Deadline for CoCs to Register is October 1st
The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has announced the availability of Continuum of Care (CoC) registration in HUD’s application and grants management system for its homeless programs.
The published notice from HUD for the FY 2012 application provides collaborative applicants with an outline of the functions and requirements of the annual registration process in the e-snaps system.
The notice also describes changes that will occur as a result of the amendments to the McKinney-Vento Act under the HEARTH Act. And a brief summary of these changes follows:
- Supportive Housing Program (SHP) and Shelter Plus Care Program (S+C) activities are now consolidated into one program.
- Projects and activities eligible under HUD’s legacy Homeless Assistance Grants but no longer eligible under the CoC Program will continue to be eligible for renewal under the original grant terms as long as the recipient does not significantly change the project after submission of the application.
- Funds for rental assistance previously funded under the S+C program are now included in the CoC’s Annual Renewal Demand.
- New projects will be allowed to request funding for 1 year to facilitate implementation of CoC strategies to reduce gaps in permanent housing in an effort to increase the total number of available permanent housing beds and to increase the number of persons moving into permanent housing.
- HUD will continue to limit the grant term for renewal grants to 1 year of funding.
- An applicant’s demonstrated ability to draw and spend grant funds in a timely matter will be a factor in evaluating performance of each grant.
- HUD will continue the reallocation process targeting CoCs serving extremely high need communities to receive funding.
- Subject to available funding, there will be a Permanent Housing Bonus.
- Collaborative applicants were required to submit their FY2012 Housing Inventory Data and PIT Data directly into the HUD Homelessness Exchange (HDX) website on behalf of the CoC.
- CoCs will not rank renewals in e-snaps.
- HUD will continue the two-step funding announcement process in FY2012.
- CoCs must consult with State and local government ESG recipients within the geographic area on the plan for allocating ESG funds and reporting on and evaluating the performance of ESG recipients and sub-recipients.
- All communities must have an Homelessness Management Information System (HMIS) with the capacity to collect unduplicated counts of individuals and families experiencing homelessness and provide information to project sponsors and applicants for needs analysis and funding priorities.
- CoCs are encouraged, in collaboration with the HMIS Lead, to assess the adequacy of current funding and staffing of HMIS. Increased participation of service providers in HMIS is encouraged.
- There is an emphasized focus on performance and outcomes.
The registration deadline is Monday, October 1, 2012 at 7:59 and 59 seconds p.m. ET. And the application will most likely open shortly after the deadline and remain open for 45-60 days.
Click here for the full FY2012 CoC Registration notice for the full details of the changes that will occur under the HEARTH Act.
