SNJCoC awards renewals; Cape May County projects funded for 42 housing vouchers after PITC outreach

SNJCoC received $5,890,152 in renewal awards from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s 2024 Continuum of Care competition, and Cape May County housing projects were allocated $676,339 — funding 42 housing vouchers for one year, HSAC staff said.

The information matters because HUD CoC awards and the annual Point‑in‑Time Count drive local homelessness response planning and short‑term funding allocations.

Sabrina Hand, HSAC coordinator for Cape May County, told members that the HUD Point‑in‑Time Count (PITC) was held on Jan. 29, 2025 (asking about the night of Jan. 28), and that HUD announced the 2024 CoC Competition funding on Jan. 21. "The HUD PITC is a 24‑hour nationwide event that is designed to capture a 'snapshot' of those experiencing homelessness within a specific community," Hand said. She thanked Dave Dietz of Acenda for coordinating street outreach volunteers across multiple agencies and noted that many CEAS (Coordinated Entry & Assessment System) committee members participated in the outreach.

Hand also reported a Code Blue declaration the night of the PITC; warming centers were made available as emergency shelter. "There was a Code Blue declaration on the night of the PITC. Thus, warming centers were available for emergency shelter," she said.

Sarah Matthews, a CEAS committee member, described a local outreach initiative led by the Center for Family Services to increase coordination among providers serving people at risk of or experiencing homelessness; Matthews said the effort is intended to identify service gaps and reduce barriers to care. Matthews noted that many CEAS attendees then participated in a PITC training session hosted by Monarch Housing.

HSAC members were told the SNJCoC award covers both housing projects and HUD‑mandated system components such as HMIS and Coordinated Assessment; the SNJCoC did not receive awards for new or bonus projects this cycle. The HSAC packet indicated that the Cape May County portion of the award funds only renewals and will finance 42 vouchers for one year.

No formal action was taken by the HSAC at the Feb. 5 meeting; the discussion was informational and focused on local coordination and next steps for agencies involved in HUD programs and PITC outreach.

Local agencies and volunteers involved in outreach were encouraged to continue coordination through existing CEAS and PITC planning channels; HSAC staff noted that additional program‑level details or changes to local housing allocations would come through grant administrators and SNJCoC notices.

For local providers looking for follow‑up, HSAC staff asked agencies funded with county dollars to keep contracts and reporting current and to coordinate with the SNJCoC and the county’s Continuum leads as allocations are implemented.