The Continuum of Care (CoC) Program is designed by the U.S., Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to promote community-wide commitment to ending homelessness. As a part of the program, HUD awards grants annually to nonprofit providers and state and local governments to quickly rehouse homeless individuals and families.
Sacramento Steps Forward is the lead agency for the CoC in Sacramento, convening the CoC Board, a group of local stakeholders committed to ending homelessness. The CoC Board includes nonprofit providers, advocates, people with lived experiences of homelessness, local government leaders, business leaders, law enforcement, and more.
Each year, the CoC Board initiates a competitive grant application process for organizations seeking inclusion in the region’s HEARTH Act grant application, submitted to HUD by Sacramento Steps Forward. To maximize funding and services, Sacramento Steps Forward and the CoC Board ensure a fair and equitable application process for local agencies.
The CoC Board appoints non-conflicted panelists to a Review and Rank Committee. This committee reviews local projects based on defined criteria and provides the CoC Board with a ranked project priority list, consisting of Tier 1 and Tier 2 projects.
While Tier 1 projects are likely to be funded, Tier 2 projects must compete nationally and face a greater risk of not being funded, though they have historically been successful in Sacramento. Applicants can appeal the committee’s initial recommendations before the CoC Board finalizes the priority list.
Since becoming the Continuum of Care lead agency in 2011, Sacramento Steps Forward—working with the CoC Board to facilitate the competitive grant application process—has helped to increase regional funding and program beds every year.
Since Sacramento Steps Forward became the CoC lead agency in 2011, the region has increased its funding and associated program beds every year. The majority of CoC funding from HUD is used to maintain housing for the most vulnerable formerly homeless individuals, with new housing opportunities becoming available when additional funding is received or a funded bed is vacated.
The CoC Board also developed Sacramento’s Coordinated Access System—a local implementation of HUD’s required coordinated entry system—to determine placements in Permanent Supportive Housing and Rapid ReHousing beds, based on individuals’ vulnerability and the length of time they have experienced homelessness. This process increases long-term success and stability for those served.
HUD published the Continuum of Care (CoC) Program interim rule in the Federal Register on July 31, 2012. Effective August 30, 2012, this rule establishes the requirements for applying for and administering grant funds, as well as the responsibilities of the Continuum of Care. The interim rule incorporates the Final Homeless Definition, which is used in Sacramento for HUD projects as required.
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