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[av_heading heading='PPCS Selected as Lead Agency for the St. Louis City CoC' tag='h1' link='' link_target='' style='' size='' subheading_active='' subheading_size='' margin='' padding='10' icon_padding='10' color='' custom_font='' icon_color='' show_icon='' icon='ue800' font='' icon_size='' custom_class='' id='' admin_preview_bg='' av-desktop-hide='' av-medium-hide='' av-small-hide='' av-mini-hide='' av-medium-font-size-title='' av-small-font-size-title='' av-mini-font-size-title='' av-medium-font-size='' av-small-font-size='' av-mini-font-size='' av-medium-font-size-1='' av-small-font-size-1='' av-mini-font-size-1=''][/av_heading]
[av_heading heading='First Change Since CoC Formed in 1993' tag='h2' link='' link_target='' style='' size='' subheading_active='' subheading_size='' margin='' padding='10' icon_padding='10' color='' custom_font='' icon_color='' show_icon='' icon='ue800' font='' icon_size='' custom_class='' id='' admin_preview_bg='' av-desktop-hide='' av-medium-hide='' av-small-hide='' av-mini-hide='' av-medium-font-size-title='' av-small-font-size-title='' av-mini-font-size-title='' av-medium-font-size='' av-small-font-size='' av-mini-font-size='' av-medium-font-size-1='' av-small-font-size-1='' av-mini-font-size-1=''][/av_heading]
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Peter & Paul Community Services (PPCS) is honored to share our selection as the new lead agency for the St. Louis City Continuum of Care (CoC). This transition reflects the strength of the CoC partnership and builds on the foundation established through years of leadership and collaboration across the region.
“This transition is an important step forward for our region,” said Anthony D’Agostino, PPCS CEO. “We will build on our existing partnerships to strengthen coordination across providers and build a more unified and responsive system of care.”
As PPCS steps into this role, Jonathan Belcher has joined the organization as CoC Director. In this position, Jonathan works closely with the CoC Board, the City of St. Louis, and service providers throughout the region to strengthen coordination and support a more connected, effective response for people who are experiencing homelessness.
What does this mean for the St. Louis region and people who are facing a housing crisis? Jonathan answers this question and more below.
Q&A With Jonathan Belcher, the CoC Director at PPCS
Q. What is the CoC?
A. The Continuum of Care, or CoC, is a regional partnership made up of service providers, community leaders, public agencies, and people with lived experience of homelessness.
The St. Louis City CoC is the largest in the region, with more than 100 organizations and individuals working together to support people in times of crisis.
Q. What does a CoC do?
A. The CoC coordinates funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to support community-wide efforts to prevent and end homelessness. It also helps align local strategies to help people access housing and services more efficiently.
Q. What does the lead agency do?
A. The lead agency, sometimes called the Collaborative Applicant, drives the shared strategy to address homelessness across the region. They align service providers, data, and resources so the system can respond in a coordinated manner.
On behalf of the CoC, the lead agency disburses the federal funding received from HUD and works with partners to identify and address gaps in services. A key part of the role is supporting transparent, data-informed decisions that benefit the entire community.
Q. How does this help people?
A. Communities across the country have seen strong outcomes when a nonprofit leader with frontline expertise serves as the Collaborative Applicant. By working together with CoC members, we strengthen coordination and build on existing partnerships.
For someone facing a housing crisis, this means clearer pathways to services and more opportunities to move into stable, safe housing. Our goal is for homelessness to be rare and brief, so anyone facing homelessness can rely on quick action.
Q. Why is this important?
A. Homelessness affects every part of our community. Many people who experience a housing crisis have faced a series of unexpected challenges, such as job loss, health concerns, or a major event like the tornado that impacted so many St. Louis families last spring. Without sufficient support, these moments can quickly lead to
housing instability.
Every day, we see firsthand how difficult it can be to navigate services without a coordinated system. Over six months, St. Louis had an average of 1,890 people experiencing homelessness. This includes 555 people who were experiencing chronic homelessness and 218 who were newly without housing.
As the lead agency, PPCS will work hand in hand with community partners to strengthen coordination and improve how resources are delivered. With community-elected leadership, a unified strategy, and continued federal support, St. Louis is poised to make meaningful progress in reducing homelessness and increasing access to stable housing.
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Meet Jonathan Belcher, MSW
Jonathan brings more than 15 years of experience leading housing programs in the region. As the Director of the St. Louis City CoC at PPCS, Jonathan partners with the CoC Board to focus on strengthening the region’s response to homelessness and its HUD funding strategy.
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