---
kind: "section"
citation: "42 U.S.C. § 11386a"
title: "42"
title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare"
number: "11386a"
heading: "Selection criteria"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/11386a"
units:
  - "Chapter 119 — Homeless Assistance"
  - "Subchapter IV — Housing Assistance"
  - "Part C — Continuum of Care Program"
---

# §11386a. Selection criteria

- (a) **In general—** The [Secretary](/usc/42/11371.md?p=7) shall award funds to [recipients](/usc/42/11371.md?p=6) through a national competition between geographic areas based on criteria established by the [Secretary](/usc/42/11371.md?p=7).
- (b) **Required criteria—**
  - (1) **In general—** The criteria established under [subsection (a)](#a) shall include—
    - (A) the previous performance of the [recipient](/usc/42/11371.md?p=6) regarding homelessness, including performance related to funds provided under [section 11372 of this title](/usc/42/11372.md) (except that [recipients](/usc/42/11371.md?p=6) applying from geographic areas where no funds have been awarded under this part, or under parts C, D, E, or F of subchapter IV of this chapter, as in effect prior to May 20, 2009, shall receive full credit for performance under this subparagraph), measured by criteria that shall be announced by the [Secretary](/usc/42/11371.md?p=7), that shall take into account barriers faced by individual [homeless](/usc/42/11302.md?p=a) people, and that shall include—
      - (i) the length of time individuals and families remain [homeless](/usc/42/11302.md?p=a);
      - (ii) the extent to which individuals and families who leave homelessness experience additional spells of homelessness;
      - (iii) the thoroughness of grantees in the geographic area in reaching [homeless individuals](/usc/42/11302.md?p=a) and families;
      - (iv) overall reduction in the number of [homeless individuals](/usc/42/11302.md?p=a) and families;
      - (v) jobs and income growth for [homeless individuals](/usc/42/11302.md?p=a) and families;
      - (vi) success at reducing the number of individuals and families who become [homeless](/usc/42/11302.md?p=a);
      - (vii) other accomplishments by the [recipient](/usc/42/11371.md?p=6) related to reducing homelessness; and
      - (viii) for collaborative applicants that have exercised the authority under [section 11382(j) of this title](/usc/42/11382.md?p=j) to serve families with children and youth defined as [homeless](/usc/42/11302.md?p=a) under other Federal statutes, success in achieving the goals and outcomes identified in [subsection (b)(1)(F)](#b-1-F);
    - (B) the plan of the [recipient](/usc/42/11371.md?p=6), which shall describe—
      - (i) how the number of individuals and families who become [homeless](/usc/42/11302.md?p=a) will be reduced in the community;
      - (ii) how the length of time that individuals and families remain [homeless](/usc/42/11302.md?p=a) will be reduced;
      - (iii) how the [recipient](/usc/42/11371.md?p=6) will collaborate with local education authorities to assist in the identification of individuals and families who become or remain [homeless](/usc/42/11302.md?p=a) and are informed of their eligibility for services under part B of subchapter VI of this chapter ([42 U.S.C. 11431](/usc/42/11431.md) et seq.);
      - (iv) the extent to which the [recipient](/usc/42/11371.md?p=6) will—
        - (I) address the needs of all relevant subpopulations;
        - (II) incorporate comprehensive strategies for reducing homelessness, including the interventions referred to in [section 11386b(d) of this title](/usc/42/11386b.md?p=d);
        - (III) set quantifiable performance measures;
        - (IV) set timelines for completion of specific tasks;
        - (V) identify specific funding sources for planned activities; and
        - (VI) identify an individual or body responsible for overseeing implementation of specific strategies; and
      - (v) whether the [recipient](/usc/42/11371.md?p=6) proposes to exercise authority to use funds under [section 11382(j) of this title](/usc/42/11382.md?p=j), and if so, how the [recipient](/usc/42/11371.md?p=6) will achieve the goals and outcomes identified in [subsection (b)(1)(F)](#b-1-F);
    - (C) the methodology of the [recipient](/usc/42/11371.md?p=6) used to determine the priority for funding local [projects](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2) under [section 11382(c)(1) of this title](/usc/42/11382.md?p=c-1), including the extent to which the priority-setting process—
      - (i) uses periodically collected information and analysis to determine the extent to which each [project](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2) has resulted in rapid return to permanent housing for those served by the [project](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2), taking into account the severity of barriers faced by the people the [project](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2) serves;
      - (ii) considers the full range of opinions from individuals or entities with knowledge of homelessness in the geographic area or an interest in preventing or ending homelessness in the geographic area;
      - (iii) is based on objective criteria that have been publicly announced by the [recipient](/usc/42/11371.md?p=6); and
      - (iv) is open to proposals from entities that have not previously received funds under this part;
    - (D) the extent to which the amount of assistance to be provided under this part to the [recipient](/usc/42/11371.md?p=6) will be supplemented with resources from other public and private sources, including mainstream programs identified by the Government Accountability Office in the two reports described in [section 11313(a)(7) of this title](/usc/42/11313.md?p=a-7);
    - (E) demonstrated coordination by the [recipient](/usc/42/11371.md?p=6) with the other Federal, [State](/usc/42/11371.md?p=8), local, private, and other entities serving individuals and families experiencing homelessness and at risk of homelessness in the planning and operation of [projects](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2);
    - (F) for 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, program goals and outcomes, which shall include—
      - (i) preventing homelessness among the subset of such families with children and youth who are at highest risk of becoming [homeless](/usc/42/11302.md?p=a), as such term is defined for purposes of this subchapter; or
      - (ii) achieving independent living in permanent housing among such families with children and youth, especially those who have a history of doubled-up and other temporary housing situations or are living in a temporary housing situation due to lack of available and appropriate emergency shelter, through the provision of eligible assistance that directly contributes to achieving such results including assistance to address chronic disabilities, chronic physical health or mental health conditions, substance addiction, histories of domestic violence or childhood abuse, or multiple barriers to employment; and
    - (G) such other factors as the [Secretary](/usc/42/11371.md?p=7) determines to be appropriate to carry out this part in an effective and efficient manner.
  - (2) **Additional criteria—** In addition to the criteria required under [paragraph (1)](#b-1), the criteria established under [paragraph (1)](#b-1) shall also include the need within the geographic area for [homeless](/usc/42/11302.md?p=a) services, determined as follows and under the following conditions:
    - (A) **Notice—** The [Secretary](/usc/42/11371.md?p=7) shall inform each collaborative applicant, at a time concurrent with the release of the notice of funding availability for the grants, of the pro rata estimated grant amount under this part for the geographic area represented by the collaborative applicant.
    - (B) **Amount—**
      - (i) **Formula—** Such estimated grant amounts shall be determined by a formula, which shall be developed by the [Secretary](/usc/42/11371.md?p=7), by regulation, not later than the expiration of the 2-year period beginning upon May 20, 2009, that is based upon factors that are appropriate to allocate funds to meet the goals and objectives of this part.
      - (ii) **Combinations or consortia—** For a collaborative applicant that represents a combination or [consortium](/usc/42/17061.md?p=4) of cities or counties, the estimated need amount shall be the sum of the estimated need amounts for the cities or counties represented by the collaborative applicant.
      - (iii) **Authority of Secretary—** Subject to the availability of appropriations, the [Secretary](/usc/42/11371.md?p=7) shall increase the estimated need amount for a geographic area if necessary to provide 1 year of renewal funding for all expiring contracts entered into under this part for the geographic area.
  - (3) **Homelessness counts—** The [Secretary](/usc/42/11371.md?p=7) shall not require that communities conduct an actual count of [homeless](/usc/42/11302.md?p=a) people other than those described in paragraphs (1) through (4) of [section 11302(a) of this title](/usc/42/11302.md?p=a).
- (c) **Adjustments—** The [Secretary](/usc/42/11371.md?p=7) may adjust the formula described in [subsection (b)(2)](#b-2) as necessary—
  - (1) to ensure that each collaborative applicant has sufficient funding to renew all qualified [projects](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2) for at least one year; and
  - (2) to ensure that collaborative applicants are not discouraged from replacing renewal [projects](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2) with new [projects](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2) that the collaborative applicant determines will better be able to meet the purposes of this chapter.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 100–77, title IV, § 427, as added Pub. L. 111–22, div. B, title III, § 1305(3), May 20, 2009, 123 Stat. 1690.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### References in Text

This chapter, referred to in subsec. (c)(2), was in the original “this Act”, meaning Pub. L. 100–77, July 22, 1987, 101 Stat. 482, known as the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 11301 of this title and Tables.

### Prior Provisions

A prior section 427 of Pub. L. 100–77 was renumbered section 433 and is classified to section 11387 of this title.

Another prior section 427 of Pub. L. 100–77, July 22, 1987, 101 Stat. 504; Pub. L. 100–628, title IV, § 453, Nov. 7, 1988, 102 Stat. 3236, which provided for reports to Congress summarizing the activities carried out under the supportive housing demonstration program, was classified to section 11387 of this title prior to repeal 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.