Governance
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) requires communities that receive funds under the Continuum of Care Program (“CoC Program”) to carry out the responsibilities listed in the CoC Program Interim Rule located at 24 CFR Part 578 in the code of federal regulations. The Interim Rule defines a CoC as “the group organized to carry out the responsibilities under this part and that is composed of representatives of organizations, including nonprofit homeless providers, victim service providers, faith-based organizations, governments, businesses, advocates, public housing agencies, school districts, social service providers, mental health agencies, hospitals, universities, affordable housing developers, law enforcement, organizations that serve homeless and formerly homeless veterans, and homeless and formerly homeless persons to the extent these groups are represented within the geographic area and are available to participate.” The interim rule also establishes three major duties for which the CoC is responsible: to operate the CoC, to designate a Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) for the CoC, and to plan for the CoC. HUD has designated the FL-511 CoC as the CoC covering the geographic region of Escambia and Santa Rosa counties.