Orange County NC Website
Browse       Search
21 <br /> CR-25 - Homeless and Other Special Needs 91.220(d, e); 91.320(d, e); 91.520(c) <br /> Evaluate the jurisdiction's progress in meeting its specific objectives for reducing and ending <br /> homelessness through: <br /> Reaching out to homeless persons (especially unsheltered persons) and assessing their <br /> individual needs <br /> OCPEH's HOME Committee (no relation to the HOME Investment Partnerships Program) consists of 20 <br /> housing and service providers that interact with people who are experiencing chronic and/or particularly <br /> vulnerable homelessness, many of whom have disabilities. Service providers involved include nonprofits, <br /> DSS and other county departments, UNC Hospitals, veterans' organizations, law enforcement, private <br /> attorneys, and more. The Committee meets monthly to collaborate on finding housing and services (e.g., <br /> medical, mental health, substance use, and legal services)for these people.The CoC uses its <br /> Coordinated Entry system to assess people's needs, score their level of need, and prioritize them for <br /> permanent supportive housing, and conducts a street outreach program to reach people who are living <br /> unsheltered. However, OCPEH has identified street outreach as an area in the County's homeless <br /> services system in need of more funding. <br /> The Orange County Partnership to End Homelessness (OCPEH) coordinates among homeless service <br /> providers, directs grant activities for the Continuum of Care (CoC) and Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) <br /> annual competition, and administers four direct service programs.The latest Orange County Plan to End <br /> Homelessness was adopted in May of 2019.The plan is structured into eight main objectives with 12 <br /> action steps to ensure that homelessness is a rare, brief and one-time experience and to sustain an end <br /> to homelessness in Orange County. The plan is available at: https://www.ocpehnc.com/plan.The <br /> primary breakthrough objective of the plan is to fill homeless system gaps.The most recent Gaps <br /> Analysis was updted in December 2021 and consists of 15 gaps across housing and services. The most <br /> recent Gaps Analysis is available at: https://www.ocpehnc.com/gaps-analysis <br /> The Continuum of Care completes an annual "Point in Time Count" each January to determine the <br /> number of people experiencing homelessness on one night in Orange County.The 2025 Point-In-Time <br /> Count was conducted in January of 2025.This count identified 149 people who experienced <br /> homelessness in Orange County, including 10 veterans.There were 48 people living unsheltered and 101 <br /> people in shelters. <br /> The Orange County Partnership to End Homelessness provides Coordinated Entry via a centralized <br /> access point,the Housing Helpline,which connects residents with housing resources and other services. <br /> The Helpline is accessible by phone (919-245-2655) or e-mail (housinghelp@orangecountync.gov) and <br /> in-person for a total of three days per week at two locations. In order to provide the needed resources <br /> to County residents,the Department and Housing Helpline staff collaborate with other community <br /> service providers, including: the Orange County Departments of Social Services,Aging, Health, and <br /> Criminal Justice Resource Department; Habitat for Humanity; CASA; EmPOWERment; Community Home <br /> Trust; Compass Center; Inter-Faith Council for Social Services; Durham Veterans Affairs Medical Center; <br /> 20 <br />