---
kind: "section"
citation: "42 U.S.C. § 11384"
title: "42"
title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare"
number: "11384"
heading: "Incentives for high-performing communities"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/11384"
units:
  - "Chapter 119 — Homeless Assistance"
  - "Subchapter IV — Housing Assistance"
  - "Part C — Continuum of Care Program"
---

# §11384. Incentives for high-performing communities

- (a) **Designation as a high-performing community—**
  - (1) **In general—** The [Secretary](/usc/42/11371.md?p=7) shall designate, on an annual basis, which collaborative applicants represent high-performing communities.
  - (2) **Consideration—** In determining whether to designate a collaborative applicant as a high-performing community under [paragraph (1)](#a-1), the [Secretary](/usc/42/11371.md?p=7) shall establish criteria to ensure that the requirements described under paragraphs [(1)(B)](#d-1-B) and [(2)(B)](#d-2-B) of subsection (d) are measured by comparing [homeless individuals](/usc/42/11302.md?p=a) and families under similar circumstances, in order to encourage [projects](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2) in the geographic area to serve [homeless individuals](/usc/42/11302.md?p=a) and families with more severe barriers to housing stability.
  - (3) **2-year phase in—** In each of the first 2 years after the effective date under [section 1503](/usc/42/1503.md) of the [Homeless](/usc/42/11302.md?p=a) Emergency Assistance and Rapid Transition to Housing Act of 2009, the [Secretary](/usc/42/11371.md?p=7) shall designate not more than 10 collaborative applicants as high-performing communities.
  - (4) **Excess of qualified applicants—** If, during the 2-year period described under [paragraph (2)](#a-2), more than 10 collaborative applicants could qualify to be designated as high-performing communities, the [Secretary](/usc/42/11371.md?p=7) shall designate the 10 that have, in the discretion of the [Secretary](/usc/42/11371.md?p=7), the best performance based on the criteria described under [subsection (d)](#d).
  - (5) **Time limit on designation—** The designation of any collaborative applicant as a high-performing community under this subsection shall be effective only for the year in which such designation is made. The [Secretary](/usc/42/11371.md?p=7), on an annual basis, may renew any such designation.
- (b) **Application—**
  - (1) **In general—** A collaborative applicant seeking designation as a high-performing community under [subsection (a)](#a) shall submit an application to the [Secretary](/usc/42/11371.md?p=7) at such time, and in such manner as the [Secretary](/usc/42/11371.md?p=7) may require.
  - (2) **Content of application—** In any application submitted under [paragraph (1)](#b-1), a collaborative applicant shall include in such application—
    - (A) a report showing how any money received under this part in the preceding year was expended; and
    - (B) information that such applicant can meet the requirements described under [subsection (d)](#d).
  - (3) **Publication of application—** The [Secretary](/usc/42/11371.md?p=7) shall—
    - (A) publish any report or information submitted in an application under this section in the geographic area represented by the collaborative applicant; and
    - (B) seek comments from the public as to whether the collaborative applicant seeking designation as a high-performing community meets the requirements described under [subsection (d)](#d).
- (c) **Use of funds—** Funds awarded under [section 11382(a) of this title](/usc/42/11382.md?p=a) to a [project](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2) sponsor who is located in a high-performing community may be used—
  - (1) for any of the eligible activities described in [section 11383 of this title](/usc/42/11383.md); or
  - (2) for any of the eligible activities described in paragraphs (4) and (5) of [section 11374(a) of this title](/usc/42/11374.md?p=a).
- (d) **Definition of high-performing community—** For purposes of this section, the term “high-performing community” means a geographic area that demonstrates through reliable data that all five of the following requirements are met for that geographic area:
  - (1) **Term of homelessness—** The mean length of episodes of homelessness for that geographic area—
    - (A) is less than 20 days; or
    - (B) for individuals and families in similar circumstances in the preceding year was at least 10 percent less than in the year before.
  - (2) **Families leaving homelessness—** Of individuals and families—
    - (A) who leave homelessness, fewer than 5 percent of such individuals and families become [homeless](/usc/42/11302.md?p=a) again at any time within the next 2 years; or
    - (B) in similar circumstances who leave homelessness, the percentage of such individuals and families who become [homeless](/usc/42/11302.md?p=a) again within the next 2 years has decreased by at least 20 percent from the preceding year.
  - (3) **Community action—** The communities that compose the geographic area have—
    - (A) actively encouraged [homeless individuals](/usc/42/11302.md?p=a) and families to participate in [homeless](/usc/42/11302.md?p=a) assistance services available in that geographic area; and
    - (B) included each [homeless individual](/usc/42/11302.md?p=a) or family who sought [homeless](/usc/42/11302.md?p=a) assistance services in the data system used by that community for determining compliance with this subsection.
  - (4) **Effectiveness of previous activities—** If [recipients](/usc/42/11371.md?p=6) in the geographic area have used funding awarded under [section 11382(a) of this title](/usc/42/11382.md?p=a) for eligible activities described under [section 11374(a) of this title](/usc/42/11374.md?p=a) in previous years based on the authority granted under [subsection (c)](#c), that such activities were effective at reducing the number of individuals and families who became [homeless](/usc/42/11302.md?p=a) in that community.
  - (5) **Flexibility to serve persons defined as homeless under other Federal laws—** With respect to collaborative applicants exercising the authority under [section 11382(j) of this title](/usc/42/11382.md?p=j) to serve [homeless](/usc/42/11302.md?p=a) families with children and youth defined as [homeless](/usc/42/11302.md?p=a) under other Federal statutes, effectiveness in achieving the goals and outcomes identified in subsection[^1] [11386a(b)(1)(F)](/usc/42/11386a.md?p=b-1-F) of this title according to such standards as the [Secretary](/usc/42/11371.md?p=7) shall promulgate.
- (e) **Cooperation among entities—** A collaborative applicant designated as a high-performing community under this section shall cooperate with the [Secretary](/usc/42/11371.md?p=7) in distributing information about successful efforts within the geographic area represented by the collaborative applicant to reduce homelessness.

## Footnotes

[^1]: So in original. Probably should be “section”.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 100–77, title IV, § 424, as added Pub. L. 111–22, div. B, title III, § 1303, May 20, 2009, 123 Stat. 1687.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### References in Text

The effective date under section 1503 of the Homeless Emergency Assistance and Rapid Transition to Housing Act of 2009, referred to in subsec. (a)(3), is the effective date under section 1503 of title V of div. B of Pub. L. 111–22, set out as an Effective Date of 2009 Amendment note under section 11302 of this title.

### Prior Provisions

A prior section 11384, Pub. L. 100–77, title IV, § 424, as added Pub. L. 102–550, title XIV, § 1403(a), Oct. 28, 1992, 106 Stat. 4016, which related to supportive housing, was repealed by Pub. L. 111–22, div. B, title III, § 1303, May 20, 2009, 123 Stat. 1687.

Another prior section 11384, Pub. L. 100–77, title IV, § 424, July 22, 1987, 101 Stat. 501; Pub. L. 100–628, title IV, §§ 442(b)(2), 448(b), 450(a)(1), (b), 451, Nov. 7, 1988, 102 Stat. 3233–3235; Pub. L. 101–625, title VIII, § 833(f), (h)–(j), (k)(2), Nov. 28, 1990, 104 Stat. 4363–4365, which provided for applications, selection criteria, and other program requirements for assistance under the supportive housing demonstration program, was repealed by Pub. L. 102–550, title XIV, § 1403(a), Oct. 28, 1992, 106 Stat. 4013.

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date

Section effective on the earlier of 18 months after May 20, 2009, or 3 months after publication of certain final regulations by Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, see section 1503 of Pub. L. 111–22, set out as an Effective Date of 2009 Amendment note under section 11302 of this title.