information for practice

The second AHAR makes use of two primary data sources. The first source is HMIS data on the number, characteristics, and patterns of shelter use among sheltered homeless persons— or persons who used emergency and transitional housing—during a six-month period from January 1 through June 30, 2006. The data were obtained from a nationally representative sample of communities. A total of 58 sample sites participated in the second AHAR, including 49 communities that participated in the first AHAR and 9 new sample communities that were not able to provide data for the first report. Because some sample communities are still working to secure the participation of homeless assistance providers in HMIS, not all could provide data for this analysis (or could provide only partial data). As a result, the estimates provided in this report have large confidence intervals (i.e., sampling error). In addition to the sample communities, 16 communities, or “contributing communities,” that were not part of the original sample met the minimum requirements for participation and volunteered to provide their data for this second report.