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4 <br /> 1 Overview <br /> 2 FY 2024-25 saw a series of transitions as OCPEH experienced new leadership, personnel, and <br /> 3 sites of operation with the Cold Weather Shelter. Community partners have experienced <br /> 4 reductions in funding and donations, resulting in diminished_program capacity at a time when <br /> 5 community need remains high. This period has also highlighted the importance of local and <br /> 6 regional collaboration to address the rise of homelessness. <br /> 7 <br /> 8 The Orange County Partnership to End Homelessness (OCPEH) uses a variety of funding <br /> 9 sources to support community-level planning, coordination and evaluation efforts. Funders <br /> 10 include the federal and local government, foundations, and private partners. <br /> 11 <br /> 12 Challenges <br /> 13 Due to the current federal administration, there is a serious risk that the HUD Continuum of Care <br /> 14 (CoC) grant will be partially cut. The recently released Continuum of Care Notice of Funding <br /> 15 Opportunity (NOFO) has mandated cuts to "permanent" housing of 70%, as well as only <br /> 16 guaranteeing 30% of annual renewal funding. Permanent housing includes both the Interfaith <br /> 17 Council's Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) program as well as OCPEH's Rapid Rehousing <br /> 18 (RRH) program, and both agencies are eagerly awaiting clarification on the NOFO in order to <br /> 19 determine how to shift application requests in order to maximize possible funding. The programs <br /> 20 and positions currently funded by CoC Grants are: <br /> 21 o PSH (IFC, 79% of funding) <br /> 22 o RRH (OCPEH, 64% of funding) <br /> 23 o Coordinated Entry/Housing Helpline (OCPEH, 80% of funding) <br /> 24 o OCPEH Coordinator position (20% of funding) <br /> 25 <br /> 26 Successes <br /> 27 As a small Continuum of Care, OCPEH expanded its impact by partnering with other local <br /> 28 homeless systems on federal funding opportunities. County government has increased its <br /> 29 commitment to address system needs and prioritized funding for two (2) main drivers of inequity <br /> 30 in the current system by investing in Permanent Supportive Housing expansion and funding for <br /> 31 Bridge Housing. <br /> 32 <br /> 33 OCPEH has also broadened partnerships with the community on various efforts: <br /> 34 • with the faith community through last winter's Cold Weather Shelter (housed at University <br /> 35 Baptist Church in Chapel Hill); <br /> 36 • with many community partners and Alliance Health; <br /> 37 • with a pop-up event in coordination with UNC Health for a newly-awarded Street Medicine <br /> 38 grant; and <br /> 39 • with the Town of Chapel Hill for use of its former police station for this year's Cold Weather <br /> 40 Shelter. <br /> 41 <br /> 42 The Road Ahead <br /> 43 Much of the future of homelessness programs in Orange County will be determined in the coming <br /> 44 months after the results of the CoC grant. Federal grants make up over one-third of homelessness <br /> 45 funding in the County, so any loss would be significant. <br /> 46 <br /> 47 OCPEH continues to work with regional partners to identify and recruit providers to Orange <br /> 48 County to address system gaps. One such effort is underway with the potential use of 2700 <br /> 49 Homestead Road in Chapel Hill for next winter's Cold Weather Shelter, and for potential future <br /> 50 use as an Integrated Day Center along the lines of Raleigh's "Oak City Cares." <br />