HUD requires every CoC to have adopted written standards that govern the provision of CoC and ESG
funded programs. This includes standards for homelessness prevention, street outreach, emergency
shelter, transitional housing, rapid re-housing, and permanent supportive housing programs. The San
Diego CoC Community Standards sets minimum system and project level expectations for CoC and ESG
programs and encourages all programs regardless of funding source to adopt and align with the
standards. The standards outline the use of best practice approaches including Housing First and
Trauma-Informed Care, as well as standards for addressing racial disparities, incorporating
persons with lived experience, and utilizing the Homeless Management Information System and the
Coordinated Entry System.

Click here for the San Diego CoC Community Standards

Click here for the Community Outreach Standards

Click here for the Policy Guidelines for Regional Response for Addressing Unsheltered Homeless Encampments throughout San Diego County

Click here for the Age-Friendly Shelter Guidelines

 

 

A Learning Collaborative is a forum for service providers to develop and implement changes to how they operate, as well as overall system design changes, while receiving support from their peers and other experts in the work. Unlike individual or classroom style of learning, a learning collaborative is a form of peer learning.

Rapid Re-Housing

The RTFH has brought in Michelle Valdez, a consultant with over 20 years of experience in the non-profit and governmental fields including homelessness, violence against women and children, and system change. As a community working together to end homelessness we have a few core program models that provide housing assistance. One of the leading HUD program models is Rapid Rehousing which our region receives funding from both the Continuum of Care (CoC) and the Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG) that support this housing solution. Our goal is to create an opportunity to collectively work together and learn from each other’s experience and capitalize on each other’s resources and skills while we design and implement a flexible, client-driven RRH model. The Learning Collaborative will continue to work on best practices for implementation of a RRH model that will be designed to move participants quickly into housing where they will be able to remain stability housed.

 Rapid Rehousing System-Wide Operating Standards of Practice can be found by clicking here

 aBasically CoC Training – HUD LA Field Office

This overview of CoC is intended to assist recipients and subrecipients to be able to better understand the CoC Program interim rule requirements and responsibilities related to project operation and grant administration.

Click here for the slide deck

CoC 101/201 Webinars

The videos in this webinar series were recorded primarily during the CoC monthly membership meetings and were presented by Pat Leslie, RTFH NOFO consultant. This series is intended to provide an overview of the CoC and its roles and responsibilities. They include an introduction to the Five HUD On-Line Information Systems, the HUD CoC Funding Cycle, Data Gathering and Recording, and an in-depth understanding of the e-SNAPS system. 

• CoC 101 Session 1: The Big Picture  – 12/2020  video link 
• CoC 101 Session 2: Overview of Five HUD On-line Information Systems – 1/2021  video link
• CoC 101 Session 3: Overview of Additional Five HUD Online Information Systems – 3/2021  video link
• CoC 101 Session 4: HUD CoC Funding Cycle – 3/2021  video link
• CoC 101 Session 5: Introduction to 2 CFR part 200 and Cost Principles – 4/2021  video link
• CoC 101 Session 6: Financial Management Changes in Administrative Rules – 5/2021  video link
• CoC 101 Session 7: CoC NOFO Process and Timing  –  6/2021  video link
• CoC 101 Session 8: Understanding Entitlement Funds – CDBG – 8/2021  video link
• CoC 101 Session 9: Entitlement – CDBG 8/2021  video link
• CoC 101 Session 10: Overview of CoC Match Requirements and Management – 3/2022  video link
• CoC 101 Session 11: Understanding how the APR relates to NOFO and Scoring – 4/2022  video link
• CoC 101 Session 12: Understanding and Managing Rental Assistance – 5/2022  video link

^ Correction: Although RRH is PH, the rental participation requirement is set by the local Standard- not by the HUD program. Last comment about checking our Community Standards is important.

• CoC 101 Session 13: Verifying Homeless Eligibility for CoC Programs – 7/2022  video link
• CoC 101 Session 14: Policies and Procedures-Tips for Managing During Times of Change – 1/2023  video link
• CoC 101 Session 15: Environmental Obligations – 2/2023 video link  
• CoC 101 Session 16: Educational Assurances – 4/2023 video link

__________________________________________________________________________________

• CoC 201 Session 1: Fiscal Compliance – 6/2021 video link
• CoC 201 Session 2: Using the De Minimis Cost Rate – 7/2021 video link
• CoC 201 Session 3: NOFO 2021 – 9/2021 video link 
• CoC 201 Session 4: Annual Self Assessment Tips – 11/2022 video link
• CoC 201 Session 5: VAWA Reauthorization 2022 & HUD Update 2023 – 5/2023 video link

Job Training Presentations

• San Diego Workforce Partnership Presentation – 9/6/22  click here                                                             This training provides an overview of the free resources, job training, and educational resources that       are offered by San Diego Workforce Partnership.

Outreach Training Webinars

We have been leading in this work: convening public comment on outreach, outreach shadowing, and solution-based outreach training with talented and highly trained consultant assistance. Iain De Jong, the President and CEO of OrgCode Consulting (an international consulting firm focused on ending homelessness), has visited our community to learn about the experiences of our region’s unsheltered homeless neighbors and to provide training and discussions on best practices with providers who reach out to these neighbors, along with other stakeholders to engage conversations and strategy to move forward with reducing homelessness in the San Diego region. He has been a policy adviser to various governments and a technical adviser to dozens of homeless shelters and street outreach programs throughout Canada, the United States, Australia and New Zealand. His organization is also the author of the VI-SPDAT, the common assessment tool used by many CoC’s for Coordinated Entry. His recent research has been focused on unsheltered homelessness, so we have been very appreciative of his insight and guidance throughout his stay that will be important for helping to develop strategic planning.

A finalized version of the San Diego CoC Street Outreach Standards can be found by clicking here.

San Diego Street Outreach Engagement ppt – May 2022  click here

Homeless Outreach Training Requirements  click here

• Ethics and Boundaries in Street Outreach June 2021  webinar link
• San Diego Intro to Assertive Engagement 2021  webinar link
• SMARTER Goal Setting San Diego 2021 webinar link
• Street Outreach Personal Safety Considerations 2021  webinar link
• R-HOM Meeting 4/25/2023 click here for the video

This video includes:

Two-Year Engagement Activities with Regional Task Force on Homelessness: Iain De’Jong, OrgCode Consulting click here for the presentation document

AND Outreach Spotlight: Homeless Court Pop-Up Events click here for the presentation document

 

Diversion

We have contracted with Ed Boyte and colleagues from the Cleveland Mediation Center (CMC) to provide direct training by on Diversion strategies to San Diego. Ed Boyte is a nationally recognized expert in employing strong mediation and conflict resolution practices to help anyone who might be facing a homeless crisis to problem solve to potentially eliminate a stay in shelters or on the street. These effective tactics can divert someone away from a shelter stay or night in their vehicle to a housed situation instead, hence the name of this strategy: Diversion. Diversion efforts still connect people to resources and can help them avoid the trauma of becoming homeless.  His sessions of training include a train-the-trainer model to ensure we have consistent implementation and training on an ongoing basis across the region. Those trained include the staff from shelters, outreach teams, day centers, health center and service providers as well as San Diego Housing Commission and the County of San Diego. The Diversion approach is meant to be personalized to the strengths, skills, and barriers that are unique to each client and to empower them to make safe and appropriate decisions for their housing. Diversion can mean something different for every client based on their skills and barriers. A client can often get a second chance, with a little more support, to stay in housing. For providers and our system as a whole, Diversion means more room for other, higher-need clients in their shelter and greater resources for those individuals. We look forward to implementing the best practices around Diversion and its impact on ending homelessness.

Please see the Diversion section of this website for more information.

Connecting San Diego’s Criminal Legal and Homeless Systems: Educational Workshops for Homeless Service Providers

It has repeatedly been demonstrated and borne out through data that the prevalence of people involved in the justice system and experiencing homelessness is significant.  RTFH is working with Homebase, a technical assistance provider made available through HUD, to improve the local connection between the justice and homeless services sectors.  As part of that effort, we will be hosting three educational workshops over the next three months for homeless service providers to understand more about working with people who are involved in the criminal legal system. You will learn overall best practices paired with a local perspective at each workshop. Any and all homeless service providers, outreach workers, and ancillary service providers are welcome to attend. 

The first workshop focused on “Housing First at the Intersection of the Criminal Legal System” and was on Aug. 26, 2021.

• Workshop recording – click here   (enter passcode: $nI?Km73)
• Slide deck – click here

The second workshop focused on “Legal System Lingo” and was held on Sept. 20, 2021.

• Workshop recording – click here
• Slide deck – click here

The third and final workshop focused on “Working with Clients Impacted by Custodial Trauma”, and was held on Oct. 27, 2021.

• Workshop recording – click here
• Slide deck – click here
  

 

Trauma Informed Care Trainings

Session 1 of 2 – Trauma Informed Care Training: Understanding Trauma (3/10/2022)

link to video of session 1     link to slide deck session 1

The Regional Task Force on Homelessness is excited to have partnered with the District Attorney’s Office to provide a training on the incorporation of trauma informed practices throughout the homeless services system. Whether your program is primarily engaged in outreach, shelter, interim/bridge housing, or permanent housing solutions, we hope you will encourage your staff to attend. This is the first of two sessions and covers:

• Definition of the causes of trauma
• Trauma and the Brain – Understanding Abuse Survivor’s responses and impacts on the brain
• Impacts of trauma on physical and mental health, learning, memory, and how unaddressed trauma can impact survivors over time
• How trauma manifests in behaviors
• Differences between children, teens and adults
• Neurological changes that can occur as the result of trauma and examples of triggers

Session 2 of 2 – Application of Trauma Informed Practices (3/17/2022)

link to video session 2    link to 1st slide deck session 2   link to 2nd slide deck session 2

This second of two training sessions is helpful for all and covers topics such as:

• Individualized approaches based on needs
• Using best practices and treating people with dignity and respect, with sensitivity to trauma and possible triggers
• Simple and practical tools to use in a homeless services program – the “do’s and “don’ts”
• Taking care of yourself and recognizing secondary trauma

Homeless and Housing Resource Center (HHRC)

HHRC is the central hub of easily accessible, no-cost training for health and housing professionals in evidence-based practices that contributes to housing stability, recovery, and an end to homelessness.

Click here to visit their website and learn more. 

 

Employment Support Training

San Diego Career Centers On Demand Orientation- Recording – posted 8/10/2022

 

 

CA-601 CoC Annual Performance Report Training

held on 10/06/2022

• APR Guide Training PowerPoint for Grantees – click here
• CoC Training Handout – click here

 

Working with Older Adults Experiencing Homelessness Trainings

Below contains information regarding trainings that have been held in conjunction with documents that were a part of the sessions.

• • For the video – click here
  • For the PowerPoint – click here
  • AIS Activities of Daily Living/Independent Activities of Daily Living Assessment Tool – click here

Aging 201 Training: Approaches to Working with Older Adults Experiencing Homelessness – held 10/24/2023

For the video – click here

For the Panel Conversations:

• • • click here for Family Health Center PACE slides
    • click here for the Safe Parking slides

Tools and Resources:

• • • AIS Older Adult Programs and Resource List
    • What’s Working/Not Working
    • ADL Assessment Checklist Tool
    • 4Ms Framework Visual

Anti-discrimination Training

This training introduces anti-discrimination regulations and their implications for the Continuum of Care.

• For the video – click here
• For the PowerPoint – click here

Shared housing, defined as two or more people who choose to live together in permanent housing and share housing costs, is very common in San Diego.  It is estimated that nearly 40% of adults in San Diego County live with roommates given our high cost rental market.  When it comes to addressing homelessness, San Diego needs to get creative and explore all housing options, and the reality is that shared housing must be a tool in our toolbox to assist individuals experiencing homelessness get into permanent housing.  The obvious benefit of sharing housing is that it makes housing more affordable but the model has also demonstrated positive outcomes with decreasing loneliness and isolation and building natural support systems. 

San Diego is seeking to implement shared housing practices within the homeless crisis response system.  Based on learnings from across the country, core components of effective shared housing system include:

• Effective engagement and messaging of shared housing to individuals experiencing homelessness as a viable housing option, even if it’s an initial housing placement on the journey to a longer-term goal (see San Diego System Guide/Tool below).
• A system level roommate matching practice that keeps housing choice and roommate selection at the center.
• Effective engagement and messaging to landlords on shared housing and housing supports that can mediate issues between tenants and landlords (see San Diego System Guide/Tool below).
• Person-centered housing stability services that can include conflict mediation supports if challenges arise between tenants.

National Shared Housing Resources:

• National Alliance to End Homelessness: Shared Housing for Single Adults Presentation
• National Alliance to End Homelessness: Rapid Re-Housing Shared Housing for Youth
• Supportive Services for Veterans Families Shared Housing Brief
• Supportive Services for Veterans Families Shared Housing Toolkit
• HUD Office of Policy Research Development Shared Housing Blog 2020
• US Interagency Council on Homelessness Shared Housing Blog 2020
• HUD Notice PIH 2021-05: Use of Shared Housing in the Housing Choice Voucher Program