The Balance of State (BoS) Continuum of Care model covers large, diverse geographic areas — including rural and non-contiguous jurisdictions. The Alabama Balance of State CoC (AL-507) was established in 2004 and today serves 37 counties across the state, with ARCH serving as its Collaborative Applicant.
The Balance of State (BoS) Continuum of Care model exists to serve exactly this kind of geography: large, diverse, and often non-contiguous rural jurisdictions that don't fall under a single city or metro CoC. The Alabama Balance of State CoC (AL-507) was established in 2004 and currently serves thirty-seven (37) counties, coordinated by ARCH as the Collaborative Applicant.
Alabama's other 30 counties are covered by separate, locally organized Continuums of Care (for example, the metro areas around Birmingham, Mobile, Montgomery, and Huntsville), so ARCH's 37-county footprint focuses specifically on rural and underserved communities statewide.
Grouped roughly by region for easy reference — see the full alphabetical list below.
Regional groupings are provided for convenience and are approximate. Full official list: Barbour, Bibb, Blount, Butler, Chambers, Chilton, Choctaw, Clarke, Clay, Cleburne, Conecuh, Coosa, Covington, Crenshaw, Cullman, Dallas, Escambia, Fayette, Greene, Hale, Jackson, Lamar, Lee, Macon, Marengo, Marshall, Monroe, Perry, Pickens, Pike, Randolph, Sumter, Talladega, Tallapoosa, Walker, Washington, and Wilcox.
HUD's HEARTH Act regulations (24 CFR 578.7) spell out what every CoC — including AL-507 — is required to do. Here's what that looks like in practice.
Hold full-membership meetings at least semi-annually with published agendas, keep an open membership process, and maintain a governance charter covering board selection, conduct, and recusal — reviewed every five years.
Develop a comprehensive plan for outreach, shelter, housing, supportive services, and homelessness prevention; conduct a biennial Point-in-Time count; and perform annual gap analyses of local needs and resources.
Designate a single Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) for the region and appoint an HMIS Lead. ARCH holds this role for AL-507 — see HMIS licensing steps →
Operate a centralized or coordinated assessment system — with specific protections for survivors of domestic violence — and publish written standards for eligibility and prioritization across housing types. ARCH leads Coordinated Entry for AL-507.
Monitor recipient and subrecipient performance, evaluate program outcomes, report results to HUD, and address underperformance. Coordinate with ESG recipients on fund allocation and VAWA emergency transfer priorities.
Run a fair, transparent annual local competition for CoC Program funds, rank and select projects for the application to HUD, and administer the process through the Collaborative Applicant.
Summarized from HUD's Continuum of Care Program regulations. Source: 24 CFR § 578.7, eCFR / HUD Exchange.
Under HUD's CoC Program, every Continuum of Care designates one organization — a state, local government, nonprofit, or public housing agency — as its Collaborative Applicant. For the Alabama Balance of State CoC, that's ARCH.
As Collaborative Applicant, ARCH collects and submits the required CoC Application on behalf of every project the Continuum selects for funding, and applies for CoC planning funds on the region's behalf. The CoC's governance charter also assigns ARCH additional coordination duties — administering the local funding competition, publishing NOFO timelines and materials, and serving as the day-to-day administrative hub connecting 37 counties' worth of member agencies to HUD.
CoC membership is 100% free and open to any individual or organization working to prevent and end homelessness across our 37 counties — no cost, no catch. Members get a real seat at the table: a voice in how the Continuum prioritizes HUD funding, direct input on planning and policy, and a standing connection to the 160+ agencies and advocates already doing this work statewide.
Whether you're a case manager, a shelter director, a city or county government, a faith-based partner, or an individual who cares about this mission — there's a place for you in the CoC.
Join the CoC — It's FreeReach out about the FY26 funding competition or ARCH Academy™ training.