BALTIMORE, MD— During a virtual board meeting held on Thursday, September 2, 2021, the Baltimore City Continuum of Care's Board elected Janice Miller as its new Chair and Shawn Jones as its new Vice Chair. The newly elected officers bring an impressive breadth of experience and knowledge and a shared commitment to the goal of ending homelessness in Baltimore City. 

A champion of social justice, Janice Miller is the Director of Survivor Engagement and Stability Services at House of Ruth Maryland, one of the nation's leading intimate partner violence centers. For over three decades, she has worked with people who have experienced intimate partner and sexual violence (IPSV). Ms. Miller is particularly well known for her expertise on the intersection of IPSV and homelessness/ housing and for creating and expanding House of Ruth Maryland’s Safe Homes Strong Communities rapid rehousing program and Baltimore City’s Victim Coordinated Entry system. In 2018, Ms. Miller was named one of Maryland’s Top 100 Women by the Daily Record. She holds a Masters degree in Social Work and expects to graduate in December of 2021 with a Masters in Public Health from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, where she is a Bloomberg American Health Initiative fellow. 

“I am honored and thankful for the confidence shown in me by electing me Board Chair,” said Janice Miller, who previously served as vice chair. “Every day I am reminded that no one person can turn the tide of social injustice. But together, if we are brave, we can challenge and change the systems that perpetuate it, so that we all might live with dignity, safety, and peace in our homes.”

Ms. Miller succeeds Winston Philip, who served with distinction as board chair since 2017 and was instrumental in the success of several initiatives undertaken by the CoC, including a community-wide fundraiser that brought 478 Baltimoreans from all walks of life together to break the Guinness World Record for the most people breaking bread as a symbol of their commitment to help end homelessness in their community. Under Mr. Philip's leadership, the CoC also developed and implemented a robust Action Plan on Homelessness, which prioritizes time-limited and actionable interventions and addresses the issue of homelessness from a race equity lens. The end of his term provides an impetus for reflection and an opportunity to look ahead. 

“Serving as the Chair of the Continuum of Care has been transformative,” Stated Mr. Philip. “I’m incredibly grateful for the support of my colleagues and humbled by the experiences. While there were significant successes, there were also crucible challenges. That's what makes The Continuum of Care extraordinarily resilient. I’m confident that the new leadership will continue the mission of making homelessness rare, brief, and nonrecurring!”

Vice Chair Shawn Jones is a tireless advocate for people experiencing homelessness. For more than seven years, he has served on numerous committees and boards locally and nationally, including the CoC Board and the Lived Experience Advisory Committee (LEAC). In these capacities, Mr. Jones advocated for affordable housing and permanent solutions to homelessness. A native of Cleveland, Ohio— with deep ties to Baltimore City, Mr. Jones has a business background and previously held leadership positions in the nonprofit and business sectors. As an individual with lived expertise of homelessness, he understands the realities of the issue and brings to the position a unique perspective and knowledge of the best practices and interventions needed to address Baltimore City’s housing crisis.

"I am honored and excited to have been chosen by my peers alongside our Chair, Ms. Miller, to co-lead the Baltimore CoC through the next chapter of ending homelessness in our city,” said Mr. Jones. “I look forward to working closely with her, other board members, and the entire CoC Community to help make episodes of homelessness rare and brief. " 

About the Baltimore City Continuum of Care (CoC)

The Baltimore City Continuum of care (CoC) is a U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD) Program that promotes community-wide commitment to the goal of making homelessness rare, brief, and non-recurring in Baltimore City. The CoC is organized to carry out responsibilities assigned by the Department of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD) CoC Program and coordinates available resources and stakeholders' efforts. More information about the City's Continuum of Care (CoC) can be found online at journeyhomebaltimore.org. 

The Board meets quarterly to conduct its general business. The next regular meeting is scheduled for December 2, 2021.

For questions or inquiries, please email journey.home@baltimorecity.gov