About the Northeast Minnesota Continuum of Care

Background

What is a Continuum of Care (CoC)?

A Continuum of Care (CoC) is a local or regional planning body recognized by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) that coordinates efforts to prevent and end homelessness. CoCs are responsible for organizing and delivering housing and services to individuals and families experiencing homelessness.

CoCs bring together nonprofit service providers, local governments, housing agencies, tribal governments, people with lived experience of homelessness, and other community stakeholders to plan and implement a coordinated, community-based response to homelessness.

Each CoC is tasked with:

Developing a strategic plan to prevent and end homelessness
Operating a Coordinated Entry system to ensure fair and efficient access to housing and services
Collecting and analyzing data through the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS)
Monitoring system performance and using data to drive improvements
Applying for and distributing HUD CoC Program funding to support housing and supportive services

There are ten HUD-recognized CoCs in Minnesota, including the Northeast Minnesota CoC. The Minnesota Tribal Collaborative is also recognized as a CoC in the state of Minnesota and is in the process of being a HUD-recognized CoC.

About the NE CoC

The Northeast Continuum of Care (NE CoC) is a broad coalition of community partners that has worked since 1997 to coordinate efforts to prevent and end homelessness across Northeast Minnesota. The CoC applies for and oversees HUD Continuum of Care Program funding and other state and federal resources, supports coordinated local responses to homelessness, and works to meet the diverse needs of people experiencing or at risk of homelessness in our region.

Our Region

The NE CoC region includes six counties:

Aitkin
Carlton
Cook
Itasca
Koochiching
Lake

It also includes parts of the Bois Forte, Fond du Lac, Grand Portage, Leech Lake, and Mille Lacs Tribal Reservations.

The region is large and geographically diverse, with rural communities who face unique challenges related to housing access, service availability, and transportation. The largest cities in this very rural region are Cloquet and Grand Rapids, with populations around 11,000.

What about St. Louis County? While St. Louis County, which includes the city of Duluth, is in the center of the Northeast region, it is not part of the NE CoC. It operates as its own Continuum of Care, coordinating homelessness planning and HUD funding independently. You can learn more about the St. Louis County CoC on their website: St. Louis County Continuum of Care.

Our Partners

The NE CoC includes housing and service providers, health & human service agencies, faith communities, local governments, people with lived experience of homelessness, and other advocates. These partners participate in regional CoC activities and local homeless coalitions, helping to coordinate services and advocate for the resources our communities need.

Local organizations and coalitions lead on-the-ground efforts to:

Operate high-quality housing and homeless programs
Conduct outreach to people experiencing homelessness
Coordinate local resources through Coordinated Entry
Advocate for policy and funding changes
Educate the public and build community support

These grassroots efforts are the backbone of our region’s progress toward ending homelessness.

Our Role

The CoC provides opportunities for a cross-sector of representatives who serve people experiencing housing instability and/or who have faced housing instability themselves to network, share best practices, and learn about available resources to serve the community.

The NE CoC provides structure, support, and strategic direction to the regional response to homelessness. Our work includes:

Applying for and distributing HUD and Minnesota Housing funds
Convening stakeholders and facilitating collaboration
Operating and refining Coordinated Entry
Collecting and using data to drive system improvements
Centering local expertise and lived experience in all planning efforts