Texas Balance of State Continuum of Care News
January 2021
Texas Homeless Network is the lead agency for the Texas Balance of State Continuum of Care (TX BoS CoC). The TX BoS CoC is a group of stakeholders that collaboratively plan and operate the CoC and a range of housing and services to prevent and end homelessness. The TX BoS CoC covers 215 counties and includes 28 Local Homeless Coalitions (LHCs) that plan, deliver, and evaluate local systems.
Announcements
The annual Point-In-Time (PIT) Count is occurring on Thursday, January 28th, 2021!

Visit the PIT and HIC page on the THN website for more information on what the count will look like this year. If you are interested in learning more about how to assist with your local count, please contact the Data Coordinator at kyra@thn.org.

Make Your Voice Heard!
The first-ever THN Housing and Homelessness Academy begins next week! THN is so excited to take a 5-month journey with more than 20 advocates across the state (representing 6 CoCs) for a collective learning experience in virtual organizing for folks with lived experience. Topics include local, state, and federal advocacy, storytelling, intersectionality, and more. 
THN's biennial Homeless Awareness Day will take place virtually for the first time on April 7, 2021, during the 87th Texas Legislative Session. We hope that this virtual option allows partners from all across the state to get involved in policymaker education to meet the needs of our communities across the state.

Sign up here! You can email Nick Thompson, nick@thn.org with any questions. 

Become a THN Advocate today and keep up with our advocacy here. 
COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution

Do you have questions about your role in COVID-19 vaccine distribution? You are not alone. HUD has developed some additional guidance regarding the role of Homeless Assistance Providers in vaccine distribution. To learn more about these resources, please click here

Still, have questions? Reach out to Jim Ward, Assistant Director of Planning by email at jim@thn.org 
The next CoC General Meeting will be held on February 10th, from 2:00-3:30

  • Main topic — HUD’s Continuum of Care (CoC) Program
  • Community Conversation —Gaps Analysis findings by HomeBase
  • Data Snapshot – TX BoS CoC’s Longitudinal Systems Analysis (LSA) Report
  • Committee Updates 
  • Announcements — events, dates, and updates

Register Here

If you have accessibility needs, please contact Mary Stahlke, Asst. Director of Engagement, at mary@thn.org or 512-861-2180.
Coordinated Entry COVID-19 Prioritization Standards
The TX BoS CoC Board approved time-limited Coordinated Entry COVID-19 Prioritization Standards. Prioritization standards ensure households seeking assistance through Coordinated Entry with the most severe service needs and vulnerabilities are prioritized for housing first, and these standards include COVID-19 risk factors. All Rapid Re-Housing and Permanent Supportive Housing openings regardless of funding source will use these prioritization standards between September 1, 2020, and February 28, 2021.
As more information about COVID-19 becomes available, the TX BoS CoC will continue to evaluate and adjust prioritization policies based on evolving information and circumstances.
For more information:

Please email any questions to CE@THN.org.
Important Dates
JANUARY

*No CoC General Meeting in January

A Look at the 2021 TX Legislative Session: THN Priorities
Tuesday 12 January 2021, 02:00 PM - 03:30 PM
Join THN as our Statewide Initiatives Manager, Nick Thompson, hosts a webinar on navigating the 87th Texas Legislative Session through an eviction crisis, continued and exacerbated homelessness, and a continuing COVID-19 pandemic.
Register here

January 2021 CESC Meeting
Tuesday 19 January 2021, 10:15 AM - 11:45 AM
The CESC provides direct support and guidance to the CoC’s systems change efforts
*Closed Meeting

2021 Point-In-Time Count
Thursday 28, January 2021
For more information on how you or your community can get involved, please email Kyra Henderson, Data Coordinator, at kyra@thn.org


FEBRUARY

February 2021 General Meeting
Wednesday 10 February 2021, 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM
Topic: HUD’s Continuum of Care (CoC) Program
Register here

February 2021 Executive Committee of the CoC Board
Thursday 4 February 2021, 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM
*Closed Meeting

February 2021 CESC Meeting
Tuesday 16 February 2021, 10:15 AM - 11:45 AM
*Closed Meeting

February 2021 SPC Meeting
Thursday 18 February 2021, 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM
*Closed Meeting

February 2021 TX BoS Board Meeting
Wednesday 24 February 2021, 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM
*Closed Meeting


MARCH
*No CoC General Meeting in March

March 2021 Executive Committee of the CoC Board
Thursday 4 March 2021, 02:00 PM - 03:30 PM
*Closed Meeting

March 2021 CESC Meeting
Tuesday 16 March 2021, 10:15 AM - 11:45 AM
*Closed Meeting

March 2021 TX BoS Board Meeting
Wednesday 24 March 2021, 02:00 PM - 03:30 PM
*Closed Meeting
Opportunities & Funding
Funding Opportunities

Check out the beta page on THN's website of currently available funding options here.
Emergency Rental Assistance Program

The U.S. Treasury Department has recently announced the availability of $25 billion in rental assistance funds during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Emergency Rental Assistance payments will be made directly to States (including the District of Columbia), U.S. Territories (Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin Islands, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and American Samoa), local governments with more than 200,000 residents, the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, and Indian tribes (defined to include Alaska Native corporations) or the tribally designated housing entity of an Indian tribe, as applicable (collectively the “eligible grantees”).

Completed payment information and a signed acceptance of award terms form generally must be submitted not later than 11:59 p.m. EDT on January 12, 2021, to ensure payments are made within the 30-day period specified by the statute.

Find out more here

Authorized Representatives of Eligible Cities/Counties can apply here
What's Happening across the TX BoS CoC?
North

South

East

West

These articles were gathered from Google Alerts and emails sent directly to us. If you have articles about your community's efforts to prevent and end homelessness that you want to be highlighted in our next newsletter, please email the articles to txboscoc@thn.org.
Staff Recommendations
The following are resources TX BoS CoC Lead Agency staff at THN believe would be beneficial to your efforts to make homelessness rare, brief, and one-time:
The National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC) has released an easy-to-read summary about the homelessness and affordable housing funding and policy changes in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021. 

Read more here

Get Involved
Anyone who works or lives in the CoC's geographic area, and all housing and homeless services projects in the CoC's geographic area, are considered to be members of the CoC. The CoC has an open invitation process, so members may join at any time.

THN invites members to participate in the CoC's activities. Learn more on the email list, the website, and social media. CoC General Meeting minutes and recordings are posted on THN's website, in the TX BoS CoC "Get Involved" page at https://www.thn.org/texas-balance-state-continuum-care/get-involved/. Presentations by and conversations between CoC members and staff on relevant topics keep members informed and up-to-date.

Share this email with anyone you think may be interested!
CoC General Meeting Schedule

Stay informed about CoC happenings by participating in the bi-monthly webinars. Each meeting will feature a topic that is important to preventing and ending homelessness. See the Get Involved page for dates, topics, and registration links.
CoC Program Funding

If you are a representative of an agency that is interested in applying for United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Continuum of Care (CoC) Program funding, please contact txboscoc@thn.org.
The TX BoS CoC is a focus area of the Texas Homeless Network.