Committees
Who We Are
The Orange County Partnership to End Homelessness (OCPEH) operates through several key committees, each designed to support its mission of preventing and ending homelessness in the county.
How We Help
Our committees bring together diverse stakeholders to focus on specific areas of need, ensuring that OCPEH remains a collaborative, inclusive, and committed organization committed to effective, community-driven solutions. Joining a committee is a great way to get involved with our CoC!
How To Contact Us
For questions or additional information about committees, please contact:
Danielle DeCaprio, LCSW
Homeless Programs Manager
Email: ddecaprio@orangecountync.gov
Phone: (919) 245-2496
- Coordinated Entry Planning Committee
- HOME Committee
- Lived Experience Advisory Committee
- Performance Review Committee
- SOAR Community planning committee
The Coordinated Entry Planning Committee meets virtually on the 1st Wednesday of the month from 11am-12:30pm. It plays a vital role within the Continuum of Care (CoC) by overseeing the design, implementation, and ongoing improvement of the community’s Coordinated Entry (CE) system. This system ensures that individuals and families experiencing homelessness are assessed in a consistent, fair, and person-centered way, and then connected to housing and services based on their needs and vulnerability.
The committee works to standardize assessment tools, establish prioritization policies, and promote equity across the system. It monitors performance data, addresses barriers to access, and ensures compliance with HUD guidelines. By fostering collaboration among service providers and centering the needs of the most vulnerable, the committee helps create a more efficient and equitable path to housing stability. If you are interested in joining this committee, please contact Danielle DeCaprio at ddecaprio@orangecountync.gov.
The HOME Committee meets virtually on the 2nd & 4th Wednesdays of the month from 9am-11:30am. It oversees the development and maintenance of a real-time, up-to-date list of people experiencing homelessness in the community. This list includes detailed, person-specific information that helps providers understand who is homeless, what their needs are, and where they are in the housing process.
The committee ensures that the list is accurate, regularly updated, and used to track progress toward ending homelessness. It supports collaboration among outreach teams, housing providers, service providers, and case managers to match people to appropriate housing resources efficiently and equitably. By analyzing trends and gaps, the committee helps the CoC make informed decisions, measure outcomes, and improve system performance. If you are a service provider and are interested in joining the HOME Committee meetings, please contact Danielle DeCaprio at ddecaprio@orangecountync.gov.
The Lived Experience Advisory Committee will ideally meet once a month to bring together individuals with direct experience of homelessness and inform and guide the work of the Continuum of Care. This committee ensures that policies, services, and decisions reflect the real needs, challenges, and perspectives of those most impacted by the homelessness system.
Members provide valuable insight into barriers to housing, service accessibility, and system gaps, helping the CoC design more equitable, effective, and person-centered solutions. The committee also plays a key role in advocating for dignity, inclusion, and accountability throughout the homelessness response system. If you are interested in joining the Lived Experience Advisory Committee, please contact Heather Pack Aponte at hpackaponte@orangecountync.gov.
The Performance Review Committee meets virtually on the 1st Monday of the month from 2pm-3:30pm. It is responsible for evaluating the effectiveness of programs and the overall homelessness response system within the Continuum of Care. The committee reviews performance data, including outcomes like housing stability, returns to homelessness, and service utilization, to identify areas of strength and opportunities for improvement.
This committee also helps guide funding decisions by assessing how well CoC- and ESG-funded projects meet local and federal performance benchmarks. By promoting transparency, accountability, and continuous improvement, the Performance Review Committee plays a key role in ensuring that resources are used effectively to reduce and end homelessness in the community. As a subset of the Performance Review Committee, there is a Funding Review Committee whose members establish funding priorities for Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) and Continuum of Care (CoC) competitions, rate and rank project applications, and monitor program performance throughout the year. If you are interested in serving on the Funding Review Committee, please contact Alex Rubenstein at arubenstein@orangecountync.gov.
The SOAR Community Planning Committee will meet quarterly to support the strategic development and sustainability of the SOAR (SSI/SSDI Outreach, Access, and Recovery) process within the CoC. With only one active SOAR case worker in Orange County, the committee plays a vital role in troubleshooting complex cases, identifying service gaps, and strengthening partnerships that support successful SSI/SSDI applications for people experiencing or at risk of homelessness.
The committee also works to expand local SOAR capacity by promoting training opportunities, engaging new partners, and building awareness of the SOAR model. By aligning efforts with housing and service systems, the committee ensures that access to disability income remains a key part of the community’s strategy to improve housing stability for vulnerable populations. If you'd like to join the SOAR Community Planning Committee, please contact Heather Pack Aponte at hpackaponte@orangecountync.gov.