Missoula achieves Quality Data for single adults, veterans, and chronically unhoused neighbors

MISSOULA, MONTANA, REACHES QUALITY DATA MILESTONE FOR ALL SINGLE ADULTS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS

Missoula is one of the few Built for Zero communities to reach the Quality Data milestone for all single adults experiencing homelessness. In 2022, Missoula joined Community Solutions and Built for Zero, a national movement of more than 100 cities and counties in the United States working to measurably and equitably reduce and end homelessness. Built for Zero recently published an extensive article, including staff interviews, to communicate this data landmark. Read the full article linked here.

This Quality Data milestone recognizes that Missoula has a comprehensive by-name data source of every person experiencing homelessness within a specific population, updated in real-time. This aggregate data allows Missoula to see how the demographics of its homeless population change over time. For example, we can drill down to find out if Missoula is experiencing an increase in homelessness among older adults or whether new resources helped decrease veteran homelessness. This big picture helps us understand trends, decide where to focus support or investments, test system improvements, and determine if our efforts are measurably reducing homelessness on the way to a bigger milestone – functional zero. (Functional zero means that the number of people experiencing homelessness at any time does not exceed the community’s proven record of housing at least that many people within a month).