A Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) is the information system designated by a local Continuum of Care (CoC TX-500) to comply with the requirements of CoC Program interim rule 24 CFR 578. It is a locally-administered, web-based data system used to record and analyze client, service, and housing data for individuals and families who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. The HMIS is only to be accessed by authorized users within the CoC.

HMIS is administered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) through the Office of Special Needs Assistance Programs (SNAPS) as its comprehensive data response to the congressional mandate to report annually on national homelessness. It is used by all projects that target services to persons experiencing homelessness within SNAPS and the office of HIV-AIDS Housing. It is also used by other Federal Partners from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and their respective programs to measure project performance and participate in benchmarking of the national effort to end homelessness.