Theses and Dissertations from DePaul University

Date of Award

Spring 2026

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

College

College of Science and Health

First Advisor

Molly Brown

Abstract

Despite policy attempts to address homelessness, it remains a societal concern. One such policy effort was the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s mandated implementation of Coordinated Entry (CE) systems, a streamlined, equitable approach to match individuals to the appropriate housing intervention based on need and housing vulnerability. However, research indicates that CE may not produce the desired outcomes. There is limited research identifying factors that may interfere with effective need-based housing allocation. Thus, this qualitative study aimed to gain insight into advocacy in CE as a potential factor influencing implementation. This study used Qualitative Content Analysis to explore the experiences of 27 staff and 18 formerly unhoused tenants navigating King County WA’s Coordinated Entry for All (CEA) system using the street-level bureaucracy framework by addressing the following questions: (a) How did staff working in CEA engage in client advocacy? (b) How did CEA clients engage in self-advocacy? (c) What individual-level factors influenced the client and self-advocacy in CEA? Two main themes emerged related to client advocacy: Client Advocacy within CEA Staff Job Roles and (b) Advocacy Beyond CEA Staff Job Roles. Four themes emerged related to self-advocacy: Client Visibility, Balancing Disclosure and Self-Protection, Providing Feedback, and the Issue of Accessibility. Findings demonstrate the context in which client advocacy and client self-advocacy manifest in CEA. Findings suggest advocacy may introduce bias into the process due to systemic issues.

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