Our Path Toward a Tipping Point

Our Built for Zero model continues to evolve, and our theory of change continues to adapt with new findings uncovered year over year. In 2024, progress was seen on numerous fronts.

The Built for Zero network will reach close to 180 communities through direct or partner-led coaching and at least 35 more communities through light-touch resources.
We continue to explore the use of AI as a tool for accelerating progress toward our tipping point aim and for enabling resilient housing systems with five innovative projects moving forward next year.
We are building a nimble team to respond to the priority focus on unsheltered homelessness with encampment resolution. This team will accelerate this work in large cities and priority communities in collaboration with Clutch Consulting.
We are refining efforts to support communities’ integration with health systems through cross-sector case conferencing.
We have laid the groundwork for a deep investment in priority large cities in order to shift public opinion in our pursuit of a tipping point around the solvability of homelessness.

Teams are implementing more comprehensive approaches by building the right local infrastructure, pursuing cross-sector partnerships, and turning their attention towards sustainability by creating supportive policies and ensuring resources and investments.

One of the most meaningful strategic shifts in 2024 was the evolution of Built for Zero’s theory of change, which expanded its focus beyond measuring making homelessness rare and brief for a single group. A more holistic view of the support system was incorporated, so communities learned to scan for early signals in their systems of areas that were either contributing to success in solving homelessness or creating barriers.

In making a unified shift in the theory of change, communities are now equipped to address the design of their whole systems and its ability to sustain an end to homelessness. This approach allowed us to not only see the strengths in our network but also revealed areas where additional support and resources are needed.

Across the country, teams are implementing more comprehensive approaches by building the right local infrastructure, pursuing cross-sector partnerships, and turning their attention towards sustainability by creating supportive policies and ensuring resources and investments.

Understanding the landscape

In December 2024, the national point-in-time data reported that more than 770,000 people were experiencing homelessness on a single night, an 18 percent increase from the previous year. A number of factors contributed to the increase in homelessness, including an increase in natural disasters, the lack of affordable housing options, and an increase in asylum seekers.

While this annual data point serves as a baseline, it does not tell the full story of communities, their success, and their priorities. In fact, the national landscape can feel overwhelming, but when you dive into community work, a new, more optimistic picture starts to emerge.

While multifactorial, this significant increase in homelessness drives us to improve our work and evolve our thinking. Our strategies will continue to prioritize a systems-level perspective as we design more support for ally building, increase funding, engage the public, and address housing supply and affordability—communities’ number one external barrier to progress.

As part of the ORS Impact’s Year 3 evaluation, several actionable opportunities exist for 2025 and beyond.

More support is needed to build strong staff and leadership capability at the local level. The most successful communities demonstrate distributed leadership models, clear succession planning, and strong backbone organizations.
More support is needed to help communities operationalize equity principles, provide clear guidance on moving from data analysis to action, and implement culturally responsive and trauma-informed practices.
More support is needed to help communities advocate for policy shifts to make prevention efforts required and resourced components of homeless response while providing guidance on developing effective landlord engagement programs and housing development strategies.
Quality by-name data has proven essential but insufficient at the subpopulation level. The organization must decide how much to invest in more complex data integration challenges, particularly around systemwide data involving healthcare partners, housing authorities, and other sectors. This includes potentially developing new tools, frameworks, and legal templates to help communities navigate data-sharing agreements and interoperability issues across systems operating under different regulatory frameworks.