Needs assessments for HUD Consolidated Plans
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Cities, counties and states that receive HUD block grant funds must submit a Consolidated Plan, and the plan rests on a housing and homeless needs assessment. Residents and service providers have to be consulted, and what they say has to show up in the priorities.
What needs assessment does a HUD Consolidated Plan require?
A housing and homeless needs assessment, under 24 CFR 91.205 for local governments and 91.305 for states. The plan covers three to five years and brings together the needs assessment, a market analysis and a strategic plan for CDBG, HOME, ESG, HOPWA and HTF funds, with citizen participation and consultation with housing, health and social service agencies. Plotline Evaluation supplies the engagement and the analysis.
What the regulation requires
- A housing and homeless needs assessment as part of the Consolidated Plan (24 CFR 91.205 for local governments; section 91.305 for states).
- The plan covers three to five years and brings together the needs assessment, a market analysis and a strategic plan for CDBG, HOME, ESG, HOPWA and Housing Trust Fund (HTF) funds (HUD Exchange; 24 CFR 91.2).
- A written citizen participation plan with at least 30 days for public comment on the draft plan and public hearings (at least two a year for local governments; for states, at least one on needs before the draft is published), and consultation with housing, health and social service agencies and the local Continuum of Care (24 CFR 91.100, 91.105, 91.115).
Facts on this page were checked against the official sources on October 31, 2026. Rules change; rely on the official announcement or regulation linked here, not on this summary.
Where we fit
Planning departments know the housing data. We add the community engagement and the analysis that ties it to priorities.
- Focus groups and interviews with the people the rule says you must hear from
- Surveys of all kinds: community, client, staff and partner
- Quantitative analysis of the public and internal data the assessment has to cite
- Data management, so every figure in the report can be traced to its source
- Expert data visualization, and a written report your board can adopt
- Final reporting in multiple formats: full report, executive summary, slide deck, one-page brief or dashboard
Mixed methods is our default design: qualitative and quantitative data, collected together and reported as one story.
Timing
HUD asks for the plan at least 45 days before your program year starts (24 CFR 91.15). We recommend starting nine to twelve months before that; the work is commonly contracted through a local request for proposals.
Questions people ask
When does Consolidated Plan work usually begin?
Nine to twelve months before the plan is due to HUD. It is commonly contracted through a local request for proposals.
Which HUD programs does the Consolidated Plan cover?
CDBG (Community Development Block Grants), HOME (HOME Investment Partnerships), ESG (Emergency Solutions Grants), HOPWA (Housing Opportunities for Persons With AIDS) and HTF (Housing Trust Fund), under 24 CFR 91.2.
Is your Consolidated Plan due in the next year?
Tell us the jurisdiction and your submission date. You will hear back within one business day.
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