Defining where we need to be helps to create a roadmap for getting there.
Sacramento Steps Forward regularly implements an analysis of our community’s services and supports that prevent and resolve homelessness. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) requires this assessment for our community to receive federal funding.
This evaluation is referred to as a gaps analysis.
The assessment involves building a model to estimate the difference between the scale and scope of the current homelessness response system and one that would fully serve the community’s needs. The analysis identifies where additional investments would have the largest positive effect on the system.
These recommendations can inform decision-making for funding and program design that will most effectively prevent and resolve homelessness.
A gaps analysis is not intended to provide detailed recommendations on improving service delivery or to predict future homelessness trends with certainty. Instead, it serves as a high-level assessment to guide resource planning and system capacity building.