Getting to zero takes moral courage, data-driven thinking, and a system-wide approach.
Great housing programs alone aren’t enough to end homelessness — that’s old-school thinking! Getting to zero takes a whole system built to drive reductions.
THE PROBLEM
No single actor is fully accountable for ending homelessness in a community. Each local agency or program holds its own small piece of the solution, but no one has their eye on how the pieces fit together.
THE BUILT FOR ZERO SOLUTION
An integrated, command center team. Key agencies, like the Continuum of Care, the housing authority, local government, and the VA, work together every week toward a shared definition of zero.
THE PROBLEM
Funders evaluate success on the performance of individual housing programs, not on whether a community collectively reduces homelessness. But single programs don’t get us to zero— whole communities do.
THE BUILT FOR ZERO SOLUTION
Community-level measurement. Built for Zero communities measure success by the total number of people experiencing homelessness, not by program outcomes. The best program is one that gets you closer to zero.
THE PROBLEM
A once-a-year count of a problem that changes nightly. Annual street counts are a snapshot; your community needs a video. Getting to zero takes line of sight into how people move through your system over time.
THE BUILT FOR ZERO SOLUTION
Comprehensive, real-time, by-name data. Built for Zero communities know everyone experiencing homelessness by name, in real time. The result is more tailored solutions for individuals and a clearer picture of the system as a whole.
THE PROBLEM
Housing supply paralysis. Expanded housing resources are crucial, but many cities have dramatically expanded housing supply without making a dent in homelessness. The reason? They never fixed the housing system.
THE BUILT FOR ZERO SOLUTION
Strategic, data-driven housing investments. Built for Zero communities use real-time data to secure the housing resources they need and target them for the greatest possible reductions in homelessness.
The Process
The Built for Zero process leads communities through five phases:
Problem Solving Toolkit
You’ll build an integrated, command center team that can take responsibility for getting to zero.
By-Name List
You’ll work with our coaching team to build a comprehensive real-time, by-name list of all single adults experiencing homelessness in your community.
Reduce to Zero
You’ll learn the science of testing improvement ideas in rapid cycles to drive monthly reductions in homelessness.
Sustaining Zero
You’ll learn how to sustain functional zero for your target population.
Zero for All
You’ll expand your focus to new target populations and drive toward ending all homelessness.
“Before working with Built for Zero, I wouldn’t have been able to measure whether a change was working or not. Now I constantly find myself asking, ‘How will we know if this worked?’ Before we just weren’t framing system change this way, and weren’t asking this question.”
Erin Mangano, VA Coordinated Entry Specialist, Cook County, IL
Our Partners
Our strategic partners bring their knowledge, relationships, and leverage to bear in support of the work of our communities. They are a critical piece of the puzzle, and we are deeply grateful for their contributions to support and sustain our work. Learn more about our partners.
