The continuum of care (COC) program is designed to promote community-wide commitment to the goal of ending homelessness; provide funding for efforts by nonprofit providers, states, and local…

The Department of Housing and Urban Development Assistant Secretary for Community Planning and Development awarded $470,451 to Family Service Association of Lincoln on October 1, 2025 under the Continuum of Care Program (CFDA 14.267) to support youth homelessness services for individuals ages 18 to 24 through September 30, 2026.

The award funds rapid rehousing, transitional housing, permanent supportive housing, and Homeless Management Information Systems (HMIS) operations designed to reduce youth homelessness and promote housing stability in Lincoln, Nebraska. Family Service Association of Lincoln implements the work collaboratively with two sub-recipients. Cedars Youth Services, Inc. provides rental assistance and coaching support services, incorporating the USICH framework for ending youth homelessness through permanent supportive housing and participation in All Doors Lead Home Coordinated Entry and HMIS. Wellbeing Initiative Inc. delivers housing, peer support, and coaching services using rental assistance, peer support, and coaching/navigation best practices aligned with the same USICH framework components: stable housing, permanent connections, education/employment, and social-emotional well-being. Both sub-recipients fully participate in coordinated entry and HMIS with the grantee as part of the Lincoln Continuum of Care Youth Homeless Demonstration Project (YHDP). The award obligated $470,451 and has a place of performance in Lincoln, Nebraska.

Activities

These grants may be used to pay for the eligible costs used to establish and operate projects under five program components: 1. Permanent housing, which includes permanent supportive housing for persons with disabilities, and rapid rehousing; 2. Transitional housing; 3. Supportive services only; 4. Homeless management information systems (HMIS); and 5. Homelessness prevention (in some cases). Eligible costs within these projects include: 1. Leasing of a structure or structures, or portions thereof, to provide housing or supportive services; 2. Rental assistance, which may be short-term, medium-term, or long-term, as well as tenant-based, project-based, or sponsor-based, for transitional or permanent housing; 3. Supportive services to assist program participants obtain and maintain housing; 4. Operating costs of supportive housing; 5. Costs of implementing and operating HMIS; 6. Project administrative costs; 7. Relocation costs; and 8. Indirect costs in accordance with 2 CFR parts 200, as applicable. In addition to using grant funds for the eligible costs described above, recipients and subrecipients in continuums of care designated as high performing communities may also use grant funds to provide housing relocation and stabilization services and short- and/or medium-term rental assistance to youth at risk of homelessness as set forth in 24 CFR 576.103 and 24 CFR 576.104, if necessary to prevent youth from becoming homeless. No assistance provided under program (or any state or local government funds used to supplement this assistance) may be used to replace state or local funds previously used, or designated for use, to assist homeless persons or persons at-risk of homelessness.

Expected outcomes

Decrease in the number of youth experiencing homelessness, more specifically using performance indicators such as the length of time homeless, returns to homelessness over time, and exits to permanent housing. COC performance profile reports can be found at: https://WWW.hudexchange.info/programs/COC/COC-performance-profile-reports/

Intended beneficiaries

Youth defined as households where no person is over the age of 24

Subrecipient activities

The subrecipient activities are unknown at the time of award