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Needs assessments for HUD Consolidated Plans
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 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 and HOPWA funds (HUD Exchange).
- Citizen participation and consultation with housing, health and social service agencies are part of the process.
Facts on this page were checked against the official sources on September 20, 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
Work usually begins nine to twelve months before the plan is due to HUD, and is commonly contracted through a local request for proposals.
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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