HMIS Newsletter: March 2026

Table of Contents

• 2026 HIC / PIT
• New Resource
• April Feature Release
• In Our Community
  
• Upcoming Events
• Bitfocus is Hiring

2026 Housing Inventory and Point-in-Time Count

Reporting for the 2026 Housing Inventory (HIC) and Point-in-Time (PIT) Count is now live! This means we’re actively working with agencies and staff to finalize client and housing program data in HMIS so that we can report to HUD by the upcoming deadline.

This annual effort provides a vital snapshot of both sheltered and unsheltered individuals experiencing homelessness in our community.

If you have a housing program, please review the client and program information for the night of the PIT: 01/29/2026

• Client Information: To ensure our community provides HUD with the highest quality data, please verify that all relevant client records—including profile demographics, enrollment/exit dates, move-in dates, and housing services—are complete and up-to-date for the PIT count date.
• Program Information: For all housing projects, please confirm that project start/end dates, available beds and units, and voucher counts are accurate.

Helpful Reports for Preparing for the HIC/PIT:

• [GNRL-106] Program Roster: This report outlines program stays and relevant inventory information, based on dates you include when you run the report. The report will include a list of all clients who were enrolled, exited, or remained active during the reporting period.
• [GNRL-220] Program Details Report: This report is a detailed review of all relevant profile, enrollment, exit, and housing service data in one place.
• [HSNG-108] Housing Census: This report provides bed occupancy rates by date, with the ability to drill down and see a client list for those dates.
• [HSNG-200] Current Housing Availability: This report summarizes (by housing project type, then program name) the amount of available bed and unit inventory on the night before the report is run. This is most helpful for ensuring your program configurations are accurate.

Thank you again for your diligence and commitment to data quality, which ensures the success and accuracy of our annual PIT Count. If you have any questions, please let us know by emailing us at solano-admin@bitfocus.com. 

New Resource

CREATING & MANAGING A HOUSEHOLD

This guide explains how to add client records to a household in Clarity Human Services. For further information, review the following Help Desk Articles:

• Creating and Managing Program Enrollments

• How Do I Add a New Household Member to an Enrollment?

Always consult with your manager to know when to add a household to a program enrollment.

Bitfocus Feature Release Article

In April, we’re releasing several updates to help your community get the most out of Clarity. Here are some of the key changes you should know about:

• Inventory: Several new pieces of functionality will improve referrals for households with multiple members – allowing end users to continue to work with a single referral but reserve and track beds for everyone in the household and accurately reflect unit/bed availability in the system. We’ve also made some updates to streamline day‑to‑day Inventory management so staff can move faster and with confidence.
• New Interface: We’ve continued to roll out Coordinated Entry workflow functionality in Clarity’s modernized interface. In addition, users can now collect, anonymize, and report on client information more easily. Client forms and files have been improved at the program and client-level – allowing end users to search for file names, rather than scrolling through the screen. Files and forms have been split to ensure cleaner workflows. And the consent refused toggle has been addede, making it easier to manage and de-identify clients efficiently.
• Improved Occupancy: This release will include functionality that improves initial occupancy information, allowing the date stamp to include an exact time. This will reduce conflicting occupancy status and prevent erroneous overlaps. In addition, permanent housing programs will also now tie together Housing Move-in Date and unit occupancy start dates.
• Portal Login: We’ve updated the language on the Sign-in and Account Creation to make the process more clear.
  

Read the details: Check out the April 2026 Features article and webinar, under News and Announcements, for a deep dive into these changes.

Try it yourself: These updates will be available in your Training Site starting March 23, 2026 and available in your Live Site starting April 6, 2026. If you need help exploring them, reach out to your Bitfocus Administration team: solano-admin@bitfocus.com.

In Our Community

How to Add or Update HMIS Programs

To request agency changes, have your PAL or PAL alternate complete the application found on the PALs Forms & Documents webpage for the corresponding form.

• Solano CoC New Program Request
• Solano Program Change Form
• Bed & Unit Inventory (BUI) Form

To ensure approval, please ensure the form is submitted directly by your agency's PAL or PAL alternate.

Upcoming Events

Next HMIS Committee Meeting | Tuesday, April 14, 11:00 am – 1:00 pm | Registration Link

Bitfocus is Hiring

Join our Team!

• Visit bitfocus.com | Jobs | About Bitfocus

• Work with us at Bitfocus! Join a team committed to innovation, collaboration, and real-world impact in human services.