The Chester County Department of Community Development (DCD) has received international recognition from Built for Zero for its progress in reducing and preventing homelessness. The honor was recently presented at Built for Zero's international conference in Denver, Colo.

DCD was recognized for achieving Quality Data for the Chronic Population, a milestone that reflects the county's strong infrastructure for addressing homelessness. The metric recognizes communities that share a unified definition of ending homelessness; operate through a coordinated, countywide team; rely on real-time client-level data; prioritize equitable service delivery; and make targeted, data-informed housing investments.

Built for Zero also commended the department for expanding partnerships with new organizations and behavioral health providers, as well as for elevating the voices of individuals who have experienced homelessness in the county's planning and decision-making processes.

Built for Zero is an international movement consisting of more than 100 communities committed to ending homelessness in a measurable, equitable, and sustainable way. The initiative supports communities in adopting shared goals, implementing proven methodologies, strengthening local homelessness-response systems, and collaborating across sectors to drive lasting change.