Our Programs
Continuum of Care: What is a CoC?
Continuum of care refers to the different levels of service that homeless people need at different times in order to become housed and live more stable lives. The continuum includes outreach, emergency shelter, tra
nsitional housing, permanent supportive housing, and various necessary services.
The federal government has a grant program named the Continuum of Care under which nonprofits and government agencies can apply for funds to develop transitional housing and permanent supportive housing. The grant funds can be used for acquisition of a building or site, construction, rehabilitation, operation of the project and supportive services for the project. Because the funds are so flexible and the operating and supportive services funding is renewable year after year, these grants work very well to start new projects. The grant application process occurs in the spring of each year.
HUD Links about CoC
In New Mexico there are two Continuum of Care regions: the City of Albuquerque and the rest of the State. All applicants should apply as part of one of these regions, since most of the points are awarded based on how well the agencies within the regions are working together to create a continuum of care. The Albuquerque and Balance of State Continuum of Care Grants are both coordinated by the New Mexico Coalition to End Homelessness. For the Albuquerque Continuum of Care contact Lisa LaBrecque at (505) 217-9570 or e-mail Lisa-L@nmceh.org. And for the Balance of State CoC contact Mark Oldknow at (505) 982-9000 or email Mark-O@nmceh.org.
Potential applicants should be aware that the federal law governing these grants mandates that 30% of the funding should go toward permanent supportive housing for the disabled homeless. Because there are so many transitional housing projects in the program already, the bulk of new projects funded in recent years have been permanent supportive housing. In New Mexico we would like to support and help make possible good new supportive housing projects for the disabled.
This year, as part of the continuum of care process, we will be looking for alternative sources of funding for projects that benefit the homeless, and attempting to match projects up with likely funding sources.
The HUD Homelessness Resource Exchange is your one-stop shop for information and resources for providers who are assisting persons who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless, including "Quick Links" for CoCs and Providers.