Office of Care Coordination Staffing Updates
The Shelter Operations team within the Office of Care Coordination would like to extend a warm welcome to the newest member to join the team, Julio Ventura! Julio joined the team as the Grievance and Compliance Staff Specialist as of July 6, 2026, on a temporary promotion basis. Julio supported OC Outreach and Engagement for three years as an Informaiton Processing Technician before he was promoted to Staff Assistant in 2023.
The Shelter Operations team would also like to announce the promotion of Rocio Palafox as the Shelter Programs Manager as of September 16, 2026. Rocio previously served as the Shelter Programs Analyst and has been with the Office of Care Coordination since 2020, when she joined the team as the Grievance and Appeals Staff Specialist.
Please join us in welcoming Julio and Rocio in their new roles on the Shelter Operations team.
Commission to Address Homelessness Appointment
The Commission to Address Homelessness (Commission) is dedicated to promoting an effective countywide response to preventing and ending homelessness through comprehensive coordination and collaboration among local leaders to address homelessness in Orange County. The Commission is comprised of nineteen voting members representing a broad range of stakeholder organizations.
At the meeting on June 17, 2026, the Commission approved the recommendation of Aaron France as the North Service Planning Area Representative to the Board of Supervisors (Board) for final approval. On August 11, 2026, the Board officially approved the appointment. His term began August 11, 2026, and will end August 10, 2028.
Aaron France brings more than 20 years of experience in local government to the Commission. He began his career with the City of Buena Park in 2005 as an Administrative Analyst in the City Manager’s office. He was appointed Assistant to the City Manager in 2012, promoted to Deputy City Manager in 2017, and then to Assistant City Manager in 2018. Throughout his career he oversaw the Economic Development Division, Purchasing Division, Visit Buena Park, and the City of Buena Park’s marketing and social media efforts. In March 2021, he became City Manager, where he is responsible for the daily operations of the City of Buena Park, preparing the municipal budget, and implementing the policies and programs initiated by the City Council. Mr. France holds a bachelor’s degree in communications and master’s degree in public administration.
Joint Special Meeting
The Orange County Continuum of Care (CoC) Board and the Commission to Address Homelessness (Commission) held a Joint Special Meeting on July 21, 2026, to review the results of the 2026 Point In Time (PIT) Count and discuss the Orange County Homeless Prevention project.
Doug Becht, Director of Care Coordination, led the meeting and presented key findings from the 2026 PIT Count, a biennial effort to gather information on individuals experiencing homelessness in Orange County. The discussion served as a reflection of the progress that has been made and the work that remains in addressing homelessness.
Doug Becht also provided an update on the collaborative project with the Corporation for Supportive Housing (CSH) to develop a comprehensive homelessness prevention model. This effort brought together representatives from healthcare, homeless services, housing, education, philanthropy, and other local stakeholders to establish a Homeless Prevention Committee (Committee). The Committee has leveraged the existing expertise and perspectives from across Orange County to identify strengths and opportunities within the current homelessness prevention landscape and develop recommendations that better align resources, strengthen partnerships, and implement evidence-based best practices that improve the utilization of homelessness prevention resources and increase the effectiveness of homelessness prevention efforts.
Continuum of Care Builds Notice of Funding Opportunity
On June 23, 2026, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced the availability of $100 million through the Continuum of Care (CoC) Builds Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO). The funding is for new construction, acquisition, or rehabilitation (capital costs) of permanent supportive housing (PSH) through one-time awards under the CoC Program. The CoC Builds NOFO will enable communities to develop new units of rental housing with supportive services for people experiencing homelessness.
The submission deadline for the CoC Builds NOFO was July 23, 2026. The maximum award amount per CoC under the CoC Builds NOFO is based on each CoC’s Final Pro Rata Need (FPRN) and the Orange County CoC was eligible to apply for a maximum of $11,000,000.
On June 29, 2026, the Office of Care Coordination, as the Collaborative Applicant for the Orange County CoC, released a Request for Proposals (RFP) to solicit proposals from qualified organizations for a PSH project to be funded by the funding available through the CoC Builds NOFO.
On July 22, 2026, the CoC Board reviewed RFP results and selected American Family Housing’s Casa Colibri project for submission to HUD under the CoC Builds NOFO. The Office of Care Coordination, as the Collaborative Applicant, submitted the Orange County CoC’s application in advance of HUD’s July 23, 2026, deadline. On October 2, 2026, HUD announced $97,684,161 in FY 2024 CoC Builds Program funding for 13 projects, in accordance with the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024. Unfortunately, the proposal submitted by the Orange County CoC was not selected.
Youth Homelessness Notice of Funding Opportunity
On June 10, 2026, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) released the Youth Homelessness Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for FY2024 and FY2025, including Youth Homelessness Demonstration Program (YHDP) and Youth Homelessness System Improvement (YHSI) funding. Approximately $144 million in funding was made available to support approximately 26 to 50 new YHDP communities.
The Office of Care Coordination, as the Collaborative Applicant for the Orange County Continuum of Care (CoC), facilitated the local competition for YHDP funding. On July 1, 2026, the Office of Care Coordination released a Request for Proposals (RFP) to solicit proposals from qualified organizations for new Transitional Housing (TH) and Supportive Services Only (SSO) projects to be funded by YHDP through the Youth Homelessness NOFO.
At the special meeting on July 20, 2026, the CoC Board reviewed the results of the RFP and approved the selection of four (4) projects for inclusion in the CoC’s YHDP Project Priority Listing. On August 7, 2026, the Office of Care Coordination, on behalf of the Orange County CoC, submitted the YHDP Application, including the Priority Listing, Project Applications, and Consolidated Application in advance of the August 10, 2026, submission deadline.
CES Operator Transition
The Office of Care Coordination, as the Coordinated Entry System (CES) lead for the Orange County Continuum of Care (CoC), t managed the daily operations of the CES from July 1, 2026, through August 30, 2026, as PATH, the new CES Administrator completed the necessary onboarding and training to operate CES. On September 1, 2026, PATH took over operate the daily operations of the CES for the three subpopulations: Individual, adult-only households; Families, households with at least one child age 0 – 17, a pregnancy within the household, or in the process of reunification with at least one child age 0 – 17; and Survivors of domestic violence, households who are fleeing, or attempting to flee any form of domestic violence.
The Office of Care Coordination is fully confident PATH will continue to build upon the amazing work that the previous CES Administrative teams at Friendship Shelter and the Orange County United Way accomplished.
2 - for - 1 Match Policy
During the September 23, 2026, meeting, the Continuum of Care (CoC) Board approved the 2-for-1 Match Policy (Policy), which will be incorporated into the Coordinated Entry System (CES) Policies and Procedures. The Policy, including supporting documentation, and 2-for-1 Match Policy Workflow can be found on the Office of Care Coordination’s website here.
The Office of Care Coordination, as the CES lead for the Orange County CoC, will be hosting a webinar on Monday October 26, at 3:30 p.m. to review the Policy. The webinar will review the processes Housing Providers and Public Housing should follow to request a 2-for-1 Match and will allow CES Access Points to also learn how the 2-for-1 matches may affect CES participants. This webinar will also be recorded and distributed after the conclusion of the webinar.
Click here to join the 2-for-1 Match licPoy Webinar.
Please contact the Office of Care Coordination at CoordinatedEntry@ceo.oc.gov with any questions.
Support at the Right Time
A senior citizen, veteran and a survivor of a violent crime recently reached out to OC Outreach and Engagement seeking shelter and housing navigation support. Recognizing the urgency of his situation, staff quickly connected him with regional care coordination services for specialized assistance.
Within just one week, he was successfully matched to a housing unit. The timely connection to care coordination services aligned seamlessly, ensuring he received the support needed to transition into permanent housing.
This case highlights the powerful impact of coordinated services and timely intervention in helping vulnerable community members achieve stability and safety.
OC Outreach and Engagement Strengthens Partnerships While Supporting Community Needs
The OC Outreach and Engagement (O&E) team recently partnered with Recovery Road to prepare sandwiches for the organization’s clients, including people experiencing unsheltered homelessness. OC O&E also created thank-you cards for Recovery Road staff to express appreciation for their work providing food, snacks, clothing, shoes, and other basic necessities for people in need.
Community partnerships play an important role in connecting people experiencing unsheltered homelessness with resources and support. When OC O&E encounters participants who need basic necessities, the team often reach out to Recovery Road for assistance. This volunteer effort offered an opportunity to give back to a community partner that helps OC O&E respond to participants’ immediate needs.
Through initiatives like this, OC O&E continues to build relationships with local providers to strengthen service network connections and support the work of addressing immediate client needs. This effort reflects OC O&E’s ongoing commitment to collaboration and serving people experiencing homelessness throughout Orange County.
The Heart of OC Outreach and Engagement
While transporting a client for an appointment, the OC Outreach & Engagement (O&E) team noticed a man experiencing homelessness walking in the street without a shirt or shoes. He appeared distressed and had visible injuries. The team stopped to check on his well-being, offered water, and transported him to a nearby bus stop to help him get out of the heat and away from traffic.
When the man expressed interest in visiting a nearby McDonald’s, staff encouraged him to put his shoes back on to protect his feet from the hot pavement. OC O&E then provided transportation to the restaurant so he could access food and rest. After confirming the man had previously engaged with OC O&E, staff provided him with a program card, offered additional resources, and encouraged him to reconnect with services when he felt ready.
OC O&E serves all of Orange County, with staff assigned across the three Service Planning Areas (SPA), to ensure consistent geographic coverage. Although this encounter occurred while staff were engaging a client, staff recognized an immediate need and took the initiative to help. This response reflects the compassion, flexibility, and dedication of OC O&E staff, whose shared commitment to serving people experiencing homelessness supports cohesive outreach throughout the County.
Collaborative Efforts Help Family Transition from Street to Shelter
At a recent OC Same-Day Solutions Fair, OC Outreach and Engagement (O&E) connected with a family experiencing homelessness, including a 10-month-old baby and a four-year-old child. The father had lost his job when the recovery program where he worked closed. The family subsequently lost their housing and was sleeping on the street when they attended the fair.
OC O&E staff immediately contacted family focused organizations and services and collaborated with the Shelter Team and Coordinated Entry System Team within the Office of Care Coordination to secure a shelter placement. At the fair, the family also received clothing and assistance replacing vital documents.
The family remains in shelter and is working towards increasing their income and securing permanent housing. Their experience highlights how collaboration across the Office of Care Coordination and with community partners helps families experiencing homelessness access immediate support and take steps towards housing stability.
OC Same Day Solutions Fair
The Office of Care Coordination, in partnership with the HUB Resource Center (HUB), continues to bring services and resources to people experiencing homelessness though the OC Same-Day Solution Fairs (SDSF).
These events are aimed at connecting participants with multiple agencies in one location to help them access critical services that promote stability, empowerment, and long-term housing solutions.
County of Orange (County) and State Departments, along with community-based organizations, provide comprehensive support to help reduce barriers and improve access to essential resources. The SDSF also expands access to Homeless Court, providing individuals with the opportunity to resolve outstanding infractions, misdemeanors, and warrants—an important step toward regaining stability. Representatives from a wide range of agencies and organizations participate in the events including: Social Service Agency, Orange County Clerk-Recorder, Orange County Health Care Agency, Orange County Child Support Services, Orange County Public Defender, Orange County District Attorney, Orange County Community Resources, and OC United Way and 2-1-1.
The SDSF events follow an alternating monthly schedule. The HUB OC hosts every other month at the HUB Resource Center (HRC) in Orange, while the Office of Care Coordination hosts in the intervening months at rotating locations throughout the County. Recent events were held at the HRC on July 8 and September 16, 2026, and at the Fullerton Free Church on August 27, 2026.
The next SDSF event will be held at the First Christian Church in Huntington Beach on October 15, 2026. If you are interested in receiving notifications for upcoming SDSF events, please contact CareCoordination@ceo.oc.gov and request to be added to the distribution list.
Annual Shelter Program Monitoring
The Office of Care Coordination conducts annual monitoring of 18 shelter programs countywide to ensure adherence to state and federal funding regulations, as well as compliance with the County of Orange’s Standards of Care for Emergency Shelter Providers (Standards of Care). The goal of the annual monitoring process is to ensure quality assurance in the operation of emergency shelters.
Through the monitoring process, the Office of Care Coordination is committed to providing technical assistance to program providers while reviewing services, operations, and activities. To support program providers ahead of scheduled monitoring, the Office of Care Coordination held a training on August 5, 2026. The training included a review of the monitoring process, required documentation, and recurring concerns identified in the previous monitoring cycle. This training will be offered annually to continue providing technical assistance and support.
The Office of Care Coordination is currently conducting the first half of the Fiscal Year 2026-2027 annual monitoring process for all 18 County-funded programs. To date, three (3) programs have been monitored, and the 15 remaining shelter programs are scheduled to be monitored by the end of fiscal year.
Bridges at Kraemer Shelter Operator Transition
Beginning May 1, 2026, PATH began its ramp-up at the Bridges at Kraemer Place Shelter and officially took over full shelter operations on July 1, 2026. All active shelter participants remained in shelter without interruption to their services and began meeting with their new PATH case managers to establish updated housing plans and discussions. The Office of Care Coordination looks forward to continuing its partnership with PATH in this extended capacity to ensure the operations of both County funded emergency shelters are universal and continue to serve the target population.
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