Chester County Continuum of Care
Who are we?
The Chester County Partnership to End Homelessness serves as Chester County’s Continuum of Care (CoC) (PA 505) lead agency and collaborative applicant. The Partnership is an initiative of the Chester County Department of Community Development (DCD) and partnership staff are employed by DCD. The Department of Community Developments efforts to support the Partnership include: 1.) funding for housing and homelessness services, 2.) performing a yearly Point-in-Time count to determine the number of people experiencing homelessness over the course of one night, 3.) providing a team of street outreach workers to conduct homeless verification and to determine appropriate referrals, and 4.) managing the HUD-required Chester County Homeless Management Information System (HMIS), which is used to securely manage client and provider data and information.
What is a Continuum of Care (CoC)?
A Continuum of Care (CoC) is a regional or local planning body that coordinates housing and services funding for homeless families and individuals. CoC grantees receive funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to support the creation of strong, sustainable, inclusive communities and quality affordable homes for all. CoCs represent communities of all kinds, including major cities, suburbs, and rural areas.
In 1995, the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) began to require communities to submit a single application for McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Grants to streamline the funding application process, encourage coordination of housing and service providers on a local level, and promote the development of Continuums of Care. By requiring communities to submit a single application, HUD hoped to encourage a more structural and strategic approach to both housing and providing services to homeless people. A CoC would provide this more strategic system by providing homeless people with housing and services appropriate to their range of needs.
What do we do?
As the CoC lead agency for Chester County, the Partnership promotes community-wide commitment to the goal of ending homelessness. The program provides funding for efforts by nonprofit providers and state and local governments to quickly rehouse homeless individuals and families while minimizing the trauma and dislocation caused to homeless individuals, families, and communities by homelessness. The program promotes access to and effects utilization of mainstream programs by homeless individuals and families. The program optimizes self-sufficiency among individuals and families experiencing homelessness.
CoC Governance Board
The CoC is governed by Partnership members responsible for providing oversight and accountability for all CoC activities and to ensure that the Partnership is aligned with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s policy and funding requirements.
CoC Membership
The CoC membership is a group of organizations and individuals that possess the skills, interest, or resources to aid the Partnership in fulfilling its mission. CoC members work together to promote countywide commitment and develop solutions to prevent and end homelessness in Chester County.