The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is making $2.656 billion in FY 2021 Continuum of Care Program (CoC) competitive funding available to homeless services organizations across the country for supportive services and housing programs for people experiencing homelessness. Read HUD’s Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO).
“The safety of a stable home is essential during the COVID-19 pandemic and this Administration is committed to meeting the needs of the more than half a million Americans who are struggling with homelessness on any given day,” said HUD Secretary Marcia L. Fudge. “Coupled with the historic resources in the American Rescue Plan, the Continuum of Care Program grants made available through this announcement will provide communities with the resources needed to ensure that more Americans have the safety and stability of a home.”
The Continuum of Care Program is the largest source of federal grant funding for homeless services and housing programs serving people experiencing homelessness. By statute, CoC Program grants must be awarded through an annual NOFO to which nearly 400 Continuum of Care communities apply for grants for approximately 7,000 homeless services projects. This includes both renewals of existing grants and grants for new projects.
Due to COVID-19, HUD was granted authority to renew grants without a NOFO in FY 2020. Therefore, this NOFO will be the first CoC Program NOFO since the COVID-19 pandemic.
As with prior NOFOs, Continuums of Care will have the opportunity to renew existing projects, apply for new projects, and to reallocate resources from lower performing projects to better serve people experiencing homelessness. However, this year’s NOFO includes some new opportunities. The FY 2021 CoC Program NOFO will, for the first time, invite Indian Tribes and Tribally Designated Housing entities (TDHE) to apply for grants through the CoC program. Additionally, the NOFO will provide $102 million for new rapid re-housing, supportive services and other activities critical to assist survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking.
As the first CoC Program NOFO of the Biden-Harris Administration, this NOFO reflects the Administration’s commitment to equity and evidence-based solutions to address homelessness. Specifically, HUD is seeking projects that:

• End homelessness for all persons experiencing homelessness;
• Use a Housing First approach;
• Reduce unsheltered homelessness and reduce the criminalization of homelessness;
• Improve system performance;
• Partner with housing and health agencies, including to leverage and coordinate American Rescue Plan resources;
• Advance racial equity and addressing racial disparities in homelessness; and
• Engage people with lived experience of homelessness in decision-making.

Applications for the FY 2021 CoC Program NOFO are due to HUD on November 16, 2021. Click here for additional information.

As we continue to work to end homelessness for individuals and families in Kansas during a pandemic, HUD has released guidance on our options as a CoC to conduct this years PIT count. Please find those links below:

https://www.hudexchange.info/resource/6213/conducting-the-2021-unsheltered-pit-count/

​https://www.hudexchange.info/resource/6218/how-to-use-sampling-within-a-coc-to-conduct-an-unsheltered-pit-count/

 Kansas Balance of State has made a lot of great changes in 2020!  We are continuing that process with the help of our HUD Technical Assistance team, Stephanie Reinauer and Natalie Matthews.
(stephanie_reinauer@abtassoc.com and natalie_matthews@abtassoc.com)  The TA's will be hosting community conversations about what a CoC is, responsibilities of and the future of the Kansas Balance of State Governance Charter.  

We encourage those interested in being a part of the process or just learning more about the CoC to reach out to either TA to be included in the process and meetings! Below is a copy of the slideshow that was presented during the last CoC call as well as a link to the video of the meeting.