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Tri‑County group moves to form local HUD Continuum of Care, aims to apply for funding in 2026
Summary
Community Services Consortium staff updated the board on work to form a Tri‑County Continuum of Care (Linn, Benton, Lincoln), including a steering committee, governance charter drafting, HMIS and coordinated entry readiness, and a goal to be HUD‑approved to apply for Continuum of Care funds by mid‑2025/2026.
Peggy McGuire of the Community Services Consortium (CSC) and housing staff told the board the Tri‑County region is actively pursuing separation from the 26‑county Rural Oregon Continuum of Care in order to strengthen regional coordination and competitiveness for HUD homeless‑assistance funds.
Lisa Lacker, CSC housing services manager, said the group has a steering committee working on a governance charter, plans to document HMIS (Homeless Management Information System) capabilities and coordinated entry processes, and expects to finalize a draft charter by the end of the year. "Our ultimate goal is to be able to apply for HUD CoC funds in June of 2026," Lacker said, noting HUD shifted CoC applications to a two‑year cycle and the region wants local control of data and program design.
Lacker described why the split matters: the rural 26‑county balance‑of‑state continuum covers large, diverse counties with varied capacity, and a smaller Tri‑County CoC could pursue youth funding and other streams that larger, less‑resourced areas might forego. CSC discussed possible roles that would be required by HUD — an HMIS lead, a collaborative applicant to submit joint applications, and a coordinated‑entry lead — and said the steering committee is considering staffing and sustainable funding to meet those responsibilities.
Peggy McGuire said CSC has supported much of the early work and temporary staff costs using time‑limited COVID and state funds but that long‑term sustainability will require new funding and possibly different governance choices. Commissioners asked about whether other counties were pursuing similar exits; CSC staff said Marion and Polk previously separated from the Rock, and they were not aware of other active separation efforts in the 26‑county continuum.
The board expressed appreciation for the progress and asked staff to monitor governance, capacity and funding needs as the effort moves toward membership votes and HUD submission.
