Leveraging Integrated Data Systems to Address Homelessness

In 2024, the U.S. recorded the highest number of individuals experiencing homelessness in a single night. Homelessness is on the rise, yet we’re not using the data we already have to prevent it. In 2022 alone, more than one million U.S. households accessed emergency shelters, safe havens, or transitional housing programs. As cities and states grapple with strained budgets and fragmented service systems, Integrated Data Systems (IDS) offer a powerful yet underutilized tool. In conversation with Dennis Culhane, a leading expert on homelessness and the co-founder of Actionable Intelligence for Social Policy (AISP), he emphasized how IDS can help provide coordinated, cost-effective, and proactive responses to homelessness.