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Continuum of Care

Council on Homelessness


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About

  • 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.


    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.


    Recordings of CoC meetings


    Recordings of COH meetings


    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 Dan Sawislak
    Executive Director, Resources for Community Development    		 3/13/18 - 12/31/20
    2. Behavioral Health Representative Manuel Arredondo, LCSW, MPH
    Supervisor of Integrated Behavioral Health, La Clinica De La Raza    		 10/8/19 - 12/31/21
    3. City Government Seat Teri House
    CDBG Consultant, City of Antioch    		 3/18/18 - 12/31/20
    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 Candace Collier
    Former Consumer, Contra Costa Health Services    		 3/13/18 - 12/31/20
    7. Education and Vocational Services Representative Alejandra Chamberlain
    Homeless Education Liaison, Contra Costa Office of Education    		 1/1/18 - 12/31/20
    8. Emergency Solutions Grants Representative Gabriel Lemus
    Contra Costa Department of Conservation and Development    		 3/13/18 - 12/31/20
    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 Dan Peddycord
    CCHS, Public Health Director    		 1/1/20 - 12/31/21
    12. Homeless Service Provider Deanne Pearn
    Executive Director, Hope Solutions    		 3/13/18 - 12/31/20
    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    		 1/1/20 - 12/31/21
    15. Public Safety Representative #1 Manjit Sappal
    Chief, Martinez Police Department    		 3/13/18 - 12/31/20
    16. Reentry Services Representative Patrice Guillory
    Managing Director, Healthright 360    		 1/1/20 - 12/31/21
    17. Veterans Administration Representative Tracy Pullar
    Homeless Program Manager, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs    		 3/13/18 - 12/31/20

  • What is the Council on Homelessness?

    The Council on Homelessness (COH) is an advisory board appointed by the Board of Supervisors.  The COH is the planning body that coordinates the community's policies, strategies, and activities toward preventing and ending homelessness in Contra Costa County, California. It is a regional, year-round collective planning body of stakeholders ranging from non-profit service providers to local governmental entities. The Council's work includes gathering and analyzing information in order to determine the local needs of people experiencing homelessness, implementing strategic responses, educating the community on homeless issues, providing advice and input on the operations of homeless services, and measuring performance as related to serving the homeless population in Contra Costa County.

    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?

    Council members must demonstrate a professional interest in, or personal commitment to, addressing and alleviating the impact of homelessness. A person must contribute unique expertise, opinions, and viewpoints on homeless issues. The Council is comprised of 17 seats designated by area of expertise.  

    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.  In addition, we would like both public and private sector seats to, as much as possible, include representation from organizations or agencies who serve various homeless subpopulations such as: persons with chronic substance abuse issues, persons with serious mental illness, persons experiencing chronic homelessness, persons with HIV/AIDS, veterans, families with children, homeless or formerly homeless youth and young adults, seniors, and victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, trafficking, and stalking.

    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 2-4 times a year. Members of the Council also participate in various subcommittees.

    Where can I learn more about the Council on Homelessness?

    About Council on Homelessness.

    What seats are open?

    The following seats are accepting applications:

    • Affordable Housing Developer: Candidates must work in the affordable housing development field in Contra Costa County in a role that includes shaping and/or implementing policy at agency or in field of affordable housing development.
    • Behavioral Health Representative: Candidates must work in the behavioral health field in Contra Costa County in a role that includes shaping and/or implementing policy at agency or in field of behavioral health.
    • City Government Seat: Candidates must work in city/town government in Contra Costa County in a role that includes shaping and/or implementing policy in the city/town.
    • Consumer/Consumer Advocate: The Consumer/Consumer Advocate seat allows for one of two types of people to serve in this capacity, a consumer or a consumer advocate. Consumer appointees to the Consumer/Consumer Advocate Seat must have a lived experience of homelessness. Lived experience is not required for consumer advocate appointees to this seat.
    • Educational and Vocational Services: Candidates must work in the educational and/or vocational services field in Contra Costa County in a role that includes shaping and/or implementing policy at agency or in the field of educational and/or vocational services.
    • Emergency Solutions Grant Representative: Candidates must work with Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG) funds in Contra Costa County in a role that includes shaping and/or implementing policy related to Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG) funds.
    • Healthcare Representative: Candidates must work in the healthcare field in Contra Costa County in a role that includes shaping and/or implementing policy at agency or in the field of healthcare.
    • Homeless Service Provider: Candidates must work in homeless services in Contra Costa County in a role that includes shaping and/or implementing policy at agency or in field of homeless services.
    • Public Safety Representative #2: Candidates must work in the public safety field in Contra Costa County in a role that includes shaping and/or implementing policy at agency or in field of public safety.
    • Veterans Administration Representative: Candidates must work in the Veterans Administration in Contra Costa County in a role that includes shaping and/or implementing policy at the agency.
    • Workforce Development: Candidates must work in the workforce development field in Contra Costa County in a role that includes shaping and/or implementing policy at agency or in field of workforce development. Priority for this term for Local Workforce Development Board staff.
    • Youth Representative: Candidates must be between the age of 17 and 24 at the time they are appointed by the Board of Supervisors, have a lived experience of homelessness and be a member of and participate in the Contra Costa County CoC's Youth Action Council (YAC). As is best practice for working with youth, this position will offer a small stipend to the representative selected for this seat.

    How do I apply?

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

    • Complete the online application
    • NOTE:
      1. Select "Contra Costa Council on Homelessness" from the drop down menu
      2. Enter the Seat Name you are applying for
    • You will receive a supplemental application after you submit the initial online application. Please complete the supplemental questionnaire in addition to the online application.
    • You may be contacted for an in person or phone interview.

    How long are applications being accepted?

    • Initial and supplemental applications must be received by Health, Housing and Homeless Services by Friday, September 18, 2020

    When will I know if I got a seat on the Council?

    • We expect to notify people of the status of their applications after October 1, 2020

    Whom do I contact if I have questions?

    Email: cchomelesscouncil@cchealth.org
    Phone: 925-464-0152


  • Bylaws



  • Governance Chart


    Larger image     »

  • 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


  • Our Mission

    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. Further, the Council on Homelessness establishes the local process for applying, reviewing and prioritizing project applications for funding in HUD Homeless Assistance Grant Competitions, including the Continuum of Care (CoC) Program and the Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) Program.

    The Contra Costa Council on Homelessness provides a forum for the Continuum of Care to communicate about the implementation of strategies to prevent and end homelessness. The purpose of the forum is to educate the community on homeless issues, and advocate on federal, state, county and city policy issues that affect people who are homeless or at-risk of homelessness.
    Read the Contra Costa County Strategic Plan on 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 17 seats representing 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. in Concord.