Abilene’s Coordinated, Data-Driven Path to Ending Homelessness

In Abilene, the city’s network of homelessness organizations is showing what’s possible when agencies work together: the city has achieved functional zero for veteran and chronic homelessness and reduced the number of individuals and families who return to homelessness.

With guidance from the West Texas Homeless Network (WTHN) and support from the Texas Homeless Network, local groups, advocates, and volunteers have built a coordinated system that drives these successes and reflects a deep understanding of their community’s needs.

“By having stakeholders across our community and different agencies involved, that helps make sure we’re doing a more complete job,” said Jenny Goode, WTHN Committee Chair.   

Coordinated Entry: A Living System

At the heart of WTHN’s approach is Coordinated Entry, a community-wide system that identifies individuals experiencing homelessness, assesses their needs, and connects them to the right services and housing. 

Coordinated Entry is a United States Department of Housing and Urban Development requirement implemented in 2018. It ensures that people at-risk of or experiencing homelessness can readily access and navigate housing assistance– no matter where in the community they first seek help. 

THN oversees and evaluates Coordinated Entry implementation across 214 counties, including Taylor County in Abilene. THN provides policy guidance, technical assistance, and support to ensure the system is fair, effective, and consistent across West Texas and beyond.

“Coordinated Entry is a living, breathing system,” said Courtney Horton, WTHN’s Coordinated Entry Point Lead. “It’s not just a report or a program. Everyone, from outreach workers to housing navigators, participates daily to keep the system accurate and responsive.”

Each month, case conferences and committee meetings unite nonprofits, agencies, and volunteers working in outreach, shelter, youth and family services, and housing navigation so no one in our community is ever overlooked.

A key tool in this system is the by-name list, a real-time record of every person experiencing homelessness in the community. Each file, created and shared with consent, includes their history, health information, and housing needs, allowing partners to match solutions effectively and coordinate during case conferences. 

“That data helps us know what capacity we have and what capacity we need,” Horton said. “It helps us be a lot more informed about what the gaps are and what the strengths are.”

Built for Zero: Using Data to Drive Results

Abilene’s work gained major momentum in 2018 through the Built for Zero initiative, a data-driven approach aimed at reducing chronic and veteran homelessness to functional zero: the point at which the number of homeless individuals falls below the community’s monthly housing placement capacity. 

Guided by THN and strengthened by collaboration with communities nationwide, Abilene ended veteran homelessness in February 2019. Just months later, it also reached functional zero for chronic homelessness, joining only three other cities in the entire country in accomplishing what once felt impossible. Abilene also cut the average time to house someone experiencing chronic homelessness from 188 days to 95 days.

Using the by-name list, system performance dashboard and coordinating multi-agency case conferencing, the community developed rapid, tailored housing strategies that ensured no Texan slipped through the cracks. 

THN’s Impact: Guiding Communities Across Texas

THN has been a critical partner, showing what a full continuum of services looks like from first contact on the street to permanent housing and beyond. 

“Some stakeholders would say the most important work starts once people are housed,” Horton said. “We have to keep them in stable housing, so we’re never truly out of their lives. It’s a huge continuum, and everyone plays a role.”

Through quarterly meetings with the Local Homeless Coalition Coordinator, Jen Beardsley, at Texas Homeless Network, WTHN gains guidance on local efforts and learns strategies from across the state. And beyond Abilene, THN also helps other coalitions navigate governance, new programs, and policy changes while sharing best practices. 

Abilene was among the first communities to successfully implement Built for Zero’s data-driven, collaborative approach to ending homelessness. The initiative’s success is fueled by communities working together: Denton County Homeless Coalition supported WTHN in developing their system, and WTHN has since mentored Amarillo, sharing strategies that have already transformed lives in Abilene.

Abilene’s story shows the power of coordinated, data-driven action. But it also shows the power of belief: the belief that homelessness is solvable, and that no one has to face it alone. With THN’s support, WTHN has built a sustainable, proven system, one that demonstrates homelessness is not inevitable when communities come together.