The By-Name List is a community-wide tool used to better understand and respond to homelessness in the Rainy River District. It is a confidential, consent-based list of individuals who are experiencing homelessness and have agreed to share their information to support coordinated housing and service planning.

The By-Name List is administered by the District of Rainy River Services Board (DRRSB) and is built through partnerships with service providers across the district. When a service provider encounters someone who is experiencing homelessness, a standardized intake form is completed with the individual’s consent and submitted to DRRSB for inclusion on the By-Name List.

The list is reviewed and updated regularly. Individuals may be added, removed, or updated as housing situations change, recognizing that people may move in and out of homelessness over time or experience changes in their housing stability.

The By-Name List helps the district:

• Understand who is experiencing homelessness in the community
• Identify trends and changing needs over time
• Support coordinated access to housing and services
• Inform planning, funding applications, and system-level decision-making

Being included on the By-Name List does not guarantee housing or services. It is one of several tools used by DRRSB and community partners to support a coordinated response to homelessness in the Rainy River District.

Privacy and Consent

Participation in the By-Name List is voluntary. Information is collected with individual consent and is managed by DRRSB in accordance with privacy and confidentiality requirements. Only information necessary to support coordination, planning, and system-level understanding is collected.

Why the By-Name List Is Used

Homelessness can be ongoing, episodic, and complex. People may experience homelessness for extended periods of time, move between different housing situations, or re-enter homelessness after being housed. Because the By-Name List is updated regularly, it provides a more accurate picture of homelessness over time than a single-day count.

Point-in-Time (PiT) counts capture homelessness on one specific day. While PiT counts are useful for certain purposes, they do not show how homelessness changes month to month or reflect the length of time individuals may experience housing instability. The By-Name List allows the district to better understand patterns, emerging needs, and longer-term trends that are not visible through a one-day snapshot.

Using the By-Name List alongside other data sources supports informed planning and a coordinated, responsive approach to addressing homelessness in the Rainy River District.