To assist Continuums of Care (CoC) recipients, subrecipients, and stakeholders in successfully implementing the requirements of the CoC Program interim rule, HUD is conducting a phased-release of guidance documents, toolkits, broadcasts, and webinars. HUD has published three new resources to help our stakeholders understand the CoC Program requirements.

Technical Assistance Resources:
The following new resources are posted to the OneCPD Resource Exchange on the CoC Program Resource Page:

1. Rapid Re-Housing: ESG vs. CoC Program 

• This document summarizes the significant similarities and differences in the eligible costs and programmatic requirements for rapid re-housing assistance administered under the Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG) program and the CoC Program.

2. CoC Program Leasing and Rental Assistance Projects: Examples of Lease Agreements

• This resource details the requirements for leasing and rental assistance projects in the CoC Program, and includes the following:

            o Leasing Projects – Example of Lease and Sublease
               Agreement.

            o Rental Assistance Projects – Example of a Three-Party Lease
               Agreement.

            o A current copy of a housing assistance payments contract is available
               for CoC Program rental assistance recipients and subrecipients that
               opt to follow the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher model of having
               two agreements: a lease agreement and a housing assistance
               payments contract.

• All lease examples fulfill the CoC Program leasing and rental assistance requirements, respectively, and are for CoC Program recipients and subrecipients that develop their own lease agreements. The lease examples are not intended to be used by recipients and subrecipients without revision. Recipients and subrecipients must consult with local legal counsel and use a form of the lease examples that complies with their respective state and local laws. HUD assumes no liability for the use or content of the lease examples for leasing and rental assistance projects in the CoC Program.

3. Grant Administration User Guide

• This user guide reviews the standards for administering CoC Program grants, with a specific focus on the grant award requirements in Subpart C and the grant administration requirements in Subpart G of the CoC Program interim rule.

Upcoming Webinar:
HUD will be hosting a webinar on Thursday, April 25, 2013 from 3:30-4:30 pm EDT, to discuss the application process and roles and responsibilities for Collaborative Applicants requesting designation as a Unified Funding Agency under the CoC Program. The webinar is limited to 1,500 participants.

For more information and to register, visit the CoC Program: Unified Funding Agencies Webinar Training Page.

CoC Program Training:
HUD is developing training materials for CoC Program recipients, subrecipients, administrators, public officials, and other audiences requiring an understanding of the essential elements of the CoC Program. Due to our tight fiscal environment, HUD is using different modes of technology and media formats to distribute training materials, namely online modules, audio podcasts, webinars, and videos. The availability of the training curricula will be announced through a OneCPD listserv message in late spring.

CoC Program Help Desk Questions:
HUD has received many inquiries regarding the status of submitted questions in the HUD Homelessness Resource Exchange (HRE) CoC Program Policy Virtual Help Desk. HUD appreciates your continued patience as it answers all submitted questions. The CoC Program is a new program for HUD and its stakeholders. Evolving policy guidance has prevented a timely response to many questions. HUD anticipates resolving all questions in the HRE within the next 4-6 weeks.

To assist HUD during its transition to the CoC Program Ask A Question (AAQ) Desk on the OneCPD Resource Exchange, please do not resubmit questions asked in the HUD HRE Virtual Help Desk. Duplicative questions will further increase the response time.

HUD has worked diligently to anticipate questions and has included detail in the CoC Program interim rule and published technical assistance tools. HUD strongly recommends that CoC Program stakeholders review all available guidance before submitting a question to OneCPD Ask A Question.