Our Progress

Inflow refers to the number of people entering homelessness during a reporting period. This includes individuals who are newly identified on the Know-By-Name List, people who return to homelessness after previously being housed, and those who re-engage with local homelessness services after a period of inactivity.

Outflow refers to the number of people exiting homelessness during a reporting period. This includes individuals who achieve a housing outcome, as well as those who are moved to inactive status because they have left the region or have not engaged with services for more than three months.

Tracking inflow and outflow is critical to measuring progress toward Functional Zero. When outflow consistently exceeds inflow, more people are exiting homelessness than entering it, indicating that the homelessness response system is reducing homelessness at a population level. This chart provides a clear view of whether the community is moving closer to, maintaining, or moving away from Functional Zero over time.