regulations. They are designed to clarify expectations, define best practices, and support consistent, informed decision-making. While providers are expected to align their practices with CE guidance, these documents are intentionally adaptable to accommodate a variety of operational contexts, as long as they remain consistent with overarching Coordinated Entry policies.

Guidance Document Downloads:

• Maxine Lewis Grove Matching Guidance
• Housing Program Denial Guidance
• CES Transfer Guidance
• Anderson Hotel Apartments_Matching Guidance
• Tiburon Place_Matching Guidance
• Prioritization Scoring & Eligibility Criteria Guidance
• (Referral) Interim Guidance CES Matching and Referrals