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Continuum of Care

Council on Homelessness


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  • Meetings

    All our meetings are open to the public. The Council on Homelessness meets remotely the first Thursday of every month from 1:00-3:00 pm. These meetings focus on governance and oversight of the Continuum of Care programs and services, partners, processes, and policy. There are a number of Council on Homelessness Sub-Committees that meet regularly. The Continuum of Care meets approximately quarterly (dates TBD). These community wide meetings are topic specific meetings. Learn how to receive notification of meeting dates and times here or email cchomelesscouncil@cchealth.org.

    ADA Accommodations: The Council will provide reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities planning to attend meetings. Please email cchomelesscouncil@cchealth.org or call 925-608-6700 at least 72 hours before the meeting.

    See full calendar of all meetings, trainings and events for 2021.

    Agendas/Minutes - Council on Homelessness

    All publicly noticed Continuum of Care meeting agendas, slide decks and minutes are posted in the "Council on Homelessness" section of the Public Meetings Agenda Center at contracosta.ca.gov/agendacenter. Links to meeting recordings can be found at the very end of the slide decks and also at the top of posted minutes.


    Meeting Agenda Archive »


  • Meet the Members

    The Board of Supervisors has established many boards, committees, and commissions to which it appoints Contra Costa residents to serve, on a volunteer basis, to advise the Board on the myriad of programs and issues under the Board's jurisdiction.

    The Contra Costa Council on Homelessness is charged with providing advice and input on the operations of homeless services, program operations, and program development efforts in Contra Costa County. Council members are appointed and serve two year terms.

      Seat Name Appointee/Affiliation Term
    1. Affordable Housing Developer Iman Novin
    Novin Development Consulting    		 1/1/21 - 12/31/22
    2. Behavioral Health Representative Margaret Schlitz
    Portia Bell HumeCenter's West County FSP program    		 1/1/21 - 12/31/22
    3. City Government Seat Teri House
    CDBG Consultant, City of Antioch    		 1/1/21 - 12/31/22
    4. CoC/ESG Program Grantee Leslie Gleason
    Executive Director, Trinity Center    		 3/12/19 - 12/31/21
    5. Community Member Seat Lindy Lavender
    Policy Director, East Bay Leadership Council    		 3/12/19 - 12/31/21
    6. Consumer/Consumer Advocate Jo Bruno
    Consumer    		 1/1/21 - 12/31/22
    7. Education and Vocational Services Representative Alejandra Chamberlain
    Homeless Education Liaison, Contra Costa Office of Education    		 1/1/21 - 12/31/22
    8. Emergency Solutions Grants Representative Gabriel Lemus
    Contra Costa Department of Conservation and Development    		 1/1/21 - 12/31/22
    9. Employment and Human Services (EHSD) Representative Sherry Lynn Peralta
    Program Director, EHSD    		 3/12/19 - 12/31/21
    10. Faith Community Representative Doug Leich
    Multi-Faith ACTION Coalition    		 3/12/19 - 12/31/21
    11. Health Care Representative Linae Altman
    Healthcare for the Homeless    		 1/1/21 - 12/31/22
    12. Homeless Service Provider Deanne Pearn
    Executive Director, Hope Solutions    		 1/1/21 - 12/31/22
    13. Public Housing Authority Tony Ucciferri
    Special Assistant to the Executive Director, Housing Authority of County of Contra Costa    		 3/12/19 - 12/31/21
    14. Public Safety Representative #2 Shawn Ray
    Lieutenant, San Pablo Police Department    		 3/12/19 - 12/31/21
    15. Public Safety Representative #1 Manjit Sappal
    Chief, Martinez Police Department    		 1/1/21 - 12/31/22
    16. Reentry Services Representative Patrice Guillory
    Managing Director, Healthright 360    		 3/12/19 - 12/31/21
    17. Veterans Administration Representative Masaki Hiriyama
    Northern California VA Healthcare System    		 1/1/21 - 12/31/22
    18. Workforce Development Representative Maureen Nelson
    One Stop Consortium    		 1/1/21 - 12/31/22
    19. Youth Representative Juno Hedrick
    YAC Member    		 1/1/21 - 12/31/22

  • Contra Costa Council on Homelessness Recruitment FAQ

    What is the Council on Homelessness?

    The Contra Costa Council on Homelessness is an active advisory board that provides input on the operations of homeless services and program development, long-range planning and policy formulation related to homelessness in Contra Costa County to the Board of Supervisors as well as other stakeholders and decision makers. Councilmembers attend monthly meeting as well as subcommittee, planning and community meetings.

    The Council on Homelessness encourages all members of the community to apply for a seat on the Council. The Council aims to include and engage a broad representation of abilities, ages, sexual and gender identities, immigration statuses, and racial, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds, as well as geographical representation within the County. In alignment with this aim, the Council conducts an annual recruitment effort advertising open positions and offers stipends for Councilmembers who have a current or former lived experience of homelessness (sometimes called “Consumers” in our homeless system of care).

    For more information about the Council on Homelessness and its work supporting and governing the Continuum of Care (CoC), including information about the services, programs, funding, and performance, go to cchealth.org/h3/#Council.

    Who Does The CoC Serve?
    What do Councilmembers do?

    Members of the Council on Homelessness:

    • Attend required monthly meetings, participate in subcommittees, and attend quarterly General Membership meetings
    • Provide advice and input on homeless service operations and development
    • Review and prioritize project applications for some federal funding sources
    • Gather and analyze information to determine local needs
    • Educate the community and policy makers on issues relating to homelessness
    • Measure homeless system performance
    • Provide guidance to the development and implementation of long-range planning and policy formulation of homeless issues

    Who Can Apply?

    All Council members must reside or be employed in Contra Costa County and be willing to sign and abide by the Code of Conduct and Conflict of Interest policy upon being seated as a Council member and annually thereafter.

    What qualities is the Council seeking in an applicant?

    The Council is comprised of 19 seats designated by area of expertise. Applicants must fit the description of the vacant seat they select during the application process (Please see “What seats are open?” below for more information about seats that are currently vacant). Applicants for the Council must also be able to abide by the Conflict of Interest and Code of Conduct policies.

    The Council prefers applicants with:

    • Specific skills, relationships, or resources related to a vacant seat during the application cycle (Please see “What seats are open?” below for more information about seats that are currently vacant).
    • Prior board/volunteer or leadership experience in the homelessness or homeless-adjust fields
    • Current or lived experience of homelessness
    • Affiliations with organizations or agencies that serve various homeless sub-populations (such as chronic substance use challenges, individuals with serious mental illness, individuals experiencing chronic homelessness persons with HIV/AIDs, veterans, families with children, unaccompanied youth, seniors, and victims of domestic violence (including dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking)
    • Connections with government and community-based organizations that are not currently connected to the Council on Homelessness
    • Demonstrated knowledge and critical thinking on how to address homelessness in Contra Costa
    • Unique expertise, opinions, and viewpoints on homelessness issues
    • Past active participation in systems meetings (including Council on Homelessness, Continuum of Care, or Youth Advisory Board meetings) and ability to generate recommendations or thoughts as a result of meeting participation
    • Commitment to the Council on Homelessness Guiding Principle and the Housing First approach
    • Ability to be an active participation of Council on Homelessness meetings and ability to align with community and CoC values

    The Council aims to include and engage as broad a representation as possible of abilities, ages, sexual and gender identities, immigration statuses, and racial, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds, and geographical representation within the County. Getting the composition of the Council to more closely represent the demographics of those experiencing homelessness is a priority for recruitment and filling vacancies.

    How long would I serve?

    Council on Homelessness members serve for a two-year term, which may be renewed.

    What is the time commitment?

    Council on Homelessness meetings take place the first Thursday of the month from 1 pm – 3 pm in Concord or online. Continuum of Care meetings take place quarterly. Members of the Council also participate in various subcommittees.

    Where can I learn more about the Council on Homelessness?

    cchealth.org/h3/#Council

    Which seats are open?

    The following seats are accepting applications:

    • CoC/ESG Program Grantee Representative: Candidates must work with an agency receiving Continuum of Care and/or Emergency Solutions Grant funding in Contra Costa. In their role on the Council on Homelessness, the CoC/ESG Representative must be able to represent the perspective of CoC/ESG-funded providers in decision-making processes, as well as communicate essential information from the Council on Homelessness with individuals in this field in Contra Costa.
    • Community Member Representative: Candidates for this seat must live or work in Contra Costa.
    • Employment and Human Services (EHSD) Representative: Candidates must be employed by Contra Costa Employment and Human Services Department (EHSD). In their role on the Council on Homelessness, the EHSD Representative must be able to represent the perspective of EHSD in decision-making processes, as well as communicate essential information from the Council on Homelessness with individuals in this field in Contra Costa.
    • Faith Community Representative: Candidates must have a deep connection with the Contra Costa faith community as an employee, volunteer, or congregant in Contra Costa. In their role on the Council on Homelessness, the Faith Community Representative must be able to represent the perspective of faith communities in decision-making processes, as well as communicate essential information from the Council on Homelessness with individuals affiliated with the faith community in Contra Costa.
    • Public Housing Authority Representative: Candidates must be an employee of a Housing Authority of Contra Costa County. In their role on the Council on Homelessness, the Public Housing Authority Representative must be able to represent the perspective of housing authorities in decision-making processes, as well as communicate essential information from the Council on Homelessness with individuals affiliated with housing authorities in Contra Costa.
    • Public Safety #2 Representative: Candidates must have a deep connection to the public safety field (specifically, law enforcement, probation, jails, prisons, etc.) in Contra Costa. In their role on the Council on Homelessness, the Public Safety Representative must be able to represent the perspective of public safety providers in decision-making processes, as well as communicate essential information from the Council on Homelessness with individuals in this field in Contra Costa.
    • Reentry Services Representative: Candidates must have a deep connection to the re-entry field (specifically, services providers and/or correctional staff supporting individuals re-entering the community after involvement with the criminal legal system) in Contra Costa. In their role on the Council on Homelessness, the Reentry Services Representative must be able to represent the perspective of reentry services providers in decision-making processes, as well as communicate essential information from the Council on Homelessness with individuals in this field in Contra Costa.

    How do I apply?

    If you are interested in applying to become a member of the Council on Homelessness,

    • Complete the online application here

    • NOTE: Select "Contra Costa Council on Homelessness" from the drop-down menu and enter the Seat Name you are applying for
    • Once your application is received, you will be emailed as et of optional supplemental questions to support the Council on Homelessness in their decision-making process.
    • You may be contacted for an in person or phone interview.

    If you need accommodations to complete the application, please contact Jaime Jenett, Staff to the Council, by emailing cchomelesscouncil@cchealth.org or calling or texting 925-464-0152

    How long are applications being accepted?
    • Initial and supplemental application must be received by Friday, October 15, 2021.

    When will I know if I got a seat on the Council?
    • We expect to notify people of the status of their applications after November 5, 2021.

    Whom do I contact if I have questions?

    Email: cchomelesscouncil@cchealth.org
    Phone: 925-608-6716


  • Bylaws



  • Governance Chart


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  • Quarterly Reports to the Board of Supervisors



  • Contact COH

    Contact Us

    Council on Homelessness
    2400 Bisso Lane, Suite D, 2nd Floor
    Concord, CA 94520

    E-mail: cchomelesscouncil@cchealth.org
    Phone: 925-608-6700


  • About

    The Council on Homelessness is the governing body for the Contra Costa CoC. The Council is compliant with federal and state regulations and is the planning body that coordinates the community's policies, strategies, and activities toward preventing and ending homelessness in Contra Costa County. The COH is responsible for approving some funding allocations for proposed projects and monitoring and tracking performance and compliance in coordination with the CoC and HMIS Lead Agency.

    The Contra Costa Council on Homelessness, appointed by the Board of Supervisors, provides advice and input on the operations of homeless services, program operations, and program development efforts in Contra Costa County. The Council provides a forum for the Continuum of Care to communicate about the implementation of strategies to prevent and end homelessness.

    Governance

    The Council on Homelessness is appointed by the Board of Supervisors and serves for a two-year term, which may be renewed. All Council members must reside, or be employed, in Contra Costa County, demonstrate a professional interest in or personal commitment to addressing and alleviating the impact of homelessness, and contribute unique expertise, opinions and viewpoints on homeless issues. The Council consists of 19 seats including representation from homeless or formerly homeless persons, health care (including behavioral health), education, the faith community, government, housing providers, public safety, public housing authority, nonprofit homeless service providers and Veterans Administration. Members of the Council assist with and provide guidance in the development and implementation of long range planning and policy formulation of homeless issues in Contra Costa County, attend monthly meetings, participate (as needed and able) in subcommittees, and attend quarterly General Membership meetings as they are able. The Council on Homelessness meets on the 1st Thursday of each month from 1 p.m. - 3 p.m. online. Meeting details can be found here.