Cheryl Stavris

The board discussed U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) contract updates, including grant extensions and a request to transfer rental assistance funds for vehicle purchases. Discussions covered significant shifts in 2026 funding priorities and notice of funding opportunity changes, specifically the prioritization of Permanent Supportive Housing and new tiering structures for grants. The board authorized a due diligence process for the Youth Homelessness Demonstration Program grant application and approved a contract for a new Homelessness Management Information System vendor. Updates were also provided on legislative session outcomes, along with a review of future action items and administrative steps for upcoming grant cycles.

The meeting focused on the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development 2026 Notice of Funding Opportunity, specifically regarding eligibility requirements, application types, and the integration of supportive services. Discussions included the role of faith-based organizations in receiving HUD funding, threshold requirements for various program types, and upcoming process updates such as match requirements and prioritization categories. Additionally, the status of current HUD CoC planning and capacity-building contracts was addressed, including a timeline extension and strategies for managing unspent funds through the Unified Funding Authority.

The meeting included discussions on HUD NOFO compliance and funding renewals, a review of veteran homelessness data from the point-in-time count, and the approval of updated HMIS security, privacy, and confidentiality policies. Key agenda items also covered the transition to a new HMIS vendor, software migration planning including HUD technical assistance, and data sharing policies related to the Violence Against Women Act. Additionally, the committee approved several data sharing requests for regional research and discussed progress on the DWEL data warehousing project.

The board focused on approving the governance charter, coordinated entry policies, and updates to housing policies including Violence Against Women Act requirements. Discussions also covered the transition of subrecipient grants, an overview of the Homeless Management Information System, and the planned transition to the OpenPath software system. Legislative budget impacts, Medicaid work requirements, and H2O program progress were reviewed. Additionally, the meeting addressed serious issues such as human trafficking in sober living facilities, foster care challenges for Native American youth, and strategic planning for the upcoming fiscal year, including performance measures and gap analysis for rural housing services.

The meeting covered significant updates regarding homelessness services, including challenges faced by food banks due to increased demand and environmental impacts. Key discussions involved the 2025 Continuum of Care (COC) funding overview, the introduction of a new simplified quarterly reporting template, and updates on grant matching and contract requirements. Participants reviewed HUD 2025 Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) program updates, including target population criteria for permanent supportive housing and the development of COC bonus projects. Additionally, the agenda addressed HMIS data collection changes, Homeless Census and PIT count preparation, and the importance of coordinating with tribal partners and law enforcement to improve system performance metrics.