HUD CoC Program Competition

​River Valleys CoC (Rochester/Southeast Minnesota CoC MN-502) registers annually for the CoC Program Competition through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

To participate in the national competition for CoC Program funds, River Valleys CoC must:
  1. Comply with HUD requirements for CoCs throughout the year, including registering for the national competition,
  2. Conduct CoC-wide planning and prepare a CoC-wide application for the national competition, and 
  3. Hold a Local CoC Program Competition to evaluate, select, and rank projects to include in the regional CoC application to HUD.

Purpose of the HUD CoC Program 

The purpose of the HUD Continuum of Care (CoC) Program is to promote community-wide commitment to ending homelessness by providing funding for nonprofit providers and local governments to quickly rehouse individuals and families, while minimizing the trauma of homelessness. The program also aims to promote access to mainstream programs, improve data collection, and optimize self-sufficiency among those experiencing homelessness, helping them achieve long-term stability. 

The main program project types in the HUD CoC Program are:
  • Permanent Housing (PH) (including Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) and Rapid Re-housing (RRH)),
  • Transitional Housing (TH),
  • Supportive Services Only (SSO), and 
  • Homeless Management Information System (HMIS).  

What's in the CoC's Application

There are three parts of the CoC's application to HUD: 
Individual Projects are solicited through a Local Competition. 
The CoC PPR Committee reviews and ranks all projects based on CoC policy and ability to improve outcomes in the CoC region..
CoC members and participants report on activities completed and planned to prevent and end homelessness in the region. 

Your Role in the CoC Application

All of us have a role in in the CoC application, even if we don't receive HUD CoC funds directly. ​Here's why: 
​
System Performance Measures (SPMs) are the primary way that HUD evaluates outcomes of the CoC's work. SPMs measure outcomes across all programs types in HMIS, including those that are not funded by HUD. There are seven SPMs: 
The CoC reports on these outcomes each year and develops action plans with communities, agencies, and programs to go beyond individual programs to realize better outcomes for people experiencing homelessness. The tasks we take on together through committees and workgroups are a big part of how we ensure that all of our efforts are in alignment and making a difference! 

Learn more by exploring the Local Competition and National Competition applications. ​