Douglas County accepts $156,864 HUD CoC award to cover leases for 12 supportive‑housing households

Douglas County commissioners on May 20 authorized the county administrator to sign the FY2025 HUD Continuum of Care (CoC) grant agreement after staff confirmed HUD awarded $156,864 to fund leases for 12 chronically homeless households.

Jill Joliker, county staff, said the county applied for renewal funding in October 2024 (the application requested roughly $321,000) to continue permanent supportive housing for a dozen chronically homeless individuals. HUD’s award is smaller than the county’s requested amount and — as provided by HUD — is restricted to lease payments for the households documented as chronically homeless.

"The amount of funding that was ultimately awarded and we actually got the documentation for ... is 156,864," Joliker said, adding that the county will reestimate the general‑fund backing already budgeted for these households. She described the award as offsetting county contributions and said the county plans to apply again when the next NOFO is released.

Commissioners discussed that the county had budgeted contingency or backstop funding for these households and that the HUD award will allow reallocation of some county dollars. Staff said they will present more detailed information about the 12 households and program metrics at an upcoming briefing and that HUD’s HMIS (Homeless Management Information System) reporting will provide deidentified performance data for review.

A motion to authorize the county administrator to sign the grant agreement passed unanimously by voice vote. Staff noted that because the HUD award covers leases only, decisions about supportive services and whether to expand the number of households served will be addressed in the 2027 budget process and program briefs.