Permanent Housing Referral Checklist Assessment Guidance

Purpose 

The Permanent Housing Referral Checklist Assessment ensures that Coordinated Entry System (CES) staff have accurate, current information to determine a household's eligibility for available permanent housing opportunities and to make appropriate referrals. 

The assessment collects information that commonly affects program or permanent housing property eligibility, including household composition, income, documentation readiness, disability-related eligibility, pets, accessibility needs, and the client's continued interest in permanent housing. 

When a client is nearing the top of their prioritization group on the Permanent Housing Queue (PHQ) and may soon receive a housing referral, Coordinated Entry (CE) staff will contact the client's case manager (CM) and recommend that the CM complete the assessment with the client before a referral is made. Completing the assessment in advance helps CES identify appropriate housing opportunities and resolve missing or outdated information before a potential referral becomes available.

Unlike the Client Preferences and Requirements Assessment, the Permanent Housing Referral Checklist Assessment focuses primarily on information that may affect eligibility and referral readiness, rather than the client's preferences among otherwise appropriate housing opportunities. 

Using the Assessment in Referral Decisions 

The Permanent Housing Referral Checklist Assessment will be used alongside HMIS (Homeless Management Information System) records, applicable program eligibility requirements, CES prioritization criteria, and other relevant information when determining whether a household is appropriate for a particular permanent housing opportunity. 

Completion of the assessment does not itself establish that a client is eligible or ineligible for a housing resource. Individual housing opportunities may have different income limits, documentation requirements, disability criteria, household composition requirements, accessibility features, or other eligibility conditions. 

CE staff will recommend completion of the assessment as clients approach the top of the PHQ so that potential eligibility issues can be identified before a referral opportunity becomes available. CMs should use this period to update HMIS, obtain available documentation, clarify household circumstances, and address missing information when possible. 

The goal of the assessment is to ensure that CES has the information necessary to make timely, accurate, and appropriate referrals while minimizing avoidable delays or referrals to resources for which a household does not qualify. 

Completing the Assessment 

The client's CM should complete the assessment using current information obtained from the client and information available in HMIS. 

Because the information collected may affect whether a household is eligible for a particular housing opportunity, CMs should review the client's HMIS record and update inaccurate or outdated information when completing the assessment. 

When CE staff are preparing to make a referral, they may contact the CM regarding missing, unclear, or outdated responses.

Table 1: Assessment Guide 

Head of Household 

Indicate whether the client being considered for referral is identified as the Head of Household.

If the client is not the Head of Household, staff should ensure that CES can identify the appropriate Head of Household and understand which household members are being considered for the housing opportunity. 

Household Members 

List the full names of all household members who would be applying for and residing in the housing opportunity. 

The household listed on the assessment should accurately reflect the household that is seeking housing at the time of referral. Do not assume that every person historically associated with the client will be applying for the housing opportunity. 

Coordinated Entry Program Members 

Confirm that all household members applying for housing are included as Program Members within the client's Coordinated Entry program enrollment in HMIS. 

If the answer is No, the CM should review the household's Coordinated Entry enrollment and make necessary corrections or additions in HMIS. 

For instructions on documenting household composition within the CES program, refer to the Household Composition in the CES Program article. 

Household Income 

Enter the household's total combined annual gross income. 

Gross income means income before taxes, deductions, or other withholdings. Income should include applicable income from all household members who will be included in the housing application. 

Because income limits and requirements vary by housing resource, an accurate estimate allows CES to determine which opportunities may be appropriate for the household. 

If income has recently changed or is expected to change, staff should use the most current information available and provide clarification when necessary. 

Income Documentation 

Identify all income or benefits documentation currently uploaded to HMIS for the household.

Examples include: 

● Recent paystubs; 

● Verification of Employment (VOE); 

● Voucher documentation; 

● Other documentation verifying earned income; and 

● Documentation verifying benefits or other sources of income. 

Select No income or benefits documentation uploaded when applicable rather than leaving the question unanswered. 

Completing this section allows CES to distinguish between a household's reported income and the documentation currently available to verify that income. CMs should upload current documentation when available, particularly when it may be required to establish eligibility for an upcoming referral. 

Identification Documents 

Indicate which of the following documents, or acceptable replacements, are currently uploaded to the client's HMIS profile: 

● Social Security Card; 

● Government-issued identification; and 

● Birth Certificate. 

Staff should report what is currently available in HMIS, rather than indicating that a document exists when it has not yet been uploaded. 

Documentation readiness may affect eligibility or the timing of a referral. For current CES documentation requirements and acceptable replacements, refer to the Prioritization Scoring & Eligibility Criteria Guidance. 

Smoke-Free Housing 

Indicate whether the client would accept a housing opportunity where smoking is prohibited on the property and in the immediate surrounding area. 

This question should reflect whether the client would actually accept such an opportunity, rather than whether the client currently smokes. 

A No response may affect which housing opportunities are appropriate for referral when a property has applicable smoke-free requirements. 

Serious Mental Illness (SMI)

Select the option that most accurately reflects the client's current Serious Mental Illness (SMI) status. 

For purposes of the assessment, SMI refers to a mental health condition that causes significant functional impairment and substantially interferes with one or more major life activities. 

The assessment distinguishes between whether the client has an SMI and whether supporting documentation can currently be provided. CMs should not indicate that documentation is available unless documentation sufficient for the applicable housing resource can be provided. 

Select Unknown when the CM does not have sufficient information to accurately determine the client's status. 

SMI information should be used only when relevant to determining eligibility for housing resources with applicable eligibility requirements. 

Disability Status 

Select the option that most accurately reflects the client's current disability status and whether supporting documentation can be provided. 

As with SMI status, the assessment intentionally distinguishes between: 

1. Whether the client has a disability; and 

2. Whether documentation supporting that disability is currently available. 

Select Unknown when the CM does not have sufficient information to accurately answer the question. 

A client's disability status should not be treated as a general prerequisite for housing. This information is collected because particular permanent housing resources may have disability-related eligibility requirements. 

Pets 

Indicate whether the client has any pets that would be expected to reside with them. 

If the client has pets, identify which category accurately describes each pet and provide sufficient information for CES to understand the household's circumstances: 

● Pet is already spayed or neutered;

● Pet is not currently spayed or neutered, but the client is willing to have the animal spayed or neutered if required; or 

● Pet is not spayed or neutered and the client is not willing to have the animal spayed or neutered. 

If the household has multiple pets with different circumstances, describe each pet separately. 

This information is collected because pet policies vary between housing opportunities. Some properties may not permit pets, while others—or applicable insurance requirements—may impose conditions such as spaying or neutering. 

Information about service animals or assistance animals should not automatically be treated in the same manner as information about pets when different legal or program requirements apply. 

Accessibility and Mobility: Stairs 

Select the response that most accurately describes the client's ability and willingness to access housing that requires the use of stairs. 

The three responses distinguish between: 

● A client who can accept housing requiring stairs; 

● A client who can accept housing requiring stairs but prefers elevator access; 

● A client who requires elevator access or housing that does not require stairs. 

The distinction between a preference and a requirement is important. A preference for elevator access should be considered when possible but should not prevent an otherwise appropriate referral. A requirement for elevator access or a stair-free unit should be used when determining whether a housing opportunity is appropriate for the client. 

Confirmation of Willingness to Pursue Housing 

Indicate whether the client's willingness to pursue housing opportunities has been confirmed within the last 10 business days. 

Confirmation should reflect recent communication with the client demonstrating that they remain engaged in the housing process and willing to pursue an available permanent housing opportunity.

If willingness has not been confirmed within the previous 10 business days, the CM should attempt to contact the client and confirm their continued interest as soon as possible. 

This question is intended to ensure that CES has current information before making a time-sensitive housing referral and to reduce referrals that cannot move forward because the client's circumstances or interest have changed.