Texas Balance of State Continuum of Care News
June 2019
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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 24 Local Homeless Coalitions (LHCs) that plan, deliver, and evaluate local systems.
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CoC Board Nominations
Elections of CoC Board members for 2019-21 will be held in September, and nominations will be accepted in July. This fall, the Board will develop a strategic plan for the CoC, so strong leaders are needed. Consider running for a seat on the Board to represent the group you advocate for and serve:
Seat 1: Person with lived experience of homelessness (currently or formerly homeless)
Seat 3: Chronically homeless persons
Seat 5: Homeless youth
Seat 7: Mental/behavioral health
Seat 9: Local government
Seat 11: Public Housing Agency
Seat 13: Business
Seat 15: Texas Interagency Council for the Homeless (TICH) or State government agency
Nomination information will be available soon.
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Meet Our Newest VISTA!
Texas Homeless Network welcomes LaDelle Kay as the newest VISTA for the City of Longview. She will work to build capacity to support the local coalition, build SOAR program and the maintenance of the Coordinated Entry (CE) system.
LaDelle has been involved in every facet of her community since moving to Longview almost 20 years ago. Her heart for service impacted everyone she interacted with through her continued involvement in numerous coalitions and nonprofits across East Texas. She has brought the community and people from all walks of life for the common goal of service and working for the greater good of all. With an extensive history of building connections, LaDelle will be a perfect fit for this role and we look forward to seeing all that she accomplishes in her service year.
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CoC Quarterly Performance Score Cards
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Join Our Team!
We are proud to announce that our team is growing and we are looking for new team members who are dedicated to ending homelessness in Texas. We are currently recruiting for the following positions:
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Interested in ending youth homelessness?
In 2016, the Department of Housing and Urban Development released the first notification of funding availability for the Youth Homelessness Demonstration Program, or YHDP. This funding is an exciting new initiative designed to reduce the number of youth experiencing homelessness through comprehensive systems change.
HUD will release a fourth round of funding in the next year. The Texas Balance of State Continuum of Care has never applied. We hope to change that narrative this next round! There were 305 unaccompanied youth (16 under the age of 18 and 289 between the ages of 18 and 24) counted during the Point In Time Count in January 2019. We know there is a lack of youth targeted resources across the CoC. This is an opportunity to do intentional work to set up a strong system for youth experiencing homelessness and to fund interventions targeted to youth. The funding for interventions comes at a later point in the YHDP process.
YHDP is convoluted in that THN, as the collaborative applicant, applies for the funding on behalf of a county, multiple counties (a region), or the entire Balance of State Continuum of Care. As a CoC, we can submit multiple projects during a competition cycle, but HUD will only select one.
We're trying to get a good sense of how the CoC should apply for this funding - one county, regionally, or CoC-wide. If there is interested locally in applying for the new round of YHDP funding, please click the button below:
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FY19 Mainstream Voucher Program Notice of Funding Availability
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is pleased to announce the release of the
FY2019 Mainstream Voucher Program Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) (FR-6300-N-43). Public Housing Authorities may apply for funds through this NOFA to assist non-elderly persons with disabilities. HUD expects to award $150 million, which will house approximately 18,000 families. PHAs will receive additional points if they agree to adopt a preference for their housing choice voucher program for one or more targeted groups, including those who are transitioning out of institutional or other segregated settings, at serious risk of institutionalization, currently experiencing homelessness, previously experienced homelessness and currently a client in a permanent supportive housing or rapid rehousing project, and at risk of experiencing homelessness.
Last year, four Public Housing Authorities in the Texas Balance of State Continuum of Care received 163 vouchers, totaling $1,099,299 in funding.
PHAs are encouraged to develop or continue partnerships with health and human services agencies to provide participants with voluntary supportive services and increase program access. Please send questions to
MainstreamVouchers@hud.gov. HUD will post a pre-recorded webinar on the NOFA within the next two weeks. The webinar will be posted to the
Mainstream Voucher Program
webpage and will be announced via the
Mainstream Vouchers listserv.
Applications are due
September 5, 2019 at 11:59:59 PM Eastern Time and must be submitted through
Grants.gov. To find the NOFA on Grants.gov, search by the CFDA number: 14.879.
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The CoC Program Notice of Funding Availability is here!
The US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has officially released the FY 2019 Continuum of Care (CoC) Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA).
A detailed calendar for the TX BoS CoC 2019 competition and the TX BoS CoC Request for Proposals (RFP) for the FY 2019 competition will be sent out and posted on THN's website once we have thoroughly reviewed the NOFA and completed the RFP.
Historically, THN has offered a "mandatory" webinar to inform prospective applicants of changes to the Continuum of Care Program from year to year. We are moving toward a more accessible approach to communicating this information for FY 2019. There will be a webinar, in addition to a self-paced version of the same information for applicants to choose from. Applicants need only attend one or the other.
To sign up for the introductory webinar on 07/22/2019 please register here.
Additionally, THN will be hosting 2 Q&A Webinars for potential applicants.
The first will be Thursday, August 1, 2019 at 2:00 P.M. CDT.
HUD has made available over $11 million dollars in additional "bonus funding" to make homelessness rare, brief and one-time within the Texas Balance of State Continuum of Care. These funds can be used to bring critical permanent housing, and coordinated entry activities to your community!
New/Bonus Funds:
Up to $7,853,102 available for program components eligible for funding in the FY 19 CoC NOFA:
- Permanent housing-Permanent Supportive Housing (PH-PSH) projects.
- Permanent housing-Rapid Re-housing (PH-RRH) projects.
- Joint TH and PH-RRH component projects.
- Supportive services only (SSO-CE) project to develop or operate a centralized or coordinated assessment system.
Domestic Violence Bonus:
Up to $3,768,296 available for:
- Rapid Re-housing (PH-RRH) projects that demonstrate trauma-informed, victim centered approaches.
- Joint TH and PH-RRH component projects that demonstrate trauma-informed, victim-centered approaches.
- One, (1) SSO Project for Coordinated Entry (SSO-CE) to implement policies, procedures, and practices that equip the CoC’s coordinated entry to better meet the needs of people experience homelessness who are survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, or stalking (e.g., to implement policies and procedures that are trauma-informed, client centered or to better coordinate referrals between the CoC’s coordinated entry and the victim service providers coordinated entry system where they are different).
- NOTE: Under the DV Bonus, only one SSO-CE Project per Continuum of Care, may be applied for. There is no limit to number of PH-RRH, or Joint TH-RRH Projects provided they meet the eligibility thresholds.
Renewal and prospective new grantees are strongly encouraged to read and review the NOFA in its entirety, as well as companion documents posted on the HUD Exchange.
To prepare for this year's application, THN recommends that all interested Agencies review the CoC Program Competition materials, webinars, and FY19 policies found on the
TX BoS CoC Web Page.
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Specialized Housing and Services for Victims of Human Trafficking NOFA
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) have partnered under this NOFA to address human trafficking that occurs within communities. The purpose of this program is to enhance the quality and quantity of safe housing and specialized services available to assist victims of human trafficking, as defined by the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) of 2000, as amended. This includes specialized housing and services that are enhanced by a collaborative and coordinated community response that engages appropriate community resources.
Organizations that demonstrate the ability to provide safe housing options and client-focused services for victims of human trafficking that result in obtaining and remaining in permanent housing situations with the necessary supportive services to ensure participant success for housing retention, that includes obtaining the necessary income to promote self-sufficiency, are encouraged to apply for this funding.
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A Way Home America Grand Challenge
Are you interested in ending homelessness in your community? The change agents at
A Way Home America
have an opportunity for you!
Over a two year period, A Way Home America's
The Grand Challenge
[to End Youth Homelessness] will help 10 communities in the United States end homelessness for LGBTQ+ youth and youth of color, setting the path to ending homelessness for all youth.
Key Dates
Application Period
: Tuesday, July 23 - Wednesday, August 21
Application Webinars:
Thursday, August 1 at 2PM CDT and Friday, August 2 at 11 AM CDT
Awarded Communities Announced
: September 3-5, 2019
First In-Person Strategy Gathering
: October 2019
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North Texas
East Texas
South Texas
West Texas
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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 highlighted in our next newsletter, please email the articles to
txboscoc@thn.org.
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The following are resources TX BoS CoC Lead Agency staff have found that we believe would be beneficial to your local efforts to make homelessness rare, brief, and one-time:
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Joint TH and RRH Component Project for Domestic Violence Survivors
This document, produced by the Safe Housing Partnership, reviews frequently asked questions concerning the use of this CoC component type by domestic violence and sexual assault service providers. This can answer crucial questions Domestic Violence Providers might if they're considering applying to operate a Joint TH-RRH project during the next NOFA.
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Disaster Recovery Homelessness Toolkit
"I really don't know what to say other than this toolkit is wonderful work done by HUD. Not only does it have templates, it also describes why taking action is important." ~ Sophia
"This toolkit is for communities that want to address effectively the needs of homeless and vulnerable populations through comprehensive disaster planning, response and recovery, and long-term recovery. The toolkit features a set of related guides that offer information and resources to take local governments, service providers, and others through the process of planning and implementing a disaster response and recovery effort that serves all members of their community."
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JULY
TX BoS CoC RRH Workgroup - July
Thursday 18 July 2019, 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM
FY 2019 CoC NOFA Applicant Webinar
Monday 22 July 2019, 02:00 PM - 04:00 PM
AUGUST
FY 2019 CoC Program NOFA, Q&A Session 1
Thursday 1 August 2019, 02:00 PM - 04:00 PM
FY 2019 CoC Program NOFA, Q&A Session 2
Monday 5 August 2019, 02:00 PM - 04:00 PM
August Coordinated Entry Unplugged
Tuesday 13 August 2019, 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM
August 2019 Texas BoS General Meeting
Wednesday 14 August 2019, 02:00 PM - 04:00 PM
Topic: Mainstream Partners and Funding; Member Feedback
TX BoS CoC RRH Workgroup - August
Thursday 15 August 2019, 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM
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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.
Share this email with anyone you think may be interested!
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CoC General Meeting Schedule
Stay informed about CoC happenings by participating in the monthly webinars. Each meeting will feature a topic that is important to preventing and ending homelessness. See the
schedule for dates, topics, and registration links.
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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
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Your CoC Team
Get your questions answered and some face to face time with all of the CoC staff on the second Tuesday of every month during the CoC General Meetings.
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The TX BoS CoC is a focus area of the Texas Homeless Network.
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See what's happening on our social sites
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