Continuum of Care
A continuum of care (CoC) is a “framework for a comprehensive and seamless array of emergency, transitional and permanent housing, and services” to address the needs of persons who are homeless in a specified geographic area. A CoC plan is intended to reflect the community’s vision for solutions to help their homeless neighbors and includes all homeless and mainstream services - from prevention to helping homeless people gain permanent housing.
The federal government, in order to receive federal dollars for homeless programs, requires each community to have a CoC to ensure a there is community collaboration and partnership to implementing plans to help homeless people. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has designated our community as the Tampa/Hillsborough Continuum of Care and authorized the Homeless Coalition of Hillsborough County as the lead agency for our CoC.
As such, the Homeless Coalition coordinates and leads the submission of the annual HUD Homeless Assistance Grant (a.k.a. the CoC grant) grant application. The multi-part grant includes:
Exhibit 2s, which are the renewal applications of CoC funded agencies.
The Homeless Assistance Grant brings approximately $4 million of federal dollars into Hillsborough County to provide shelter and services for persons who are homeless. Twenty programs receive funding through this grant.
All homeless services – whether funded or not through the CoC grant – are part of the Tampa/Hillsborough County continuum of care.
Housing Inventory Chart << click to download PDF
As part of the HUD Homeless Assistance grant application, the Coalition must maintain an inventory of housing for homeless individuals and families. This inventory is a vital piece of the grant submission. All ‘beds’ counted on this housing inventory include only those beds dedicated to serving homeless people and cannot be used for anyone who is not homeless (these are federal guidelines).
MAIN: 813-223-6115 | FAX: 813-223-6178 | P.O. BOX 360181, TAMPA, FL, 33673-0181 | info@homelessofhc.org
