Continuum of Care (COC)

The attached project ranking list is currnetly in draft form pending any appeals and final review and approval by the SLC CoC Governance Committee, Heading hoem Advisory Committee, on 10/21/2021. 

 

Narrative & Justification:

For the FY2021 CoC Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), HUD is allowing CoCs to put 100 percent of Annual Renewal Demand (ARD) into Tier I in the Ranking & review Process. This means that we do not need to make any cuts to our renewal projects for FY 2021. Considering this, no reordering of the FY2021 Project Ranking occurred. The order of this project ranking is based on systems performance measures and scores affiliated with question in the SLC CoC (MN-509) Supplemental Application. All scores were reviewed and approved by the Ranking & Review Committee.

 

After renewal housing projects were ranked, the CoC’s HMIS Grant and SSO-Coordinated Entry grant were placed in Tier One. This action is based on CoC policy objectives to ensure a functioning Coordinated Entry System and a Homeless Management Information System (HMIS). Bonus project applications were included in ranking and placed at the bottom of Tier Two or below all renewal projects in the project ranking. This is based on the CoC Ranking & Review policy to prioritize renewal projects.

 

SLC CoC recently adopted a reallocation policy (as a part of our ranking & review policy), which allows the Ranking & Review committee to reallocate a portion of or all a project’s funding to new project. Projects with a history of low performance or returned funds are subject to review for reallocation during every NOFO cycle. No projects were recommended for reallocation by the Ranking & Review Committee this year. Projects with a history of low funds and/low performance are encouraged to review this policy and discuss further with the CoC Coordinator.

 

SLC CoC’s local priorities of racial equity, housing first, and culturally responsive programming were all factored into scoring this year. These priorities are consistent with HUD’s FY2021 priorities as well. Additionally, SLC CoC adopted the HUD priority of trauma-informed policies and procedures surrounding domestic violence. SLC CoC will continue to offer support on improving these components of our local housing programs. Please see below for how to file a formal appeal with the CoC. Outside of appeals, please feel free to reach out to the CoC Coordinator for support related to improvement of policies and systems performance measures for your project(s).

 

Although a local appeals process is not required by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), this CoC offers a local appeals process. Applicants that can appeal include those applications that: a) are unranked, b) dispute scoring, c) dispute ranking, or d) disagree with the Ranking and Review Committee’s decision to reallocate some or all their funding. Projects wishing to appeal must submit the appeal in writing using the St. Louis CoC Appeals form, found at the end of the attached Ranking & Review Policy. A signed Appeals Form and any relevant evidence must be submitted for each project being appealed. Email Appeals form to CoCHomelessPrograms@StLouisCountyMN.gov  by 10/15/2021 at the latest. The Appeals Committee reviews appeals and extends an invitation to a brief in-person session, as needed. All agencies filing an appeal must be prepared to rapidly respond to requests from the Appeals Committee. The Appeals Committee will inform appealing agencies of its decision 10/20/2021.