The success of the Continuum of Care’s (CoC) strategic plan depends on the engagement and support of its members.
While the Office of Homeless Services (OHS) and the board lead the CoC’s efforts, anyone can become an official CoC member.
Examples of CoC members
Current and past CoC members include:
- Nonprofit homeless services providers
- Domestic violence victim services providers
- Social services providers
- Faith-based organizations
- Businesses
- Advocates
- Public housing agencies
- Mental health agencies
- Hospitals
- Universities
- Affordable housing developers
- Law enforcement
- People currently or formerly experiencing homelessness.
Joining as a member of the CoC
As an official CoC member, you can:
- Vote in elections for the CoC board
- Nominate or be nominated for seats on the board
- Participate in committees and related working groups
- Attend full membership meetings.
Members:
- Receive regular email updates
- Are invited to community meetings
- Have opportunities to share ideas with the board.
New members can join the CoC at any time. Members will be kept up-to-date on the progress of the Roadmap to Homes, the CoC’s five-year strategic plan.
Joining the board
Members of the board develop and implement a homeless services strategy.
CoC board members also:
- Guide how homeless assistance funds are allocated
- Measure progress towards goals
- Recommend improvements and changes.
All CoC members are eligible to be nominated for the board. Individuals may nominate themselves or others. OHS calls for nominations when the board has a vacancy. OHS notifies members about board vacancies by email and during regular CoC meetings.
Joining a committee
The CoC has standing committees that focus its efforts.
The committees include:
- Coordinated Entry and Assessment-Based Housing Referral System (CEA-BHRS) evaluation: Assesses the CoC’s coordinated entry system.
- HUD alignment: Ensure that the CoC’s policies, procedures, and direction align with federal requirements and priorities. Providers cannot join this committee.
- Lived experience: Gathers feedback from people with lived experience with homelessness.
- Service provider: Gathers feedback from homeless service providers.
- Young adult leadership: Advises on ways to make the homeless assistance system better for youth.
You can ask to join a committee when you submit your CoC membership form, or by sending an email to OHS.