The  Longitudinal  Systems  Analysis  (LSA)  is  the  new  name  for  the  data  and  report  generated  through  Stella  in HUD’s  HDX  2.0  site.  The  LSA  data  is  used  to  create  the  Annual  Homeless  Assessment  Report  (AHAR)  that  goes to  congress.  

Every  year,  the  U.S.  Department  of  Housing  and  Urban  Development  (HUD)  submits  an  Annual  Homeless Assessment  Report  (AHAR)  to  the  United  States  Congress.  The  AHAR  is  a  national-level  report  that  provides Information  about  homeless  service  providers,  people  and  households  experiencing  homelessness,  and various  characteristics  of  that  population.  It  informs  strategic  planning  for  federal,  state,  and  local  initiatives designed  to  prevent  and  end  homelessness.

HUD selected  a  research  team  from  Abt  Associates  and  the  University  of  Pennsylvania  to  complete  the  AHAR. The  AHAR research  team  collects,  reviews,  and  analyzes  HMIS  data  that  Continuums  of  Care  (CoCs)  report  to HUD via  the  HDX  2.0. The  team  supports  CoCs throughout  the  data  collection  and  cleaning  process  to  review the  data  and  resolve  any  data  quality  flags.  Once  the  data  collection  and  cleaning  process  has  closed,  the research  team  analyzes  the  data  and  prepares  the  annual  reports,  which  have  historically  been  published  each summer/fall  and  provide  an  overview  of  homelessness  during  the  previous  year.

What data  is  reported

The  LSA  data  provided  by  CoC’s  contains  community-level  information  on  people  and  households  during  the reporting  year.  For  those  people  and  households  served  during  the  reporting  period  the  LSA  includes:  

• Demographic information  such  as  age,  race,  gender  and  veteran  status.
• Length of time homeless  and patterns  of  system  use.  
• Information  of  specific  populations  whose  needs  and/or  eligibility  for  services  may  differ  from  the  broader homeless  population.  
• Housing outcomes for those  who  exited the  homeless services  system.

The  LSA  is  one  of  three  aggregated  data  submissions  that  is  used  to  create  the  AHAR  report.  These  three submissions  include  the  LSA,  Point-in-Time  (PIT)  counts,  and  the  Housing  Inventory  Count  (HIC).    For  more information  about  the  LSA  please visit https://www.hudexchange.info/homelessness-assistance/lsa/.

Check out the National AHAR or LSA Reports that are submitted to Congress here!