CoC RFP seeking partners for Homeless Youth Program

The CoC issued a Request for Proposals seeking partners for the state’s Homeless Youth Program on August 6, 2018. Unfortunately, there was a technical issue with that procurement that barred the CoC from considering all proposals. To ensure that there is open competition for providers to be considered as partners with the CoC for this funding opportunity, the City is substituting a new RFP for this opportunity.

Request for Proposals for Homeless Youth Services August 31 2018

The CoC’s deadline with the state remains the same (September 10, 2018), so this RFP is open for a short time. Responses are due by September 5, 2018 at 4 pm. The substance of the RFP is the same as the previous bid. Respondents to the previous bid may resubmit the response they prepared for the previous bid for this new RFP opportunity. Entities that did not respond to the initial RFP are also welcome to apply.

The CoC will be in direct contact with all applicants who submitted bids for the initial procurement.

 

 

FY2018 CoC Competition: Announcement of Project Awards and Ranking

The CoC Application Committee has completed its work for the FY2018 competition. Thank you to committee members Alvina Brevard (DHCD), Karen Dean (Hampden County Sheriff’s Department), Alicia Zoeller (City of Holyoke), Pamela Schwartz (Western Mass Network to End Homelessness) and Gerry McCafferty (City of Springfield)!

The Committee has recommended full funding for all renewal projects, and has ranked all renewals ahead of newly proposed projects. Please note that one project did not apply for renewal–that project is Way Finder’s RRH project, which had been funded at $154,321. Existing participants in that program will leave through attrition over the next year, so the non-renewal will not result in displacement of households.

The CoC’s application will include two projects included as part of the DV Bonus: a DV-coordinated entry project, and DV-RRH project. The application will also include projects seeking regular Bonus funds: a PSH project for chronically homeless families, and a joint TH-RRH project for youth.

PROJECT RANKING – projects above the line are Tier 1; below the line are Tier 2

  1. HMIS, $61,992
  2. CSO-FOH Coordinated Entry, $250,000
  3. MHA Consolidated S+C, $611,652
  4. Viability Next Step, $517,129
  5. Catholic Charities RRH, $447,976
  6. CHD Family PSH, $347,761
  7. RVCC CoC Program, $303,485
  8. Way Finders Turning Point, $62,589
  9. SMOC Bowdoin-Tranquility, $63,926
  10. Gandara Shine RRH, $405,200
  11. CSO-FOH PSH Springfield, $237,613
  12. VOC Family PSH, $125,559
  13. DV Coordinated Entry (YWCA and Womanshelter), $246,987
  14. CHD Family PSH Expansion, $213,240
  15. Gandara Joint TH-RRH, $180,343
  16. YWCA DV RRH, $151,743

CoC Competition – Notice of Reallocation Funds Available – $154,321

This notice is informing applicants in the Springfield-Hampden County CoC FY2018 Competition that, in addition to Bonus funds and DV competition funds available, there are also reallocation funds newly available.

The program Way Finders Rapid Rehousing had notified the CoC that it is not applying for renewal. As you may recall, the CoC issued an RFP for a provider to take over this program. No provider responded to the RFP. This program is now scheduled to end June 30, 2019, and the funds may be reallocated to a new program.

The amount of funds freed up for reallocation is $154,321. All new projects will be considered for reallocation funds – including funds submitted as bonus or DV projects.

CoC competition applications are due August 15, 2018 at 4 pm.

CoC RFP seeking partners for Homeless Youth Program

The City of Springfield, on behalf of the Springfield-Hampden County Continuum of Care, has issued a request for proposals (RFP) seeking partners to provide Core Services and Winter Response an part of an application for state funds to operate a Homeless Youth Program in Hampden County.

Use the links below to access the RFP and Addendum No. 1 to the RFP. Responses are due August 29, 2018, and the CoC will hold a bidders’ conference on August 17, 20018, 10 am at the Springfield Municipal Operations Center, 70 Tapley St., Springfield.

CoC Competition Q & As

There have been two sets of Q&As for the CoC Competition. The first was based on  written questions received and was sent to anyone with an open esnaps application. The second is being released today based on questions asked at the bidders conference on August 1, 2018.

Both sets are linked below. The sets, along with the RFP, are also posted at the top of the materials on the CoC tab on this page. The CoC will continue to take and respond to written questions. Send them to gmccafferty@springfieldcityhall.com.

RFP Q&A #1 July 26, 2018

RFP Q&A #2 August 3, 2018

 

CoC Competition Bidders’ Conference; Seeking Applicants for Bonus Funds

REMINDER: The FY2018 CoC Competition bidders’ conference is scheduled for tomorrow, August 1, 2018, 10 am at the Office of Housing, 1600 E. Columbus Ave., Springfield.

The bidders’ conference is optional, but is strongly recommended for applicants for new projects. Renewal applicants are also welcome, if they wish to attend.

There has been very limited interest in the Bonus Project. If you have a new idea or have the capacity to expand an existing program, please consider submitting an application.

 

Race Equity in Homelessness

SPARC

There’s been some interesting new work on race equity in homelessness.

In March 2018, Supporting Partnerships for Anti-Racist Communities (SPARC), a project of the Center for Social Innovation, released the results of a research study in six communities. The study found that blacks and Native Americans were overrepresented in the homeless population as compared to the general population, and that this is not attributable only to the overrepresentation of these groups among people living in deep poverty (at or below 50% of the Federal poverty level). The level of homelessness among these populations exceeded the proportions of the populations living in deep poverty.

Take a look at the study here.

The Springfield-Hampden County CoC has volunteered to be part of a Built for Zero pilot project to work with other communities and a guide to review our own data and strategize about how to respond to what the data is showing us. The pilot will be for a few months, and will consist of regular phone calls and some data analysis. The first call is August 9, 2-3 pm.

If you have the interest and time to participate in this project, please email me at gmccafferty@springfieldcityhall.com. Keep in mind that I am looking for one or two committed people who have time and energy to devote to this.