Coordinated Assessment and Placement System (CAPS)

Coordinated Entry is a requirement for all Continuum of Cares (CoC) nationwide to streamline the way people move from homelessness into permanent housing, ensuring the most vulnerable are prioritized for scarce resources. It requires each CoC to look at their system as a whole, rather than program by program. 

In NYC, the CoC developed the Coordinated Assessment and Placement System, or CAPS. CAPS development is an iterative process, relying on the existing network of committed advocates, shelters, drop in centers, street outreach teams, housing providers, government agencies, tenants of CoC-funded housing, and advocates to inform and shape this community-wide systems change.

The CAPS Steering Committee, a committee of the CoC, is comprised of key stakeholders across NYC’s homeless and housing services. They meet monthly to review, evaluate, and refine CAPS development and expansion. 

The NYC Human Resources Administration launched the new CAPS system on October 26. CAPS is the re-design of the PACT system to better incorporate the HUD requirements for coordinated entry in NYC. CAPS is a web-based platform that contains the Coordinated Assessment Survey, the NYC Supportive Housing Application and the Vacancy Control System. CAPS has also been enhanced with new referral and placement functions for more efficient housing vacancy management.

For detailed, step-by-step guides on using CAPS, please go to the CAPS User Guide page.