Continuum of Care (CoC)
The Ithaca/Tompkins Continuum of Care (NY-510) has several ongoing initiatives:
Coordinated Entry
All housing and service providers who receive funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) through the Continuum of Care (CoC) or Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG) are required to participate in the Coordinated Entry system. The Coordinated Entry system is a proven national best practice and all housing and service providers in the county are encouraged to participate. When implemented effectively, coordinated assessment can minimize the time and frustration consumers who are in crisis may face when trying to access services and also:
- Reduce new entries into homelessness through a coordinated system of diversion and prevention efforts;
- Prevent people experiencing homelessness from entering into multiple programs before having their needs met
- Reduce or erase the need for individual provider wait lists
- Foster increased collaboration between homelessness assistance providers
- Improve the community’s ability to perform well on Homeless Emergency Assistance and Rapid Transition to Housing (HEARTH) outcomes, and progress the goal of ending homelessness.
- Ensure that agencies are providing housing to the most vulnerable populations
Be sure to include all three Coordinated Entry Forms in your upload.
Coordinated Entry Policy and Procedures
CoC NOFO
The Human Services Coalition of Tompkins County, the lead agency for the Ithaca/Tompkins Continuum of Care, serves as the collaborative applicant for the annual HUD (Housing and urban Development) competitive grant process for homeless funding, the CoC Program Competition (NOFO). The CoC submits an annual application requesting funding to support the homeless service providers in Tompkins County. As part of this competitive grant process, the CoC calls for project applicants to submit proposals for housing and services to serve chronically homeless and literally homeless individuals and families. The CoC requests new projects that are in accordance with CoC and HUD’s priorities to end homelessness.
Project applicants should carefully review the Ithaca/ Tompkins CoC NY-510 Updated Written Standards, which details CoC’s expectations for agencies receiving funding through the CoC.
For details on project priorities, submission requirements, threshold requirements and all other information relevant to the FY2023 NOFO, please review documents in the drop-down menu below.
Homeless and Housing Task Force
The Homeless and Housing Task Force (HHTF), facilitated by the Human Services Coalition, presents topics that educate and update the community on emergency shelter, supplemental food programs, affordable housing, transportation, and other basic needs of people currently experiencing or at risk of homelessness. The HHTF is also the educational arm of the Continuum of Care (CoC).
Broad support and participation comes from service providers, public housing agencies, school systems and universities, businesses, hospitals, law enforcement, Workforce Development, local funders, volunteers, local elected officials, faith-based organizations, homeless and formerly homeless people, and the public.
Meetings are free and open to the public.
2024 Meeting Dates: February 7, April 3, June 5, October 2, and December 4
Meetings are held via Zoom from 9:30 am – 11 am
The link will only be active during meeting times.
View Past Presentations on YouTube
Point in Time Count (PIT)
Every year the Continuum of Care Committee partners with local organizations and agencies to take a current count of the homeless population in Tompkins County. This is accomplished via a survey administered over a two-day period at the end of January.
The PIT Count not only allows Tompkins County to fulfill a HUD requirement, it’s an opportunity for our outreach team to meet people where they are, bring people in and provide some basic necessities.
