The Alabama Rural Coalition for the Homeless (ARCH) Balance of State Continuum of Care was established in 2004. ARCH is the lead agency for the Balance of State and coordinates the application for HUD CoC funding.
A Continuum of Care (CoC) is a group of individuals, organizations, and policy makers who gather under a formal structure to address issues of homelessness in their communities. This group attempts to develop comprehensive systems to address homelessness by providing communities with a framework for organizing and delivering housing and services. The overall approach of a CoC is based around the concept that homelessness is more than a lack of shelter, but involves a variety of underlying, unmet physical, economic, and social needs (HUD Continuum of Care 101).
The McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act programs administered by the U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) that award funds competitively require the development of a "Continuum of Care" system in the community where assistance is being sought. Funds are granted based on an annual competition following a Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) by HUD.
Balance of State - Rural Counties
Barbour, Bibb, Blount, Butler, Chambers, Chilton, Choctaw, Clarke, Clay, Cleburne, Coffee, Conecuh, Coosa, Covington, Crenshaw, Cullman, Dale, Dallas, Escambia, Fayette, Geneva, Greene, Hale, Houston, Jackson, Lamar, Lee, Macon, Marengo, Marshall, Monroe, Perry, Pickens, Pike, Randolph, Russell, Sumter, Talladega, Tallapoosa, Walker, Washington, Wilcox
