CHATTANOOGA REGIONAL
HOMELESS COALITION

We are the Lead Agency of the TN-500 Continuum of Care. We exist to lead, coordinate, and strengthen efforts to reduce and end homelessness in Southeast Tennessee.

Our Local Commitment

Our goal is to foster collaboration and support among service providers to ensure that individuals and families in need of housing services receive comprehensive assistance. We are dedicated to creating a seamless network of resources that promote housing stability and enhance the quality of life for our community members. Together we strive to build a future where homelessness is brief, rare, and non-recurring.

We believe that:

Housing is a human right
Persons experiencing homelessness are valued neighbors and must be treated with dignity and respect
We can positively impact our community to make homelessness rare, brief, and nonrecurring
Authentic collaboration with persons who have lived experience is necessary to understanding and ending homelessness
We can best accomplish our goals by working together as a unified system
Educating with a unified message will remove the stigma surrounding homelessness
Shared data drives informed decisions that will lead to a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive future

Services

Collaborative Applicant

We specialize in assisting agencies with securing both state and federal funding for essential housing programs. Our experienced team assists organizations in navigating the complexities of funding applications, ensuring that agencies have the support they need to achieve their housing goals.

Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) Lead

We manage the region’s Homeless Management Information System (HMIS)—the shared data platform that helps agencies coordinate care for people experiencing homelessness.

With HMIS, we can:

Track progress: Follow individuals’ journeys from outreach to housing.
Coordinate services: Share data to reduce duplication and improve care.
Guide decisions: Use insights to shape programs and funding.
Report outcomes: Provide funders with accurate, accountable results.

Coordinated Entry System (CES) Lead

We manage the region’s Coordinated Entry (CE) System—a streamlined process that connects people experiencing homelessness to housing and services. Instead of separate waitlists and intakes, CE creates a fair, unified system built around people’s needs and includes four key steps:

Access: Consistent entry points through shelters, outreach, and providers.
Assessment: A Universal Housing Assessment to understand needs.
Prioritization: Fair referrals based on vulnerability and fit, not first-come-first-served.
Referral: Matching people to the right housing and services quickly.

This coordinated approach reduces duplication, improves communication, and ensures no one navigates the system alone.

Community Data

We are the region’s primary source for homelessness data—providing the insight needed to understand trends, track progress, and drive solutions.

Through tools like the By-Name List (BNL), the Point-in-Time (PIT) Count, and ongoing data analysis, we:

Measure need: Maintain real-time and annual data on homelessness in our community.
Track progress: Monitor individual and system-wide outcomes.
Identify trends: Highlight gaps, emerging issues, and opportunities.
Guide action: Equip partners, funders, and policymakers with reliable information.

Our role is to make sure decisions are grounded in data—so resources are targeted effectively and no one is left behind.

CHATTANOOGA REGIONAL HOMELESS COALITION