Department
Community Development
Requested Action (Identify appropriate Action or Motion, purpose, cost, timeframe, etc.)
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Request approval of a Memorandum of Understanding ("MOU") between Fulton County, Georgia, as the Fulton County Continuum of Care ("CoC”) Collaborative Applicant, and 24/7 Gateway, LLC (“Gateway”) in the amount of $401,345.00 for Gateway to serve as the coordinated entry lead agency and manage coordinated entry at the North and South Homeless Assessment Center offices; authorizing the Chairman to execute the MOU and related documents; and authorizing the County Attorney to approve the MOU and related documents as to form and make any necessary modifications thereto prior to execution. The term of the MOU is September 1, 2026, through August 31, 2027. This item is funded with $321,076.00 from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Coordinated Intake and Assessment System (CIAS) grant and $80,269.00 in General Fund match.
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Requirement for Board Action (Cite specific Board policy, statute or code requirement)
O.C.G.A. § 36-10-1 states that all contracts entered into by Fulton County with other parties or persons on behalf of the County shall be in writing and entered on the Board of Commissioners meeting minutes.
Strategic Priority Area related to this item (If yes, note strategic priority area below)
Health and Human Services
Commission Districts Affected
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Is this a purchasing item?
No
Summary & Background
The CoC Program interim rule at 24 CFR 578.7(a)(8) requires CoCs to establish a Centralized or Coordinated Assessment System. HUD’s primary goal for coordinated entry processes is to ensure homeless and prevention services are provided effectively as possible and are easily accessible. This agreement will facilitate the ongoing operations of the Fulton County Homeless Assessment Center offices, ensuring the coordination and delivery of homeless and prevention services for individuals and families residing in Fulton County, excluding Atlanta.
On July 22, 2020, Fulton County issued a competitive request for proposals to identify a lead organization to manage the Fulton County CoC’s Coordinated Entry program. Gateway received the highest score, and on October 7, 2020, the Fulton County Board of Commissioners, acting as the CoC Collaborative Applicant, approved Gateway’s initial contract (Agenda Item #20-0670) to serve in
this role.
Since then, both the CoC Board of Directors and the Fulton County Board of Commissioners have reaffirmed Gateway’s designation as the Coordinated Entry Lead on the following Board of Commissioner meeting dates and agenda items:
• October 16, 2021 (21-0736)
• October 5, 2022 (33-0744)
• August 2, 2023 (23-0479)
• August 21, 2024 (24-0544)
• August 20, 2025 (25-0591)
The Continuum of Care (CoC) Board of Directors voted to extend Gateway’s services from September 1, 2026, through August 31, 2027, through a virtual voting process conducted from May 29 through June 4, 2026.
Funding for Coordinated Entry during this period will include a HUD CIAS grant of ($321,076.00) and a Fulton County general fund match of ($80,269.00).
Scope of Work:
Fulton County’s Homeless Assessment Centers (HAC) offer a centralized access point for individuals and families who are experiencing or at risk of homelessness. The centers provide comprehensive services to include:
• Intake and Triage: Walk-in, phone, and scheduled appointments.
• Assessment: Standardized screenings to understand each person’s housing history and needs.
• Diversion and Problem-Solving: Help finding safe alternatives to entering shelter and connecting to available resources.
• Referral and Housing Navigation: Matching individuals to housing programs and supporting transitions with partner agencies.
• Data Entry and HMIS: Recording client information in the Homeless Management Information System.
• Case Conferencing: Collaborating with partners to coordinate services and advocate for clients.
Assessment services are available at two locations: 7741 Roswell Road, NE, Atlanta, GA 30350 and 5600 Stonewall Tell Road, College Park, GA 30349. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Community Impact: The Homeless Assessment Centers work to provide a unified approach to providing homeless and prevention services to Fulton County’s most vulnerable citizens.
Department Recommendation: The Department of Community Development recommends approval.
Project Implications: None
Community Issues/Concerns: None
Department Issues/Concerns: None
Fiscal Impact / Funding Source
Funding Line 1: 461-121-CI25-1160
Funding Line 2: 100-121-1212-1567