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Definition of Key Terms <br />Chronically Homeless Individual: refers to an individual with a disability who has been continuously <br />homeless for one year or more or has experienced at least four episodes of homelessness in the last <br />three years where the combined length of time homeless in those occasions is at least 12 months <br />Coordinated Entry System (CES): a system that works by establishing a common process to understand <br />the situation of all individuals and families who request assistance through the homeless system. The <br />core elements include: established access point(s), the use of a standardized assessment process to <br />gather information on program participants' preferences, and the barriers that households face to <br />regaining housing. Once the assessment has identified the most vulnerable people with the highest <br />needs, the CoC's standards are used to prioritize households for referral to appropriate and available <br />housing resources <br />Continuums of Care (CoC): the collaboration of local stakeholders representative of relevant <br />organizations that coordinate homeless services across a specific geography. The CoC must establish a <br />Board to act on its behalf, and may appoint additional committees to fulfill its responsibilities, all of <br />which must be documented in a governance charter. <br />Continuum of Care Program (CoC Program): a HUD funded program designed to promote <br />communitywide commitment to the goal of ending homelessness; provide funding for efforts by <br />nonprofit providers, and State and local governments to quickly rehouse homeless individuals and <br />families while minimizing the trauma and dislocation caused to homeless individuals, families, and <br />communities by homelessness; promote access to and effect utilization of mainstream programs by <br />homeless individuals and families; and optimize self-sufficiency among individuals and families <br />experiencing homelessness. <br />Diversion/Rapid Exit: a strategy that prevents homelessness for people seeking shelter by helping them <br />identify immediate alternate housing arrangements and, if necessary, connecting them with services <br />and financial assistance to help them return to permanent housing. Diversion services can reduce the <br />number of households becoming homeless, the demand for shelter beds, and the size of program wait <br />lists. Diversion services can also help communities achieve better outcomes and be more competitive <br />when applying for federal funding. Diversion services are offered immediately prior to, or immediately <br />after, a household becomes literally homeless. <br />Emergency Shelter: is a facility with the primary purpose of providing temporary shelter for homeless <br />people <br />Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG): a HUD funded program to assist individuals and families quickly <br />regain stability in permanent housing after experiencing a housing crisis or homelessness. ESG provides <br />grants by formula to states, metropolitan cities, urban counties and U.S. territories to support <br />homelessness prevention, emergency shelter and related services. <br />Fair Market Rent (FMR): are published in the Federal Register annually by HUD at the beginning of each <br />federal fiscal year (10/1). HUD establishes FMRs to determine payment standards or rent ceilings for <br />