The State of California, Riverside County Department of Housing and Workforce Solutions (HWS), Office of Homeless Services (OHS) Division may have a requirement for an FY2025 US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Continuum of Care (CoC) Program.

The following information is sourced from the Request for Information (RFI) document and is subject to change upon the release of a formal solicitation.

SUMMARY

The County of Riverside Department of Housing and Workforce Solutions (HWS), serving as the Collaborative Applicant and Administrative Entity for Riverside County Continuum of Care (CoC), administers and coordinates homeless services across the region. HWS has issued this Request for Information (RFI) to gather details from organizations interested in administering, or partnering to administer, eligible projects as subrecipients under the County of Riverside CoC’s FY 2025 HUD Continuum of Care (CoC) Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO).

This RFI is for information-gathering only to invite both currently funded agencies as well as agencies who have not previously received funding and are interested in applying under this FY 2025 HUD CoC NOFO. A formal Request for Proposals (RFP) will follow between February and March 2026. Information gathered will help the County identify potential partners and prepare a competitive CoC application.

Respondents should review the requirements for the FY 2025 HUD CoC NOFO, noting significant program changes—including funding caps for permanent housing projects (PSH and RRH) and a prioritization of transitional housing (TH) and supportive services only (SSO). Respondents should also align proposed projects with the County of Riverside Homeless Action Plan to ensure a coordinated, countywide approach across all five supervisorial districts. The plan is available here: County of Riverside Homeless Action Plan.

SCOPE OF WORK

Local Distribution of Funding

Qualified respondents are needed to support the needs of persons who are experiencing homelessness across the county as reflected in the Riverside County 2025 Point in Time (PIT) Count, and the department intends to organize and prioritize projects based on geographical needs (i.e., consistent with the Riverside County’s CoC practice, funds to be distributed by supervisorial districts and proportionately by PIT Count data).

Prioritization of Current Households Assisted through HUD CoC Projects

There are currently 640 households, and 887 individuals assisted across 15 existing HUD CoC Projects and who will or may need ongoing short-term or long-term assistance to maintain housing. Eligible entities should be prepared to assist and support the transfer of existing and eligible households and individuals into new projects awarded in the Riverside CoC’s application for the FY 2025 HUD CoC NOFO.

Period of Performance

It is anticipated that projects awarded under the FY 2025 HUD COC NOFO will have varying start dates beginning May 1, 2026, and through December 31, 2027.

Goals and Objectives

Respondents should propose projects that align with the goals and objectives outlined on pages 12– 13 of the FY 2025 HUD CoC NOFO:

1. Reduce unsheltered homelessness by directing resources toward outreach, intervention, and supports that help people regain stability and self-sufficiency. Projects must coordinate with the Riverside CoC, law enforcement, first responders, and local/state partners to address encampments, public camping, and public drug use.
2. Expand access to treatment and recovery by offering behavioral health services, strong wraparound supports, and pathways to self-sufficiency. The FY 2025 NOFO prioritizes Transitional Housing (TH) and Supportive Services Only (SSO) projects and encourages the use of mainstream and local resources to support long-term recovery and stability.
3. Promote public safety, especially for people living unsheltered. Projects should work with the Riverside CoC and law enforcement to reduce unsafe encampments, protect vulnerable populations (including women and youth), and support first responders in connecting individuals to services. The Grants Pass v. Johnson ruling affirms that local jurisdictions may prohibit public camping.
4. Increase self-sufficiency by partnering with workforce centers, employers, childcare providers, and other partners to improve employment and income outcomes and support long-term economic independence.
5. Improve systemwide outcomes by reducing homelessness, increasing employment and income, strengthening recovery, and decreasing reliance on government assistance.
6. Minimize trauma and ensure participant safety using trauma-informed care, particularly for youth and survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking. Programs must provide safe, single-sex spaces and privacy protections for women as required by 24 CFR 578.93(b).

The following information is sourced from the Request for Information (RFI) document and is subject to change upon the release of a formal solicitation.

RFI respondents should use these goals to guide project design and demonstrate strong alignment with HUD’s priorities for the FY 2025 CoC Program.

Project Types

For more detailed requirements and eligible activities for each project type, please refer to 24 CFR 578.37–578.63.

1. Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) and Supportive Services Only (SSO) – Coordinated Entry System (CES) Projects
   HMIS and SSO-CES Lead Agencies Only. Applications in this category are limited and can only be accepted from:
   • HWS – HMIS Lead Agency
   • RUHS – Behavioral Health – CES Lead Agency
2. Supportive Services Only (SSO) Standalone
   Supportive Services Only (SSO) Standalone projects may be used to provide services to unsheltered and sheltered homeless persons for whom the subrecipient is not providing housing or housing assistance consistent with 24 CFR 578.37 and 578.53, including projects with the outreach service activity described at 24 CFR 578.53(e)(13).
3. Supportive Services Only (SSO) Street Outreach 
   Supportive Services Only (SSO) Outreach projects provide supportive services in the form of outreach services to unsheltered individuals and families for whom the subrecipient is not providing housing or housing assistance as described at 24 CFR 578.53(e)(13).
4. Permanent Housing: Permanent Supportive Housing (PH-PSH)
   PSH can only aid individuals and or households in which a member is over age 62 or who have a physical disability/impairment or a developmental disability (not including substance use disorder). Supportive services designed to meet the needs of the program participants must be made available to the program participants. *As a reminder, only 30% of the CoC’s Annual Renewal Demand (ARD) or $5,222,010 can be dedicated to permanent housing projects which includes both PSH and RRH.
   • The Supportive Services project is necessary to assist people in exiting homelessness and increasing self-sufficiency and the potential vendor will conduct an annual assessment of the service needs of the program participants.
   • The proposed project has a strategy for providing supportive services to eligible program participants including those with histories of unsheltered homelessness and those who do not traditionally engage with supportive services.
   • The project will be supplemented with resources from other public or private sources, that may include mainstream health, social, and employment programs such as Medicare, Medicaid, SSI, and SNAP.
   • The services provided must be cost-effective consistent with 2 CFR 200.404.
5. Permanent Housing: Rapid Rehousing (PH-RRH)
   PH-RRH may provide supportive services, as set forth in § 578.53, and/or short-term (up to 3 months) and/or medium-term (for 3 to 24 months) tenant-based rental assistance, as set forth in § 578.51(c) *As a reminder, only 30% of the CoC’s Annual Renewal Demand (ARD) or $5,222,010 can be dedicated to permanent housing projects which includes both PSH and RRH.
6. Transitional Housing (TH)
   Transitional housing (TH) facilitates the movement of homeless individuals and families to permanent housing within 24 months of entering TH. Grant funds may be used for rental assistance, employment services, and supportive services with the goal of improving health and long-term economic independence for the homeless by prioritizing treatment and services people need to recover and regain self-sufficiency including on-site behavioral health treatment, robust wraparound supportive services, and participation requirements.

Domestic Violence (DV) Bonus

Respondents interested in serving individuals and families who are fleeing or attempting to flee domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking and who qualify as homeless under paragraphs (1) or (4) of the definition of homeless at 24 CFR 578.3 can apply for funding to administer all of the project types listed above.