Coordinated Entry with System Navigation

Pierce County (hereafter referred to as “the County”), in accordance with the Pierce County 2025-2030 Comprehensive Plan to End Homelessness (CPEH), has made approximately $3,600,000 available to support Coordinated Entry (CE) services to streamline access to the homeless response system. These funds are intended to support an integrated housing crisis response system (HCRS) that rapidly responds to the immediate needs of households experiencing homelessness in accordance with U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) guidance.

The aim is to ensure that these residents are matched with an appropriate intervention to end their homelessness, based on their vulnerability and housing barriers. The CE System is the “front door” of the homeless response system and one piece of the overall system infrastructure. CE is made up of the following components:

• CE Access (Screening, Diversion, Prioritization Interview, and System Navigation)
• By- Name List Management
• Referral & Matching

Collectively, these funds support an integrated system of emergency services that quickly respond to immediate needs of households who are experiencing homelessness, in accordance with the U.S Housing and Urban Development (HUD) guidance.

In June 2026, Pierce County adopted an update to the Comprehensive Plan to End Homelessness ( Pierce County 2025-2030 Comprehensive Plan to End Homelessness ), reaffirming the County's commitment to preventing and ending homelessness through a coordinated, data-informed homeless crisis response system. The updated CPEH documents the scale of homelessness in Pierce County and establishes strategies to achieve functional zero—a state in which any person experiencing a new episode of homelessness has immediate access to shelter and an appropriate permanent housing intervention.

The updated CPEH identifies eight strategic goals:

1. 1. Promote an equitable, accountable, and transparent homeless crisis response system.
   2. Prioritize assistance based on the greatest barriers to housing stability and the greatest risk of harm while ensuring interventions are effective for all populations.
   3. Prevent homeless episodes whenever possible.
   4. Ensure adjacent systems address the needs of people experiencing or at risk of homelessness.
   5. Meet the immediate needs of people experiencing homelessness.
   6. Expand the permanent housing system to meet community need.
   7. Strengthen the homeless provider workforce.
   8. Ensure every person has access to stable housing that meets their needs.

This funding opportunity directly supports Goals 1, 2, 4 and 8.