Asheville-Buncombe Continuum of Care

The Asheville-Buncombe Continuum of Care (CoC) is the collaborative planning body responsible for developing and overseeing a comprehensive and well-coordinated system of effective services designed to prevent and quickly resolve occurrences of homelessness in Asheville and Buncombe County. The CoC has four components:

A membership body of individuals and organizations with an interest in understanding homelessness and taking action together to address it. There are currently over 300 members of the Asheville-Buncombe CoC.
A board elected by the membership body, from the membership body, to set strategy, priorities, and performance metrics. The CoC board brings together leaders of partner systems of care with fiscal and program authority. The first board of the CoC was elected on April 25, 2024 at a meeting of the full membership.
Committees and work groups of members, appointed by the board, and given clear scopes of work, duties, deliverables, and time frames. Much of the substantive work of the CoC will happen in committees.
A Lead Agency designated by the membership body to provide strategic and administrative support to the CoC. The City of Asheville’s Homeless Strategy Division serves as the CoC Lead Agency. The CoC is not an initiative of the City of Asheville, but is community-based work with staff support from the Homeless Strategy Division.

Happening Now

Nominating and Membership Committee Application

At their meeting on June 13th, the CoC Board voted to reopen the application for the Nominating and Membership Committee in order to ensure the most diverse pool of candidates possible. The Nominating and Membership Committee slate of candidates will be determined by members of the original Nominating and Membership Committee who were elected at the June 13th meeting, along with a small number of board members and Lead Agency staff. This slate will go before the full Board for a vote at the August 15th CoC Board Meeting. Early work of this committee will be to seat the remaining three standing committees of the CoC and initiate the second round of board applications to fill the remaining Board vacancies. If you are interested in serving on the Nominating and Membership Committee, please fill out this form by July 24, 2025 at 5:00 p.m.

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. Those interested in participating in this work group are encouraged to complete the Coordinated Entry Work Group interest form by 5:00 p.m. on July 24, 2024. The interim Nominating and Membership Committee will begin reviewing forms on July 25th and will bring a recommended slate for Board confirmation to the August CoC Board Meeting.

Funding Update

Request for Proposals: Low-Barrier Shelter

The Shelter Planning Work Group of the Asheville-Buncombe Continuum of Care is issuing this Request for Proposals (RFP) to increase available shelter beds for individuals and families experiencing homelessness by 100 beds. This RFP is open to any organization prepared to provide low-barrier shelter with the ultimate outcome of moving individuals and families into permanent housing.

Those organizations interested in responding to this RFP should do so by July 29, 2024 at 3:00 p.m. Please submit completed proposals to homelessstrategy@ashevillenc.gov. Proposals will be reviewed by the Shelter Planning Work Group and their recommendation will be presented to the CoC Board for consideration at the August 15, 2024 Board Meeting. The CoC Board recommendation will be presented to the Board of County Commissioners for consideration of funding on September 17, 2024.

Click here to read the full RFP and download a copy for submission. Please email homelessstrategy@ashevillenc.gov with any questions or call 828-747-8168.

Become a Member of the CoC

Anyone with an interest in understanding homelessness and taking action to address it can become a member of the CoC! Members can be individuals or organizations and staff of member organizations are encouraged to become individual members. CoC members are eligible to serve on the board, committees, and work groups.

You will receive an email confirming receipt of your membership form. Please email homelessstrategy@ashevillenc.gov or call 828-747-8168 if you would like a paper copy of these forms to be mailed to you.

Attend New Member Orientation

All new CoC members are required to attend a one-hour orientation in order to be eligible to vote as part of the full membership body. Orientations happen on an ongoing basis and dates are announced as orientations become available. Please fill out the orientation registration form to see available dates and sign up.

Stay Engaged

The Continuum of Care takes all of us! Your active participation helps the CoC grow and change in ways that will better serve our neighbors experiencing housing insecurity and the community as a whole. Use the Member Engagement Form or call the Member Engagement Voicemail at 828-271-6161 to share reflections, ask questions, make suggestions, and indicate your interest in getting more involved with the work of the CoC. All information collected through this form and voicemail box will be channeled through the CoC Board. Lead Agency staff may also respond when appropriate.

Upcoming Board and Membership Meetings

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.

*Meeting materials will be made available seven (7) days ahead of the meeting date.

Membership Meeting

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

Where: Harrah’s Cherokee Center – Banquet Hall (87 Haywood Street)

*Meeting materials will be made available seven (7) days ahead of the meeting date.

Background

What is a Continuum of Care?

The CoC is a formally structured planning body, not an incorporated organization like a standalone nonprofit or business, that allows our community to share responsibility, accountability and make decisions together. It is voluntary, participatory, and self-governing, and consolidates the efforts of nonprofits, governments, housing providers, landlords, funders, advocates, and experts to build a coordinated approach to addressing homelessness.

The CoC does not provide direct services (like rental assistance or shelter) to people in crisis, nor does it provide direct funding to service providers. Instead it is a way of convening people and organizations already taking action in those areas to facilitate collaboration, collect and review data that measures the service system’s effectiveness, and provide evidence-based recommendations to adjust the system when necessary. It is a federal framework to guide local communities in effective and collaborative homelessness response.

The CoC is solutions-oriented with a common goal to resolve the crisis of each person experiencing homelessness. Trust and transparency are critical to develop a collaborative and unified approach to respond to these crises efficiently and effectively.

In Asheville and Buncombe County, the Homeless Initiative Advisory Committee (HIAC) has traditionally served as the CoC Board. Based on recommendations from the National Alliance to End Homelessness about how to improve unsheltered homelessness in our community, HIAC initiated a process to create a new community-based membership body and elect a new CoC Board for more widespread participation and improved results.

The restructured CoC has recently been established and is governed by a charter adopted by its membership body on February 29, 2024. The charter outlines roles and responsibilities of the CoC membership, board, committees, and Lead Agency. It also details the spirit of the CoC’s collaborative work through agreed-upon Shared Values and Guiding Principles:

Value the voice of people with lived experience
Be bold
Create accountable and transparent governance structures
Build trust through unity, collaboration, and performance
Focus on our future
Promote equity to advance change
Politics will not drive policies

Timeline

Date	Action
January 25, 2023	National Alliance to End Homelessness presented recommendations emphasizing the need to build an effective CoC
February 9, 2023	Homeless Initiative Advisory Committee formed a Governance Work Group to lead CoC restructure and development
October 12, 2023	Homeless Initiative Advisory Committee endorses draft of new CoC charter and transitions Governance Work Group into Nominating and Membership Committee of the new CoC
December 4, 2023	CoC Membership drive begins. CoC Members invited to provide feedback on draft charter
February 8, 2024	Homeless Initiative Advisory Committee endorses draft charter with revisions based on CoC Member feedback
February 29, 2024	CoC Membership holds first meeting and votes to adopt its new Governance Charter. Board application process begins.
April 25, 2024	CoC Membership holds second meeting and elects new CoC Board
May 23, 2024	First Board Meeting