We believe homelessness should be rare, brief, and non-recurring.

The Planning Council has the knowledge and experience to help homeless service providers maximize funding from federal, state and local governments and foundations to best meet the needs of the most vulnerable households and individuals.

What We Offer

The Planning Council brings together partners across jurisdictional boundaries to offer homeless solutions regionally.

  • Manages client-level database (HMIS) for 90 agencies
  • Facilitates annual federal and state funding of over $12 million for 50 homeless programs
  • Coordinates local and regional planning strategies for agencies serving those experiencing homelessness

 

Continuum of Care Coordination

The Planning Council (TPC) works with more than 131 regional partners to develop and coordinate diverse systems of care to provide crisis services, housing, and other support to households who are experiencing or at risk of experiencing homelessness, serving as the administrative backbone of three Continuums of Care (CoC) in the Hampton Roads region.

Despite being a small team, TPC serves as:

  • The CoC Lead Agency for the Southeastern Virginia Homeless Coalition (SVHC)
  • The administrative lead for both the Greater Virginia Homelessness Consortium (GVPHC) and the Portsmouth Homeless Action Coalition (PHAC).

As part of the region’s Continuum of Care (CoC), The Planning Council leads local and regional homeless initiatives to promote a systematic approach to preventing and ending homelessness. Focusing on creative solutions, data-driven decision-making, and collective impact, our Continuum of Care Team works alongside provider agencies, governmental leadership, as well as state and national advocacy groups to implement and roll out best practice programs to prevent and end homelessness.  

To secure financial resources on an annual basis to support homeless housing and service programs, The Planning Council develops and submits the annual CoC applications to state and federal funders that total over $12 million.

Work With a Top Team

The Continuum of Care Team at The Planning Council has been bestowed with the Best Regional Partnership Award. The Virginia Housing Awards recognize innovative, effective efforts that address Virginia housing and community development needs. This award is given to a regional effort that exemplifies how leveraging successful partnerships can lead to vibrant communities. Read more.

Are you a homeless solutions provider interested in becoming part of the COC?
Visit one of our local Continuum of Care websites:

For more information regarding Continuum of Care Coordination, contact Amanda Brandenburg

HMIS Administration and Training

TPC provides reports on HMIS data that helps communities understand how many people are currently homeless in shelters, transitional housing, and on the street, how many are chronically or episodically homeless, the characteristics and service needs of those served, which households are returning to services, and which programs are most effective at reducing and ending homelessness.

Serving all of Greater Hampton Roads and Lynchburg, the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) Administrators train end users, analyze and report data generated by homeless assistance providers, and encourage the use of data to coordinate service provision, manage operations, and better serve clients. The Hampton Roads HMIS is a key partner in the State Data Integration Project, developed by the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development.

For a list of agencies participating in the Hampton Roads HMIS, please click here.

Hampton Roads HMIS Policies and Procedures

Hampton Roads HMIS Data Quality Plan

Hampton Roads HMIS ROI (updated April 2018)

For more information on HMIS and related data, contact Jordan Schaller.

Regional Task Force

The Planning Council chairs the Regional Task Force that fosters outreach initiatives focusing on housing vulnerable homeless populations such as those who are medically vulnerable, veterans, and chronically homeless individuals. The Task Force identifies local problems, researches best practices from around the country, and builds the support needed to implement regional solutions. Examples of Task Force successes include:

  • Addressing the need for affordable housing with support services for those who experience homelessness and have mental or physical disabilities.  The Task Force began its partnership with Virginia Supportive Housing in 2006 to develop the nation’s first regionally funded Permanent Supportive Housing program and has since facilitated the development of 320 affordable apartment units in four cities across South Hampton Roads.
  • Identified substance abuse among those experiencing homelessness as a major barrier to stable housing.   Partnered with The Healing Place of Wake County to replicate this best practice in Hampton Roads. To date, this has not come to fruition, but the need is great, and the focus remains the same.
  • Partnered with the Department of Veterans Affairs and local Public Housing Authorities to drastically increase the number of housing vouchers for the region’s homeless veterans as well as households experiencing homelessness.
  • Hosted six regional conferences for over 300 participants since 2008, with national experts highlighting best practices to prevent and end homelessness.

For more information about the Task Force, contact Julie Dixon.

Need Data?

Request HMIS Report

Click Here

Sample Reports

Click Here

Investment in Priorities

Click Here
Are you experiencing a housing crisis?

HOUSING CRISIS HOTLINE

(757) 587-4202

Hours of Operation:
Monday-Friday 8:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.

The Housing Crisis Hotline is the starting point for anyone who is experiencing a housing crisis throughout Greater Hampton Roads and in need of shelter, case management, and related services.

Not sure if you are experiencing a housing crisis? Ask yourself these two questions:

  • Are you living on the street or in an emergency shelter?
  • Have you received an eviction notice from your landlord?

If you answer “yes” to either of these questions, please call the Housing Crisis Hotline.  Hotline staff will work to connect you to available services with local providers. An intake specialist will interview you to determine which referral makes the most sense, based on your situation and what’s available in the community.  The Hotline does not provide any direct financial assistance.

For other human service needs, please dial 2-1-1 or visit: resources757.org for up-to-date information and community resources.