Member Newsletter: August 8, 2024

As you will read in the meeting materials linked below for the upcoming Board and Membership meetings on August 15, 2024, the CoC has been hard at work over the last several months. Some major milestones have included:

• Adopting the Governance Charter on February 29, 2024
• Seating the new CoC Board on April 25, 2024
• Appointing the Funding Committee on May 23, 2024
• Navigating the vetting process for a proposal for Permanent Supportive Housing at the Ramada 
• Developing a process and recommendations for the Emergency Solutions Grant funding available to the CoC
• Appointing a Shelter Planning Work Group to develop a process, RFP, and recommendations to increase our community's shelter capacity by leveraging County ARPA funds
• Developing a Coordinated Entry Work Group to work with technical assistance to restructure a Coordinated Entry System that more effectively and efficiently serves those in need of housing and services in our community

Your active participation in the work of the CoC makes these achievements possible and infuses compassion, creativity, energy, and expertise into the work ahead. Know that you are helping to shape the Asheville-Buncombe Continuum of Care - thank you!

Board Meeting

When: Thursday, August 15th 4:30 - 6:00 p.m.

Where: Harrah's Cherokee Center - Banquet Hall (87 Haywood Street)

Parking + Transportation: Parking for this event can be validated and transportation assistance is available. Please plan to park at any of the city-owned parking garages - you will need to have a paper ticket from the garage or the ability to pay with a credit card in order to use validation. Please ask for a parking validation form at the registration table when you arrive at the meeting. If you need transportation assistance, please email homelessstrategy@ashevillenc.gov or call 828-271-6161.

*Note: The Funding Committee is expecting final materials from project partners to complete their due diligence on the Ramada project proposal so materials are not yet available but will be updated prior to the meeting.

Membership Meeting

When: Thursday, August 15th 6:00 - 7:30 p.m.

Where: Harrah's Cherokee Center - Banquet Hall (87 Haywood Street)

Parking + Transportation: Parking for this event can be validated and transportation assistance is available. Please plan to park at any of the city-owned parking garages - you will need to have a paper ticket from the garage or the ability to pay with a credit card in order to use validation. Please ask for a parking validation form at the registration table when you arrive at the meeting. If you need transportation assistance, please email homelessstrategy@ashevillenc.gov or call 828-271-6161.

New Members: Attend Orientation

All new CoC members are required to attend a one-hour orientation in order to be eligible to vote during meetings of the full membership. Orientations will be available on an ongoing basis and new dates will be announced as they become available. Please use the button below to view available orientation dates and register. 

Coordinated Entry Work Group

At their meeting on July 10, 2024, the CoC Board moved to appoint a Coordinated Entry Work Group. This work group will work with HUD Technical Assistance providers to address existing gaps and redesign the Coordinated Entry system to better meet the needs of the Asheville-Buncombe County community. The deadline to submit a Coordinated Entry Work Group interest form has been extended. Those interested in participating in this work group are encouraged to complete form by 5:00 p.m. on August 23, 2024. If you have already submitted an interested form, you do not need to complete the form again. The interim Nominating and Membership Committee will begin reviewing forms on August 26th and will bring a recommended slate for Board confirmation to the September CoC Board Meeting.

Membership Engagement

In addition to the Member Engagement Form, CoC members can now provide suggestions, share reflections, and ask questions via the Member Engagement Voicemail. Members can call 828-271-6161 to leave a message. The voicemail box will be checked weekly and the information collected will be channeled through the Board to the appropriate committee, unless otherwise indicated. Lead Agency staff may also respond directly if appropriate.

This pathway for sharing information and ideas exists because it was suggested by a member! Your active participation in the CoC is invaluable and facilitates ongoing improvement and increased accessibility - thank you!

Continuum of Care (CoC) Builds

This one-time Continuum of Care (CoC) Builds award under the CoC Program of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development is intended to support communities in adding units of permanent supportive housing (PSH) through new construction, acquisition, or rehabilitation. These funds are intended to be leveraged with other funding sources to meet the needs of individuals and families experiencing homelessness. The Asheville-Buncombe CoC is eligible for a maximum award of $5,000,000 of this funding.

Interested CoC Members who are nonprofit organizations; state and local governments; and public housing agencies should submit a Letter of Intent (LOI) to homelessstrategy@ashevillenc.gov no later than 5 p.m. on August 14, 2024. Click below to access the complete Notice of Funding Opportunities, an overview, and the required elements of the LOI. All questions should be directed to CoC Lead Agency staff at homelessstrategy@ashevillenc.gov or 828-747-8168.

Save the Date: CoC Program Funding 

HUD has released the FY 2024 - 2025 CoC Program Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) and full details about the Asheville-Buncombe CoC's application process will be released on Monday, August 12, 2024 via the CoC newsletter, the CoC Project page, and the Homeless Strategy Division's Funding Opportunities page. Stay tuned!

Focus on our Future

The CoC will not let the past determine the future. Rather, it commits to staying in the present and the future.

Member Engagement Voicemail: call 828-271-6161