The Homeless Continuum of Care Corner - Winter 2021

COVID-19 Rental Eviction Prevention Assistance

The COVID-19 Rental Eviction Prevention Assistance Program continues to distribute assistance to Arizonans. As of January 15, 2021, nearly 8,000 households have been assisted, with many households receiving multiple months of assistance since April 2020 as households continue to be financially impacted by COVID-19.

We want to give thanks to our partners in delivering assistance – Arizona’s Community Action Agencies, as well as new partner Springboard Solutions, an organization that also works on the Department’s Mortgage Foreclosure Assistance Program.

Although this program has had its challenges, we have received numerous comments of appreciation.  Community Action Agency staff, like Teresa Gault in Coconino County, have shared some of those messages with us:

“Hi, I just wanted to say thank you for helping me with this process. I’m so thankful I can’t put into words.” – Amy

“Thank you so very much for your help, my family and I are extremely grateful”—Haley

“Wanted to take a minute to say thank you Teresa for all your patience and for your help. My family and I greatly appreciate it. Have a blessed weekend and stay safe.”—Jessica

2021 Point in Time Count in the Arizona Balance of State Continuum of Care

There are three Continuums of Care (CoC) in Arizona— the Maricopa Regional Continuum of Care, the Tucson Pima Collaboration to End Homelessness (TPCH), and the Arizona Balance of State (which includes the 13 remaining counties). The Arizona Department of Housing (ADOH) is the collaborative applicant and the grantee for the Arizona Balance of State Continuum of Care (AZBOSCOC).

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has provided updated guidance concerning the 2021 Point in Time Count. Continuums of Care who performed an unsheltered Point in Time Count in 2020 are no longer required to submit a formal exemption request to HUD in order to be excused from performing an unsheltered Point in Time Count in 2021. Because the Arizona Balance of State performed an unsheltered Point in Time Count in 2020 and based on direction from the AZBOSCOC Governance Advisory Board and the Local Continuums to End Homelessness (LCEH), the Arizona Balance of State will not be conducting an unsheltered Point in Time Count in 2021. Formal notification will be sent to HUD to this effect.

All persons who are sheltered in emergency shelters (including domestic violence shelters) or transitional housing on the night of January 26, 2021 will be counted and information will be reported to HUD in the established manner.

Housing Matters | Winter 2021