Beginning on October 31, 2018 communities can upload their official Longitudinal Systems Analysis (LSA) data for use in the 2018 Annual Homeless Assessment Report (AHAR) to Congress via the new Homelessness Data Exchange, Version 2.0 (HDX 2.0). For Continuums of Care (CoCs) that wish to learn more about the new LSA data submission cycle, HUD will be hosting two office hour sessions.
From AHAR to LSA: Understanding the FY 18 Changes
October 23, 2018 – 2 - 3 PM EDT
This session will introduce the LSA and cover key changes to this year’s data submission process and timeline. Staff from Abt Associates will cover Frequently Asked Questions about the LSA process, and participants will have the opportunity to ask and submit any other questions they may have. This session is being held a week in advance of the HDX 2.0 opening for official LSA submissions to help CoCs prepare for the process.
LSA Submission Process: Discussion Session
November 6, 2018 – 2 - 3 PM EST
This session will cover questions received through HUD’s Ask A Question (AAQ) portal about the LSA process. Staff from Abt Associates will also open up the event to allow participants the opportunity to ask and submit any other questions they may have. This session is being held one week after the HDX 2.0 opens for official submissions, and during the week that CoCs are expected to have completed a test upload in the HDX 2.0. It is an opportunity for CoCs to ask additional questions after having hands-on experience with the upload process.
Training Objectives
Upon completion of this training, participants should be able to:
- Describe the timeline and process for CoCs submitting LSA data to the HDX 2.0
Who Should Attend?
This training is intended for all CoC members who are responsible for reviewing or submitting their LSA data to HUD.
Registration Instructions
Participants can submit their questions for the office hours in advance by using HUD’s AAQ portal.
- Complete required information in Step 1.
- Select “HDX: Homelessness Data Exchange” from the “My question is related to” drop down list on Step 2.
- For the subject line, enter “LSA Office Hours” to ensure your question is flagged for the event.
Additional Information
As a reminder, HUD recently released two new resources to help CoCs prepare for the LSA submission process:
- From AHAR to LSA: Understanding the FY 2018 Changes – This brief document includes an easy to follow table that highlights the key changes between the LSA and the former AHAR process.
- Overview of the LSA Submission Process: The goal of this document is to make the new data collection and cleaning process as clear as possible for CoCs so they can be adequately prepared for the 2018 data submission cycle. It covers key milestones of the process and identified support that is available to CoCs throughout the process. In addition, it goes over the submission and clean timeline in detail.
A summary of the anticipated 2018 LSA submission cycle’s schedule is below:
- October 31, 2018: HDX 2.0 opens for official LSA submissions
- November 9, 2018: Test LSA upload deadline
- November 30, 2018: Official LSA submission deadline
- Late December: Outreach to CoCs from Review Team Data Liaisons begins
- Late January: Deadline to resolve data quality flags with your assigned Data Liaison and mark your data complete; must confirm data within 3 business days of completion
- Late February: Data usability determinations are communicated to CoCs
As the LSA data collection and cleaning kick-off date approaches, additional community resources and guidance will be announced through the HUD Exchange mailing list and linked to from the LSA Tools and Guidance homepage.
If you have questions pertaining to the LSA or HDX 2.0, please submit your questions through the AAQ portal on the HUD Exchange website. Select “HDX: Homelessness Data Exchange” from the “My question is related to” dropdown list on Step 2 of the AAQ question submission process. | 
