By Names Prioritized List

By-Names Prioritized List (BNPL)

What is a By-Names Prioritized List (BNPL)?

See the video, By-Name List: Building a Coordinated Access System to end homelessness in Windsor Essex by Built For Zero Windsor Essex:

Link to By-Names List video by Built for Zero Windsor Essex

A By-Names Prioritized List is a real-time list of all people experiencing homelessness in a community. It includes a robust set of data points that support coordinated access and prioritization at a household level and an understanding of homeless inflow and outflow at a system level. This real-time actionable data supports triage to services, system performance evaluation and advocacy for the policies and resources necessary to end homelessness.

The BNPL uses a systems improvement approach to ending chronic homelessness based on evidence and best practices. Traditionally, supports and services are offered on a first-come first-serve basis; in contrast, the BNPL prioritizes persons and families based on level of need using a single standardized process and a common triage tool.

The Windsor Essex By-Names Prioritized List is Windsor Essex’s centralized list to prioritize supports and services for people experiencing long-term or chronic homelessness and is a living tracking tool, with a single entry point, maintained by the City of Windsor that is used by the community to access supports and services provided by a variety of community stakeholders in order to effectively respond to people experiencing homelessness in Windsor and Essex County.

Infographic explaining Coordinated Access with link to description

Why Have a By-Names Prioritized List?

With improved coordination and efficient intake practices, people experiencing homelessness will be able to access appropriate supports and services more quickly. The BNPL process is grounded in the principles and goals of the Windsor Essex 10-Year Housing and Homelessness Plan and based on Housing First principles. Information maintained in the BNPL serves six main purposes:

  1. To know people experiencing homelessness by name and understand their housing and support needs;
  2. To prioritize offers of supports and services based on depth of need through the BNPL;
  3. To monitor progress towards functionally ending homelessness;
  4. To inform continuous improvement and to understand gaps and system pressure points;
  5. To ensure accountability of program outcomes to funders; and
  6. To clearly demonstrate what resources are needed in order to functionally end homelessness in our community.

The BNPL will support Windsor-Essex to track the trends of households entering and exiting homelessness and matches the most vulnerable people in our community with supports and services that are most appropriate for that person at that time. The BNPL will give community agencies the ability to provide supports and services more effectively and efficiently by implementing a system wide entry point through coordinated access and common assessment for people experiencing homelessness with triaging to appropriate supports and services; offering appropriate supports and services based on prioritizing factors; and developing greater coordination within the sector.

For more information on Coordinated Access Systems or By-Names List please visit:

For a complete list of participating agencies please contact:

Coordinator, Housing Administration & Development at 519-255-5200 ext. 5362

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