Back@Home-Balance of State
The Back@Home-Balance of State (BoS) program is the latest iteration of Back@Home North Carolina, a collaborative rehousing effort led by state and local partners. With a focus on reducing unsheltered and rural homelessness, the program aims to stabilize households with severe service needs, experiencing homelessness within the 79-county NC Balance of State Continuum of Care area.
Through a service and support infrastructure utilized by multiple programs, Back@Home-BoS provides financial assistance and housing stabilization services that help households obtain and maintain stable housing.
The NC Office of Recovery and Resiliency (NCORR) serves as the oversight agency for Back@Home-BoS, responsible for: administering grant funds from multiple sources, assisting with reporting and reimbursement, contracting for and managing funding to provide housing stability financial assistance and services, ensuring compliance with match requirements and assuring compliance and adherence to best practices.
The NC Balance of State Continuum of Care (NC BoS CoC) provides Continuum of Care oversight to Back@Home-BoS and support the program's service providers through knowledge and skill-building activities, technical assistance and compliance support. NCORR works closely with the North Carolina Coalition to End Homelessness, the lead agency for the NC BoS CoC, to ensure that Back@Home-BoS meets its requirements.
The NC Department of Health and Human Services (NC DHHS) partners with NCORR to ensure Back@Home-BoS has access to resources and is connected to the many programs and benefits NC DHHS oversees, including Medicaid services.
Additionally, NCORR has contracted with two types of key partners to support Back@Home-BoS activities.
- Housing Stabilization Service (HSS) Providers: Various service providers have been selected as subrecipients of NCORR through a Request for Applications process to cover all 79 counties in the NC BoS CoC. These service providers will offer housing stabilization services to program participants, including outreach, case management, system navigation and housing navigation.
- A Centralized Financial Assistance and Housing Navigation Hub: The Housing Collaborative, a 501c3 nonprofit organization, offers centralized financial assistance administration, housing navigation services, landlord engagement and unit recruitment for Back@Home-BoS. Housing navigation will be provided in collaboration with local service providers.
Redesign Collaborative also helped develop the launch of Back@Home-BoS.
Current funding sources for the program include:
- HUD CoC Program funding
- U.S. Treasury Emergency Rental Assistance (ERA2) funding
- State Fiscal Recovery Funds
The Back@Home-BoS program launched on Oct. 1, 2023.
Household enrollment began on Jan. 16, 2024.
By winter 2026, as many as 1,400 households will be served through housing stabilization services, financial assistance and connection to other resources to stabilize individuals and families with severe service needs in housing. All services offered through the project will follow the three best practices outlined in the Continuum of Care’s plan:
- Housing First
- Harm Reduction
- Person-Centered and Trauma-Informed Care
Have questions about the program? Contact us!
8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Monday through Friday
backathome@ncdps.gov
N.C. Office of Recovery & Resiliency
P.O. Box 110465
Durham, NC 27709
Media and Outreach Toolkit
If you are a Back@Home-BoS partner representative or a member of the media, program outreach materials are available for download below. Media inquiries and requests should be emailed to NCORR.Communications@ncdps.gov.