About Us
Program Purpose
The Summit County Continuum of Care (CoC) is the convener and problem solver leading a countywide commitment to end homelessness. We bring together nonprofit providers, local and state partners, and community stakeholders to align funding, coordinate services, and drive solutions that quickly rehouse individuals and families while minimizing harm and disruption.
Guided by a faith-driven purpose, we believe every person has inherent worth and deserves a place to call home. This belief fuels our work to serve all communities with compassion, dignity, and accountability.
Through strategic collaboration, we work to promote access to and effective use of mainstream resources, strengthen systems of care, and support individuals and households in achieving lasting self-sufficiency.
We work with all communities to serve all ensuring that no one is left behind and that every person has access to the support they need to move from crisis to stability.
Together, we are building a coordinated, equitable system that prevents homelessness, responds swiftly when it occurs, and moves people into safe, stable housing.
We believe homelessness can be ended and we are working every day to make that a reality in Summit County.
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.