Featured Article
What is a by-name list?
By Shawn Liu, National Homeless Program Manager, VHA Homeless Programs Office
July 30, 2026
A by-name list, or BNL, is a status-based roster of every Veteran experiencing homelessness in a community.
It includes Veteran identifiers such as name and contact details, housing status, and
available information related to services needed. It ensures Veterans are identified quickly, connected to support, and never left behind.
Why BNLs matter
A complete, accurate by-name list helps VA and our partners:
- Understand how many Veterans experience homelessness in real time
- Ensure every veteran is connected to housing, treatment, and health care
- Reduce unnecessary duplication across programs
- Improve follow-ups so Veterans don’t fall through the cracks
- Track progress toward ending Veteran homelessness
Simply put: better data = better outcomes for helping homeless Veterans get and stay housed.
BNLs do:
- Help teams connect Veterans to housing and treatment faster.
- Improve communication among VA and community partners.
- Ensure no Veteran is left behind.
BNL’s don’t:
- Track Veterans’ movements
- Add new intrusive data
- Share information outside of the approved systems
- Monitor personal activities or health/benefits usage
What goes into a BNL?
A high-quality BNL brings together data from multiple sources to provide a more complete picture. These sources include:
- VA’s Homeless Operations Management and Evaluation System, or HOMES.
- Local community Homeless Management Information Systems, or HMIS.
- Existing Veteran BNLs that are managed by a local community or VA medical center.
- New homeless Veterans identified by VA or community outreach.
How BNLs help Veterans
- Identify: Outreach and VA staff Identify Veterans experiencing homelessness.
- Record: Veterans are included on the BNL from a variety of sources and data systems.
- Reconcile: Data are checked for accuracy and opportunities for improvement.
- Coordinate: VA and community partners use the list to match Veterans to housing programs, case management, healthcare, and employment and benefits support.
- House & Support: Veterans move to stable housing with ongoing resources.
The BNL is the roadmap that guides Veterans from homelessness to housing.
Contact VA for help
If you are a Veteran who is homeless or at imminent risk of homelessness, we strongly encourage you to contact the National Call Center for Homeless Veterans at 877-424-3838 for assistance.
The call is free, confidential, and available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Trained professionals are standing by to connect you to your nearest VA for help.
