About

What is the CoC?

The Gaston-Lincoln-Cleveland Continuum of Care (G-L-C CoC) is a collaborative network, not a standalone organization. It is authorized by federal legislation through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. As such, the G-L-C CoC is served by a Lead Agency designated to carry out planning, evaluation, services coordination, administrative, data management, and funding application activities. HealthNet Gaston, a local nonprofit organization, has been designated by the G-L-C CoC membership as its Lead Agency. Ultimately, the purpose of the CoC is to assist communities in preventing, addressing, and ending homelessness.

Each local area Continuum of Care is structured according to the uniqueness of the community it serves. The G-L-C CoC is a regional continuum that serves three contiguous counties: Cleveland, Gaston, and Lincoln. The CoC is open to all who desire to work collaboratively to prevent, address, and end homelessness in the G-L-C’s region. The membership of the G-L-C CoC is ultimately responsible for the activities and outcomes of the continuum. To accomplish the objectives of the CoC, the membership elects a governance body and selects a Lead Agency. Committees are formed as needed to carry out the priorities of the CoC and to ensure compliance with HUD expectations for continua of care across the country. The local CoC, through its Lead Agency, is responsible for the regional application for NC Emergency Solutions Grant funding and the collaborative application for HUD’s Continuum of Care Program competition. Click on the Engage tab at the top of the page to access our G-L-C CoC Resource Library.

The collective voice membership of the G-L-C CoC provides for the overall strategic direction and functioning of the CoC. To manage the various responsibilities of the CoC, the membership has delegated authority to both a Governance Board and a Lead Agency. The Governance Board is composed of members from all three counties served by the G-L-C CoC, including officers serving as Chair, Vice Chair and Secretary. Governance Board members serve two-year terms and officers are elected annually. The G-L-C membership also appoints a Lead Agency to conduct many of the business functions of the CoC. The Lead Agency is responsible for management of the local Homeless Management Information System (HMIS), Coordinated Entry, and HUD/ESG collaborative funding competitions and applications. The Lead Agency serves as the primary point of contact with HUD and the NC ESG Office. The G-L-C CoC membership meets regularly in committees and as a membership body.

Lead Agency

HealthNet Gaston serves as the Lead Agency for the G-L-C CoC. HealthNet Gaston (HNG) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing access to affordable healthcare services to low-income, uninsured Gaston County residents with chronic medical conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease.

The Lead Agency assumes multiple responsibilities for supporting the local CoC:

Serve as the local collaborative applicant for HUD’s CoC Program Competition
Serve as the regional applicant for NC ESG’s Request for Funding Applications
Serve as the primary point of contact to HUD and the NC ESG Office
Employ Local Systems Administrators to manage all aspects of the local Homeless Management Information System (HMIS), including participating in the NC HMIS program
Manage the local Coordinated Entry process according to HUD’s guidelines
Provide technical assistance support to CoC member agencies participating in CoC activities
Provide for regular communications and reports related to CoC priorities, activities, and community impact

The Lead Agency manages several HUD and NC ESG grants for the benefit of the G-L-C CoC including HUD Planning, HMIS, Coordinated Entry. In addition, HNG manages grant funding to provide Street Outreach, Housing Navigation, and Community Resources Advocacy across the CoC. HNG’s Executive Director serves on the G-L-C Advisory Board.
To accomplish all of the functions required of a Lead Agency, HealthNet Gaston contracts with a consultant to provide Technical Assistance to both the Lead Agency and to the G-L-C CoC. Carson Dean Consulting, LLC is presently engaged as the CoC’s Technical Advisor.

CoC Structure

Each local area Continuum of Care is structured according to the uniqueness of the community it serves. The G-L-C CoC is a regional continuum that serves three contiguous counties: Cleveland, Gaston, and Lincoln. The CoC is open to all who desire to work collaboratively to prevent, address, and end homelessness in the G-L-C’s region. The membership of the G-L-C CoC is ultimately responsible for the activities and outcomes of the continuum. To accomplish the objectives of the CoC, the membership elects a governance body and selects a Lead Agency. Committees are formed as needed to carry out the priorities of the CoC and to ensure compliance with HUD expectations for continua of care across the country. The local CoC, through its Lead Agency, is responsible for the regional application for NC Emergency Solutions Grant funding and the collaborative application for HUD’s Continuum of Care Program competition. Check out our G-L-C Resource Library below for links to more information.

CoC Governance

The collective voice membership of the G-L-C CoC provides for the overall strategic direction and functioning of the CoC. To manage the various responsibilities of the CoC, the membership has delegated authority to both an Advisory Board and a Lead Agency. The Advisory Board is composed of members from all three counties served by the G-L-C CoC, including officers serving as Chair, Vice Chair and Secretary. Advisory Board members serve two-year terms and officers are elected annually. The G-L-C membership also appoints a Lead Agency to conduct many of the business functions of the CoC. The Lead Agency is responsible for management of the local Homeless Management Information System (HMIS), Coordinated Entry, and HUD/ESG collaborative funding competitions and applications. The Lead Agency serves as the primary point of contact with HUD and the NC ESG Office. The G-L-C CoC membership meets regularly in committees and as a membership body.

County Work Groups

Each of the CoC’s three counties – Cleveland, Gaston and Lincoln – has a County Work Group designed to focus on CoC priorities and strategies at the local level and to provide information and feedback to the Lead Agency and Governance Committee. County Work Groups make up three of the six CoC Standing Committees. Because the G-L-C CoC covers three geographically large and diverse counties, each County Work Group plays an instrumental role in the overall success of the CoC’s homelessness response system.