Commission on Economic Opportunity 

CEO's Case Management for the Homeless Program can assist persons who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless with the supportive services necessary to achieve the highest level of self-sufficient living. Through an intensive, interactive relationship coordinated between the client and the case manager, the program provides the resources to integrate available assistance, both material aid and counseling, to motivate and alleviate the circumstances of those presently homeless/near-homeless clients and provide the intervention necessary to prevent future homelessness.

CEO is designated as the overall lead agency on homelessness for the Luzerne County Continuum of Care Process. In this capacity it coordinates with other agencies in providing services to the area's homeless and near-homeless. CEO is also a member and co-chair of the Luzerne County Homeless Coalition.

Case Management for the Homeless Services will be made available to any individual or family who first meets with a CEO case manager to complete an intake assessment of eligibility for the program. Eligibility will include certification of homeless or at-risk-of-homelessness status and income eligibility.

Individuals or families are homeless if they meet one of HUD's "Criteria for Defining Homeless" below:

Category 1	Literally Homeless	Individual or family who lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence, meaning: (i) has a primary nighttime residence that is a public or private place not meant for human habitation; (ii) is living a publicly or privately operated shelter designated to provide temporary living arrangements (including congregate shelters, transitional housing, and hotels and motels paid for by charitable organizations or by federal, state and local government programs); or (iii) is exiting an institution where (s)he has resided for 90 days or less and who resided in an emergency shelter or place not meant for human habitation immediately before entering that institution
Category 2	Imminent Risk of Homelessness	Individual or family who will imminently lose their primary nighttime residence, provided that: (i) residence will be lost within 14 days of the date of application for homeless assistance; (ii) no subsequent residence has been identified; and (iii) the individual or family lacks the resources or support networks needed to obtain other permanent housing.
Category 3	Homeless under other Federal statutes	Unaccompanied youth under 35 years of age, or families with children and youth, who do not otherwise qualify as homeless under this definition, but who: (i) are defined as homeless under the other listed federal statutes; (ii) have not had a lease, ownership interest, or occupancy agreement in permanent housing during the 60 days prior to the homeless assistance application; (iii) have experienced persistent instability as measured by two moves or more during the preceding 60 days; and (iv) can be expected to continue in such status for an extended period of time due to special needs or barriers.
Category 4	Fleeing/ Attempting to Flee DV	Any individual or family who: (i) is fleeing or attempting to flee, domestic violence; and (ii) has no other residence; and (iii) lacks the resources or support networks to obtain other permanent housing.

For the At-Risk-of-Homelessness, the following HUD definition applies:

Category 1	Individuals and Families	An individual or family who: (i) has an annual income below 30% of median family income for the area; and (ii) does not have sufficient resources or support networks immediately available to prevent them from moving to an emergency shelter or another place defined in Category 1 of the "homeless" definition; and (iii) meets one of the following conditions: (a) has moved because of economic reasons 2 or more times during the 60 days immediately preceding the application for assistance; or (b) is living in the home of another because of economic hardship; or (c) has been notified that their right to occupy their current housing or living situation will be terminated within 21 days after the date of application for assistance; or (d) lives in a hotel or motel and the cost is not paid for by charitable organizations or by Federal, State, or Local government programs for low-income individuals; or (e) lives in an SRO or efficiency apartment unit in which there reside more than 2 persons or lives in a larger housing unit in which there reside more than one and a half persons per room; or (f) is exiting a publicly funded institution or system of care; or (g) otherwise lives in housing that has characteristics associated with instability and an increased risk of homelessness, as identified in the recipient's approved Con Plan
Category 2	Unaccompanied Children and Youth	A child or youth who does not qualify as homeless under the homeless definition, but qualifies as homeless under another Federal statute.
Category 3	Families with Children and Youth	An unaccompanied youth who does not qualify as homeless under the homeless definition, but qualifies as homeless under section 725(2) of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, and the parent(s) or guardian(s) or that child or youth if living with him or her.