County policy staff updated the Clark County Council on Dec. 3 about a change in U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development requirements that will limit how Continuum of Care funds can be used.
Jordan Bogie explained that Clark County has historically received about $2,100,000 annually through HUD Continuum of Care processes, with roughly 90% historically allocated to permanent supportive housing. New HUD rules cap permanent supportive housing spending at 30% of local Continuum of Care awards, a shift that could eliminate funding for an estimated 50–56 permanent supportive housing beds and requires rapid adjustments to competitive solicitations that must be submitted by mid-January.
Staff and local providers said federal guidance is vague, HUD has been slow to respond to requests for clarification, and the timing is tight for Council for the Homeless and providers to redesign proposals before the Jan. submission deadline. Councilors noted the potential knock-on effects across the region and asked staff to track options for filling gaps with local resources if federal funding is re-targeted.
Next steps: county staff will follow ECHO and Council for the Homeless processes and provide updates to council; staff flagged this as a key item in forthcoming strategic planning and budget conversations.