Interagency Council on Homelessness (ICH)/Continuum of Care (COC)

An Expansion of the Chatham County Continuum of Care (CoC) to Interagency Council on Homelessness (ICH)

For the last two years, leaders in the business community and our non-profit partners worked collaboratively to develop strategies to meet the needs of citizens experiencing homelessness effectively, equitably, and efficiently. The Chatham-Savannah Continuum of Care (CoC) now reconstituted as the Chatham-Savannah Interagency Council on Homelessness is the county-wide initiative addressing homelessness. This critical partnership represents key stakeholder organizations and individuals’ collaborative work to create and implement an effective and sustainable system responding to the challenges and complexities around the experience of homelessness in our community.

 

The ICH/CoC serves as the umbrella organization required by HUD to work with applicants and service providers through the Housing and Urban Development Notice of Funding Opportunity annually to ensure funds are granted and distributed to qualifying organizations supporting our homeless community members. The HUD and ICH/CoC are tasked with selecting the local agency responsible for coordinating all service providers’ applications for federal, state, and local funds. The collaborative applicant or Lead Agency for our local ICH/CoC is the Chatham Savannah Authority for the Homeless (CSAH).

 

On Thursday, May 5, 2022 the CoC unanimously voted to expand the CoC, add government partners and other strategic stakeholders, and change its name to the Interagency Council on Homelessness.

Jennifer (Darsey) DuLong, the Executive Director of the Chatham-Savannah Authority for the Homeless on the ICH Expansion to CoC

“Through the restructuring and reconstitution of our local CoC (Continuum of Care, now the Interagency Council on Homelessness) we are confident this robust board and full general membership will work together ensuring homelessness in our community becomes rare, brief, and nonrecurring. The additional board seats add critical voices, funding, perspectives and lived experiences vital to helping us achieve our collective community goals.”

Announcements

Strategic Plan RFP

 

The Interagency Council on Homelessness (ICH) of Savannah and Chatham County is seeking proposals for professional consulting services to assist the ICH in developing a five-year strategic plan to make homelessness in the City of Savannah (City) and Chatham County (County) rare, brief, and non-reoccurring. The plan must work towards Functional Zero homelessness and address the unique challenges of a City and County that have a diverse economy, accelerated job growth, and increasing housing demands. In light of the recent COVID-19 global pandemic, the plan should also address how unexpected challenges can rapidly change the needs of the homeless community and the need for workforce housing as well as the financial and economic impacts of these challenges. 

 

The Strategic Plan document will serve as a vital tool and roadmap for Savannah and Chatham County to utilize in setting direction; forging partnerships; and allocating resources for the next five years. Building consensus and buy-in among the community, homeless service providers, various government departments, and other key stakeholders will be critical to the success of this plan. 

 

Please note, respondents will be responsible to absorb all costs incurred in the preparation and presentation of their proposal. 

PIT Count 2023

 

Recently, the 2023 Point-in-Time Count results were distributed to local community partners and media outlets and we are excited to say that improvements in methodology revealed a clearer picture of homelessness in Chatham County.
Here is a quick snapshot of the results:
“Chatham Savannah Authority for the Homeless recently released their 2023 Point-In-Time Count. The data showed there were 712 persons experiencing homelessness in Chatham County and Savannah during the annual Point in Time (PIT) Count held on January 26, 2023. The PIT count includes both persons residing in local shelters (441) as well as persons residing in places not meant for human habitation (271). PIT counts are conducted across the nation, in partnership with the U.S. Department of Housing and Development (HUD) during the last 10 days in January. By comparison, the local PIT count in 2022 was 523 persons experiencing homelessness, and in 2021, the PIT count was 323 persons.”

HUD Awards

ICH BOARD MEMBERS

Anthony 'Wayne' Noha

Jennifer Dulong

Karen Guinn

Katrina Bostick

Linda James

Michael Traynor

Peter W. Roberts

Reginald Lee

Shaina Copeland

Terry Tolbert

Jennifer Davenport

Michael Kaigler

Tim Salley

Robert 'Mario' Simmons

Jospeh 'Jay' Melder

Earline Davis

Kerri Reid

Janice Sheffield

Taffanye Young

Stephanie Kaple

Mark Johnson

ICH GENERAL MEMBERS

Anthony “Wayne” NohaChatham Emergency Services
Ariana BerksteinerEmmaus House Soup Kitchen
Earline DavisHousing Authority of Savannah
Carlos BakerChatham Savannah Authority for the Homeless
Cheri DeanUnited Way of the Coastal Empire
Jennifer Darsey Chatham Savannah Authority for the Homeless
Coco PapyDeep Center
Eula ParkerSouth State Bank
Gena TaylorGreenbriar Children’s Center
Holden HayesSouth State Bank
Hunter HallCommunity Member
Jackie JacksonChatham County-Savannah Metropolitan Planning Commission
Janice E. SheffieldChatham Savannah Authority for the Homeless
Jeannie AldayCommunity Member
Ariane WallaceUnited Way of the Coastal Empire
John Griffin MillerChatham Savannah Authority for the Homeless
Julie WadePark Place Outreach
Karen GuinnCommunity Member (Collective Marketing)
Karen JonesSavannah Technical College
Katrina Bostick Family Promise of the Coastal Empire
Laurie Silvers Ross Chatham Savannah Authority for the Homeless
Anthony “Wayne” NohaChatham Emergency Services
Ariana BerksteinerEmmaus House Soup Kitchen

Lee RobbinsThe Mediation Center of the Coastal Empire
Linda JamesThe Salvation Army
Lizann RobertsCoastal Georgia Indicators Coalition
Lydia McCraryChatham Emergency Services
Mary Jane CrouchAmerica’s Second Harvest of Coastal Georgia
Melanie WilsonChatham County-Savannah Metropolitan Planning Commission
Michael Traynor Union Mission
Peter W. RobertsSavannah Volunteer Dental Clinic
Reginald LeeChatham County Safety Net Planning Council
Rosalyn GreenFamily Promise of the Coastal Empire
Shaina ThompsonGeorgia Legal Services Program
Stacey Murray Chatham Savannah Authority for the Homeless
S. Lynn ColemanHousing Authority of Savannah
Tara G. JenningsChatham County
Terry EnochBoard of Education Police Department
Terry TolbertEconomic Opportunity for Savannah-Chatham County Area, Inc.
Timothy SalleyCommunity Member
Tommie JonesUnion Mission
Valeria H. FlowersWesley Community Centers of Savannah
Vicki CenterCommunity Member
William HubbardSavannah Area Chamber of Commerce
Yvonne Pryor Inner City Night Shelter