About Us
Program Purpose
The Continuum of Care (CoC) Program is designed to promote a countywide commitment to the goal of ending homelessness; to provide funding for efforts by nonprofit providers and state and local governments to quickly rehouse people and households without stable housing while minimizing harm and dislocation; to promote access to and effective utilization of mainstream programs; and to optimize self-sufficiency among people and households in housing crisis.
Our History
Since 1994, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has encouraged counties to address housing and people without stable housing challenges through a coordinated, comprehensive, and strategic process. This model enables counties to develop the capacity to envision, organize, and plan long-term, long-lasting solutions to prevent and end people in housing crisis.
The Continuum of Care represents a formal countywide plan with performance reviews submitted to HUD annually. Planned goals and action steps are developed to organize and deliver housing and supportive services that meet the specific needs of in housing crisis or at risk of homelessness, supporting their transition to stable housing and long-term self-sufficiency. The local plan also includes coordinated strategies to prevent a return to homelessness.
The CoC planning process and committee tasks are ongoing throughout the year and culminate in an annual funding application submitted to HUD. This application requests financial support for locally identified projects that address the causes and needs of people without stable housing in Summit County. Local participation, coordination among service providers, and measurable progress toward established goals are key factors determining the level of HUD funding our CoC receives each year.
Our Mission & Vision
Our Mission
The mission of the Summit County Continuum of Care is to engage local organizations in a coordinated response to prevent and end homelessness for all people and households in Summit County.
Our Vision
Summit County is a county in which people without stable housing is rare, brief, and nonrecurring. Everyone has access to the resources and support necessary to obtain and maintain decent, safe, and affordable housing that enhances quality of life.