From HUD:

Data continues to be a critical component of our homeless response efforts. To understand what progress we have made and where we continue to have gaps is vital to our efforts to successfully prevent and end homelessness. What we collect and how we collect that information requires careful consideration. We – HUD and federal agencies that require the use of Homeless Management Information Systems (HMIS) – have agreed that it is in the best interest of all partners to delay any major releases of the HMIS Data Standards to Fiscal Year (FY) 2027.

Why Delay a Major HMIS Data Standards Release to FY 2027?

The reason for this delay is to allow more time for communities and partners to provide feedback on what changes are necessary. It is critically important that we provide opportunities for people impacted by the data to weigh in. We are expanding how we plan to engage all of you in this effort. We want to hear from people experiencing homelessness, frontline staff, street outreach workers, and others who use HMIS data to provide input on what changes are needed to better do our work. We are exploring ways to better engage people with lived homeless experience in particular so that they can share their experiences and be partners in making changes to what information we ask of them.

Additionally, we will release proposed changes to HMIS vendors earlier than we have in the past to allow more time to review and test changes to the HMIS Data Standards. This should also allow more time for HMIS System Administrators to train HMIS users on the changes.

Will There be a Minor HMIS Data Standards Release Before the FY 2027 Major Release?

In FY 2026, we may release minor changes to HMIS. These changes would largely be limited to individual programs or to changes that do not make significant changes to programming requirements for HMIS software. HUD does not plan to make changes to the Universal Data Elements (UDEs) or common data elements.

What Should we Expect Next?

We will send a listserv on how you can better engage in the process of proposing changes to the HMIS Data Standards in the coming months. You can engage your partners now regarding what HMIS Data Standards changes you would like to see.