In Travis County, there is no standalone “referral form” you fill out on your own to enter the Coordinated Entry System. The referral happens through the Coordinated Assessment run by the Ending Community Homelessness Coalition (ECHO): a trained community assessor works through a 21-question tool with you in a single session, submits it into the shared system on your behalf, and your information is then placed on a priority list for local housing programs.1ECHO. Coordinated Entry You can start that assessment by phone, at one of five walk-in locations, by requesting a mobile outreach visit, or through a case manager at a program you already work with.2ECHO. Get Help
The assessment is the gateway to nearly every publicly funded housing resource in Austin and Travis County, so if you skip it those programs cannot see you. ECHO is redesigning the Coordinated Entry System, with a pilot expected after August 2026, but the process below is what is active right now.3ECHO. Redesigning Our Front Door
Four Ways to Get the Assessment Submitted
All four paths feed into the same system, and none of them scores you differently.2ECHO. Get Help
- By phone. Call the Sunrise Homeless Navigation Center at 512-522-1097, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Survivors of domestic violence can call the SAFE Alliance’s SAFEline at 512-267-SAFE (7233) for a confidential appointment.
- Walk in. Five sites take drop-ins during set hours. Most do not require an appointment; just arrive during the posted window.
- Mobile outreach. If you cannot travel, request a visit from the Sunrise mobile team through their website, reach the Homeless Outreach Street Team (HOST) at 512-804-3720, or contact PATH through Integral Care at 512-804-3700.
- Through a program you are already in. If you have a case manager at a shelter or service provider, ask them to complete the assessment with you on site.
Walk-In Locations and Hours
Each location operates first-come, first-served during its posted hours unless noted.2ECHO. Get Help
- Sunrise Homeless Navigation Center, 4430 Menchaca Rd. Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Food, clothing, showers, and healthcare access are also available.
- Austin Community Court, 505 Barton Springs Rd., first floor. Tuesdays, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. ID assistance and healthcare are available on other weekdays.
- The Charlie Center, 12675 Research Blvd. Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
- Austin Area Urban League, 8011 Cameron Rd., Suite A-100. Tuesdays and Fridays, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Workforce and career resources are on site.
- The SAFE Alliance. Appointment only, through SAFEline at 512-267-SAFE (7233). For survivors of domestic violence, sexual violence, human trafficking, and child abuse.
Who Qualifies
Coordinated Entry uses federal HUD definitions of homelessness. Most people fit one of these categories.
Category 1 is literally homeless: sleeping somewhere not meant for habitation (a car, park, sidewalk, or abandoned building), staying in an emergency shelter, or exiting an institution after a stay of 90 days or fewer that followed a period of homelessness.4eCFR. 24 CFR 578.3 – Definitions
Category 2 is imminent risk: you will lose your primary nighttime residence within 14 days, have no follow-up housing lined up, and lack the resources to find another place.5HUD Exchange. Category 2: Imminent Risk of Homelessness
Category 4 covers anyone fleeing or attempting to flee domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, or other dangerous conditions, who has no other safe place and lacks resources for safe permanent housing. A police report or protective order is not required.
You also need a geographic connection to Austin or Travis County, meaning you live in the county or are seeking services from organizations here. Staff confirm this during the initial screening.
What to Bring
You do not need a stack of paperwork. Bring any ID you have — a driver’s license, state ID, or Social Security card — but not having documents will not disqualify you. If you know the names and dates of birth of household members, bring those too, since the assessment covers your whole household to determine the right type and size of housing help.
The HMIS Consent Form
Before the assessment questions start, the assessor will ask you to sign a Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) release of information. This lets agencies in the Travis County homeless response system share your records electronically so you do not have to retell your story at every stop. Participating agencies share information with each other only as you authorize, and share outside the system only with your explicit permission.6ECHO. Homeless Management Information System The form is available in English and Spanish. Refusing to sign does not disqualify you, but it can slow coordination between providers.
The 21-Question Austin Prioritization Assessment Tool
The core of the process is a locally built questionnaire called the Austin Prioritization Assessment Tool (APAT). It has 21 questions about your current episode of homelessness, your health, and your housing history.1ECHO. Coordinated Entry Assessors ask yes-or-no questions built to weigh several factors: how likely you are to resolve homelessness on your own, whether you have chronic or serious medical conditions worsened by living outside, specific risks like pregnancy or having minor children, and the range of services you would need to stay housed.7ECHO. Austin Prioritization Index
Answer honestly. The APAT is not a test to pass or fail; it is a triage tool. Downplaying a health condition or housing history can produce a lower priority score and push you further from a housing match. The assessor is trained to ask without judgment, and your answers are protected under HMIS privacy standards.
Disability Documentation
Permanent supportive housing (PSH), the most intensive program, requires a documented disability. You do not need this at the time of your initial assessment. Once you are matched to a PSH program, the provider has 45 days to obtain written verification.8HUD Exchange. Eligible Participants at a Glance: Disability Definition Acceptable forms include a letter from a licensed professional diagnosing a long-term condition that substantially limits your ability to live independently, written verification from the Social Security Administration, or a copy of a disability benefit statement like SSDI. Self-certification and verbal third-party reports do not count.
Confidential Submission for Survivors
If you are fleeing domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, or human trafficking, there is a separate confidential pathway. The SAFE Alliance is a dedicated access point at 512-267-SAFE (7233), and assessments happen by appointment in a secure setting.2ECHO. Get Help
Federal law requires safety protocols for survivors in every coordinated entry process, and victim service providers are prohibited from entering your data into HMIS under the Violence Against Women Act.9HUD. Coordinated Entry and Victim Service Providers FAQs You can refuse to answer any question or decline to share personal information. Your data stays inside the victim services network, and you still get equal access to the same housing programs available through the main access points.
After You Submit
Once the assessment is complete, your information enters the system and you are placed on a priority list, not a traditional first-come waitlist. Your APAT score, together with factors like length of homelessness and medical vulnerability, sets your position relative to others. The system aims to match people least likely to resolve homelessness on their own with housing resources first.1ECHO. Coordinated Entry
When a spot opens in a program that fits your situation, a case manager contacts you with a referral. Keeping your phone number or contact method current with ECHO is critical here. If the agency cannot reach you after multiple attempts, your file may be marked inactive. Check in periodically with the access point where you completed your assessment to confirm your contact details and status.
Diversion is built into the process. Before or during the assessment, staff may explore whether your housing crisis can be resolved quickly through landlord mediation, reconnecting with family, short-term financial help, or another approach that does not require a permanent subsidy.10U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness. Homelessness Prevention, Diversion, and Rapid Exit If diversion does not resolve things, you continue through the full assessment.
Realistic Timing
Demand for housing in Travis County consistently exceeds supply. ECHO reported in 2025 that the average time from assessment to move-in had decreased by 25 percent, but the actual wait varies widely by program and priority level.11City of Austin. 2025 ECHO Report: Measurable Progress in Austin Homelessness Response For permanent supportive housing, waits of a year or more are common. Housing Choice Vouchers through the Housing Authority of the City of Austin operate on a separate waitlist that is frequently closed. Placement on the priority list is not a guarantee of housing; it is the required first step to be considered.
Your Rights and Appeals
Federal nondiscrimination rules apply at every step. The coordinated entry process cannot turn you away or score you differently based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, or familial status under the Fair Housing Act. HUD’s Equal Access Rule adds protections based on actual or perceived sexual orientation, gender identity, and marital status.12HUD. CPD-17-01: Notice Establishing Additional Requirements for a CoC Centralized or Coordinated Assessment System
You also have the right to appeal coordinated entry decisions. ECHO’s written policies must include an appeals process, and you must be told how to file a nondiscrimination complaint. If you believe your assessment was handled improperly, scored unfairly, or that you faced discrimination, ask your assessor or contact ECHO directly about the grievance procedure.
Immigration Status
Completing the Coordinated Assessment does not require proof of citizenship or immigration status; anyone can go through the process regardless of documentation. Some of the housing programs you may be referred to, particularly HUD-funded ones like Housing Choice Vouchers and permanent supportive housing, restrict eligibility to U.S. citizens, permanent residents, asylees, and people with certain other statuses. Mixed-status households have historically received prorated assistance calculated only for eligible members, though proposed federal rule changes could affect that going forward. The assessment is still worth completing even if your status is uncertain, because the system includes programs with different funding sources and rules.
A Note on the 2026 Redesign
ECHO’s Leadership Council voted in November 2025 to redesign the Coordinated Entry System, and staff have been working with providers, people with lived experience of homelessness, and other stakeholders throughout 2026 to build a new model.3ECHO. Redesigning Our Front Door The redesign is looking at the assessment tool, prioritization, and referral matching. A pilot is anticipated after August 2026. Until then, the APAT, the walk-in access points, and the priority list described above are still the active system. If you need housing help now, do not wait for the redesign to complete your assessment.