The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) released a first-of-its-kind package of resources to address unsheltered homelessness and homeless encampments, including funds set aside specifically to address homelessness in rural communities.

The $322 million available under this NOFO will enhance communities’ capacity to humanely and effectively address unsheltered homelessness by connecting vulnerable individuals and families to housing, healthcare, and supportive services. This Special NOFO strongly promotes partnerships with healthcare organizations, public housing authorities and mainstream housing providers, and people with lived expertise of homelessness.

Overview

Through this Special NOFO, HUD will award funding to communities to implement coordinated approaches — grounded in Housing First and public health principles — to reduce the prevalence of unsheltered homelessness, and improve services, health outcomes, and housing stability among highly vulnerable unsheltered individuals and families. HUD expects applicant communities to partner with health and housing agencies to leverage mainstream housing and healthcare resources.

Special CoC NOFO Available Funding Opportunities

CoCs will have the opportunity to submit projects for two funding opportunities through this Special NOFO: (1) Unsheltered Homelessness Set Aside and (2) Rural Set Aside. CoCs may apply for projects under one or both funding opportunities as follows:

  1. Unsheltered Homelessness Set Aside. Projects included in this funding opportunity may serve any geographic area within the CoC and must meet all eligibility and quality threshold requirements established in this Special NOFO. A CoC’s maximum award amount for this funding opportunity is described in Section III.J of the NOFO.
  2. Rural Set Aside. Projects included in this funding opportunity must serve geographic areas that meet the definition of “rural area” as defined in Section III.C.2.k of the NOFO and meet all eligibility and quality threshold requirements established in this Special NOFO. CoCs whose geographic areas do not include any rural areas are not eligible for funding under this funding opportunity. A CoC’s maximum award amount for this funding opportunity is described in Section III.J of the NOFO.

https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/comm_planning/coc/specialCoCNOFO