Purpose of the Housing Move-In Date
The Housing Move-In Date documents point-in-time and housing inventory counts, and splits those households already in permanent housing from those enrolled in a permanent housing project but who are still literally homeless (in a shelter, safe haven, transitional housing, or on the street).
For clients with a Project Start Date in a permanent housing project of any kind (PSH or RRH)record the date a client or household moves into a permanent housing unit*.
Note: The Housing Move-In Date must be between the Project Start Date and Project Exit Date. It may be the same date as Project Start if the client moves into housing on the date they were accepted into the program.
Data Entry Instructions
For KEYS diversion or eviction prevention projects enter the date the client is enrolled in the project if the client is currently housed at the start of the project.
For RRH projects only, a Housing Move-in Date must be entered regardless of whether or not the RRH project is providing the rental assistance for the unit. For example, if an RRH project provides supportive services, but is not providing rental assistance for the unit, a Housing Move-in Date must still be entered to differentiate RRH clients in housing from those still experiencing homelessness.
For any other project types that are typed as 'Permanent Housing' in the HMIS, clients who are receiving pre-housing placement services but are ultimately housed by another project or subsidy source should be exited from the PH project to the appropriate permanent Destination. If the client exits the permanent housing project for a different housing opportunity without physically moving into a housing unit associated with the project, do not enter a housing move-in date, simply exit the client and record the exit destination.
In the event that the client vacates a housing situation and the project stops paying rental assistance, staff should exit the client from the project with an accurate Project Exit Date and Destination and create a new Project Start Date in a second enrollment for the client on the same or following day. The project would continue working with the client until a new unit is found, at which point a new housing move-in date would be recorded on the second project record. This will ensure that the client’s history of housing is preserved.
If the client moves directly from one unit into another unit, with no days of homelessness in between, it would not be necessary to exit and re-enter them, because their housing move-in date would still accurately reflect the day they entered permanent housing according to that enrollment record. Update the address in the Status Update Screen.
If the client loses their housing and the project stops paying rental assistance, but the client remains active in the project. Exit the client on the date the client exited housing and create a new enrollment in the same project for the same or following day. Once the person or household has moved into house, enter the move-in date in the second enrollment.
In the event a client is transferred into a PSH or RRH project having already moved into a permanent housing unit, the client’s Project Start Date and Housing Move-in Date will be the same date. It is not necessary or appropriate to have the Housing Move-in Date reflect the original move-in since the purpose of the data element is to distinguish between housed and homeless statuses during a single enrollment.
*There can be no more than one Housing Move-In Date per enrollment. Once a housing move-in date has been recorded for an enrollment, it should not be removed from the client's record, even if they subsequently move from that housing situation. Users must be able to edit data only to correct errors.
More Resources
For more detailed and the most up-to-date information regarding HUD required HMIS Program Data Elements, please find the Data Standards Manual here: HMIS Data Standards - HUD Exchange.
Contact Us
If you need help, or wish to offer suggestions or feedback, please contact the Cincinnati/Hamilton County HMIS support team at HMISsupport@end-homelessness.org or by calling 513-263-2790 9:00am - 3:00pm Monday-Friday (excluding holidays).
When contacting HMIS Support, please do not include any Personal Identifiable Information (PII) such as names, social security numbers, birth dates, etc. Please only use the Clarity Unique Identifier found on the Clarity client profile page.