Folsom backs Sacramento County plan to reconstitute Continuum of Care board with more elected officials

Emily Halcon, director of the Department of Homeless Services and Housing for Sacramento County, presented a modified model that would reconstitute the Continuum of Care (CoC) board to include a majority of elected officials while retaining CoC administrative functions such as HMIS, coordinated entry and federal COC fund administration.

“We are proposing…to lean on the existing administrative infrastructure that already exists with the Continuum of Care Board,” Halcon said, describing a model that creates Brown Act transparency, seats for decision‑making community leaders, and a system leadership group of staff professionals from jurisdictions.

Halcon acknowledged that only the CoC board itself can decide to reconstitute and that the county cannot force the change. She also said Sacramento Steps Forward is likely to remain the lead administrative agency and that the reconstituted board would administer significant federal and state funds, including HAP funding used for prevention and rehousing programs.

During council questions, staff clarified the proposal is not intended to create an immediate general fund obligation for cities and that governance seats, weighting and voting details would be worked out with jurisdictions. Julie Alexander, a public commenter, warned that the CoC is currently the channel for federal funding into the county and urged careful attention to how any change could affect federal dollars.

Following discussion, a councilor moved and the council unanimously voted to support the county’s recommended option to pursue reconstitution of the CoC board with a majority of elected officials; council asked staff to communicate Folsom’s support to county staff.