The purpose of this program is to promote a community-wide commitment to the goal of ending homelessness by supporting collaborative efforts by nonprofit providers, states, and local governments to quickly rehouse homeless individuals, families, persons fleeing domestic violence, and youth while minimizing the trauma and dislocation caused by homelessness. This program also seeks to promote access to and effective utilization of mainstream programs by the homeless, and to optimize self-sufficiency among those experiencing homelessness.
A Continuum of Care (CoC) operates within a specifically defined geographic area and has the following major responsibilities:
  • Operation of the CoC
  • Designation of a Homeless Management Information System (HMIS)
  • Development of a plan for the CoC

Projects in the following areas may be supported:

  • Permanent housing, including rapid rehousing and permanent supportive housing
  • Transitional housing
  • Supportive services only
  • HMIS
  • Joint transitional housing (TH) and Permanent Housing-Rapid Rehousing (PH-RRH) component projects
  • Safe havens, if renewing a safe haven originally awarded under the Supportive Housing Program
  • Homelessness prevention, for CoCs designated as a high performing community (HPC)

    • The application cycle for this program is initiated through a registration process, during which eligible CoC collaborative applicants must indicate to the funding agency their intention to submit a consolidated application, affirm their geographic area, and adjust the renewal projects listed on the Grant Inventory Worksheet (GIW). During the registration process, collaborative applicants must also indicate whether they wish to be considered for a Unified Funding Agency (UFA), or wish for their CoCs to be considered for High Performing Community (HPC) designation. Following the registration process, a solicitation is posted for the consolidated application, for which only successfully registered CoCs are eligible.

    Policy priorities include:

    • Creating a systemic response to homelessness
    • Strategically allocating resources
    • Using a housing-first approach

    Funding will be provided for the following program components:

    (Part A): Supportive Housing Program (SHP)
    (Part B): Shelter Plus Care (S+C) Program

    The purpose of the Supportive Housing Program (SHP) component is to support the development and operation of transitional and permanent supportive housing and services to help homeless persons transition from homelessness to independent living. Self-sufficiency support services may also receive funding through this component. Projects originally funded as part of the FY 2008 Rapid Rehousing for Families Demonstration program can transition to permanent housing-rapid rehousing through this component.

    The purpose of the Shelter Plus Care (S+C) Program component is to provide funding for rental assistance projects in a manner that allows applicants flexibility in creating appropriate housing and supportive services to assist homeless persons with disabilities.

    Applicants must have a plan to address the specific needs of all homeless subpopulations, including persons with substance abuse issues, persons with HIV/AIDS, veterans and their families, the chronically homeless, families with children, unaccompanied youth, persons with serious mental illness, and victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking.