Hagerty Consulting (Hagerty) is a full-service emergency management and grants management firm. For over two decades, we have helped clients navigate complex disasters and secure over $95 billion in federal funding.
Our expertise enables states and communities to effectively access, manage, and maximize federal, state, and other resources to support recovery and resilience.
KW Consultants offers its clients customized support in all aspects of the Community Development Block Grant Programs (CDBG/CDBG-DR/CDBG-CV) and other initiatives. Whether a client is seeking an objective analysis of existing programs, assistance in developing and implementing new programs, or training staff and local governments on statutory and regulatory requirements, KW Consultants has a solution to meet their needs.
Federal Programs have complex requirements to navigate. Make experienced strategic advisors part of the solution.
EisnerAmper provides a full scope of services to grantees, including those funded for federal relief to recover from significant declared disasters (CDBG-DR, FEMA PA/IA, ARPA, Cares) and large federally funded infrastructure, housing and energy programs (IIJA, IRA, EPA, etc.). Our team of strategic advisors offers support to help governmental entities maintain compliance, streamline operations, and maximize resources, so they can focus on providing citizens with the vital services they need.
We help communities prepare for, respond to, and recover from natural disasters.
We bring deep regulatory and implementation expertise to accelerate a whole community’s recovery while prioritizing HUD compliance every step of the way.
CDBG & CDBG-DR Solutions to achieve Rapid Recovery and Long-Term Resiliency
Tetra Tech can help your community increase its resiliency.
Coffee and tea service provided.
Early registration concludes at 4pm at the start of the Board of Directors Meeting.
Open to all conference attendees.
With the start of the second Trump administration, we will have keynote remarks about the impact of many federal changes: DOGE, staffing cuts, Chevron decision, and more. This information will help provide context for upcoming conference sessions that will give advice and seek suggestions on how to respond to the new Trump policies and restructuring of HUD and federal agencies.
SPEAKER: Richard Pierce, Lyle T. Alverson Professor of Law, George Washington University
COSCDA staff will provide an update with the latest news about the federal budget for the current and upcoming fiscal years. Also, information about the status of significant rulemaking and notices from HUD will also be shared.
SPEAKER: Jenna Hampton, Director of Advocacy and Federal Programs, COSCDA
MODERATOR (Keynote and Washington Update): Alison George, Housing Director, Colorado Department of Local Affairs
Capacity Building & Monitoring Strategies for Subgrantee Oversight
States take different approaches to oversee their CDBG subgrantees. These strategies fall into 2 basic categories that COSCDA members will highlight to assure subgrantee compliance: capacity building activities such as training & technical assistance and monitoring activities that proactively support projects. Speakers will share their recommendations on how states can improve the effectiveness of their compliance efforts.
SPEAKER: Keely McMahan, CDBG Program Administrator, South Carolina Department of Commerce
SPEAKER: Kellon Dixon, Director of CDBG Program Planning, Community Development Division, Oklahoma Department of Commerce
SPEAKER: Valerie D. Moore Fegans, Director of Community Development Block Grant Program, Rural Economic Development Division, North Carolina Department of Commerce
MODERATOR: Wendy Bell, Deputy Director, Office of Community Development, Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity
Successful Underwriting for HOME-ARP
States have significant challenges to overcome in reviewing rental housing development using HOME-ARP funding. This session will provide technical advice on how to underwrite those projects, including how to analyze the layering of Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) and Housing Trust Fund (HTF) resources.
SPEAKER: Jennifer Miller, Senior Manager, ICF
MODERATOR: Brenda Evans, Chief Programs Officer, Louisiana Housing Corporation
Addressing Obstacles to Success of Rapid Rehousing
This session will include a few states offering their experiences and difficulties in fulfilling the requirements of Rapid Rehousing, particularly in light of limited housing supply and rent limitations. This session will include discussion among attendees as well as gathering information that can be used in discussions with HUD on implementing this priority for the Emergency Solutions Grant program.
SPEAKER: Whitney Whitaker, Homelessness Resolution Program Manager, Division of Housing, Colorado Department of Local Affairs
SPEAKER: Karen R. Byron, Supervisor, Massachusetts Balance of State CoC , Massachusetts Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities
MODERATOR: Steve DiLella, Director, Individual and Family Support Program, Connecticut Department of Housing
Disaster Recovery Opportunities of the New HUD Landscape
The Trump Administration transition and many changes that are happening offer an opportunity to reassess the direction of HUD. States may be given increased flexibility to use federal funding to address disaster recovery needs. There will also be challenges to assure that successful programs are retained and supported. This session will include some of COSCDA’s partners in Washington that can share the latest updates on program and policy changes. They will also offer advice on the best approaches to respond and work with changes implemented by the Department of Government Efficient (DOGE) initiative. Attendees will be asked to share their experience or strategies that demonstrate the effectiveness of disaster recovery programs. The session will highlight opportunities to demonstrate efficiency and effectiveness of housing programs.
SPEAKER: Noah Patton, Manager of Disaster Recovery, National Low Income Housing Coalition
MODERATOR/FACILITATOR: Tess Hembree, Executive Director, COSCDA
CDBG-CV: Lessons Learned & Examples from State Members
This session will include states that offer guidance on lessons learned in undertaking new activities through the CDBG-CV allocation and experiences with these funds. The session will offer guidance for states needing to complete expenditures.
SPEAKER: Dennis Porter, Manager, Idaho Department of Commerce
SPEAKER: Brandon Jenson, CDBG Program Manager, Missouri Department of Economic Development
SPEAKER: Miguel A. Rivera, Manager, Connecticut Department of Housing
MODERATOR: Seila Mosquera-Bruno, Commissioner, Connecticut Department of Housing
Housing Opportunities of the New HUD Landscape
The Trump Administration transition and many changes that are happening offer an opportunity to reassess the direction of HUD. States may be given increased flexibility to use federal funding to address housing needs. There will also be challenges to assure that successful programs are retained and supported. This session will include some of COSCDA’s partners in Washington that can share the latest updates on program and policy changes. They will also offer advice on the best approaches to respond and work with changes implemented by the Department of Government Efficient (DOGE) initiative. Attendees will be asked to share their experience or strategies that demonstrate the effectiveness of housing programs. The session will highlight opportunities to demonstrate efficiency and effectiveness of housing programs.
SPEAKER: Jennifer Schwartz, Director of Tax and Housing Advocacy, National Council of State Housing Agencies
MODERATOR/FACILITATOR: Tess Hembree, Executive Director, COSCDA
Creative Initiatives to Connect Health and Housing to Address Homelessness
This session will continue COSCDA’s efforts to collaborate with the health care system in meeting the housing and service needs for persons experiencing homelessness. This session will include examples of how states have accessed Medicaid funding to provide housing and services that are not traditionally provided through health care programs. The speakers will focus on the Housing and Service Partnership Accelerator and one state’s Medicaid waiver for persons with mental illness. These speakers will discuss strategies and collaboration that help establish such initiatives.
SPEAKER: Laura Conrad, Senior Consultant, Technical Assistance Collaborative
SPEAKER: Gordon Calkins, Director of Individual Homelessness Systems, Massachusetts Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities
SPEAKER: Katherine Easterly Martey, Executive Director, New Hampshire Community Development Finance Authority
MODERATOR: Julia Zaffarano, Acting Director of the Office of Homeless Initiatives, Colorado Department of Local Affairs
Pre-Disaster Housing Initiative: Housing Planning before Disaster Strikes
States can benefit from having plans in place to address housing needs before disaster strikes. FEMA and HUD have an initiative to help states prepare these plans and is particularly focused on those states before a disaster strikes and before they receive CDBG-DR funding. The session will also have information from states that completed such a plan. This initiative was outlined in this document: Final Report.
SPEAKER: Stan Gimont, Senior Advisor for Community Recovery, Hagerty Consulting, Inc.
SPEAKER: Jeff Haley, Deputy Executive Director, Louisiana Office of Community Development-Disaster Recovery
SPEAKER: James Kelly, Disaster Recovery & Resilience Advisor, New Jersey Governor’s Disaster Recovery Office
VIRTUAL PRESENTER: Kirsten Jewell, Interim Housing Policy Director, Washington State Department of Commerce, Housing Division
MODERATOR: Clay Kerchof, Disaster Response and Recovery Branch Chief, California Department of Housing and Community Development
URA Rule: Addressing the 2024 Revisions
This session will focus on the significant changes in the revised final rule for the Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Property Acquisition Policies Act that became effective as of June 3, 2024. These changes increase the relocation benefits, provide new occupancy requirements, new acquisition, and other changes that impact implementation of the URA. The session will review the new requirements and provide a reference tool to help states comply with the new rule.
SPEAKER: Deb Siefert, Director, Disaster Management, ICF
MODERATOR: Cindy Stone, Director, Community Development Programs, Division of Neighborhood Revitalization, Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development
Recovery Housing Program: How States Administer these Funds
Several COSCDA members will share their experience and highlight how they manage HUD’s Recovery Housing Program to assist persons recovering from opioid and other substance addictions. The presentations will cover their priorities, application process, and partnerships to coordinate the use of these funds. The session is designed to showcase the work of states and their program activities.
SPEAKER: Patricia Roushanaei, Deputy Manager, Community Development Unit, Massachusetts Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities
SPEAKER: Denise Menzdorf, Executive Director, Massachusetts Alliance for Sober Housing
SPEAKER: Mark Williams, Compliance Branch Manager, Kentucky Department for Local Government
VIRTUAL PRESENTER: Ashley Germano, Manager, Housing Trust Funds Manager, Community Services Division, Ohio Department of Development
MODERATOR: Kent Archer, Director of Community Infrastructure, Community and Rural Development, Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development
Community Development Opportunities of the New HUD Landscape
The Trump Administration transition and many changes that are happening offer an opportunity to reassess the direction of HUD. States may be given increased flexibility to use federal funding to address community development needs. There will also be challenges to assure that successful programs are retained and supported. This session will include some of COSCDA’s partners in Washington that can share the latest updates on program and policy changes. They will also offer advice on the best approaches to respond and work with changes implemented by the Department of Government Efficient (DOGE) initiative. Attendees will be asked to share their experience or strategies that demonstrate the effectiveness of community development programs. The session will highlight opportunities to demonstrate efficiency and effectiveness of housing programs.
SPEAKER: Vicki Watson, Executive Director, National Community Development Association
MODERATOR/FACILITATOR: Tess Hembree, Executive Director, COSCDA
BABA Updates and Experience in the Field
This session will focus on real project experiences that adhere to the BABA procurement requirements. This session will provide insight on how BABA has impacted the implementation of projects, from both the cost and administrative burden perspective, and how states are monitoring compliance. The session will also provide how BABA is impacting local project managers and product suppliers. Information and resources on how to coordinate compliance when projects use multiple funding sources will also be covered.
SPEAKER: Lisa Maxwell, Deputy Director, Mississippi Development Authority
SPEAKER: Chad Sands, CDBG Project Manager, Iowa Economic Development Authority
SPEAKER: Scott Sheffler, Partner, Feldesman Leifer LLP
SPEAKER: Jessie Handforth Kome, Director, CohnReznick, LLC
MODERATOR: Kimberly Carter, Division Director, Community Finance Division, Georgia Department of Community Affairs
Strengthening the Con Plan Process: Addressing Resilience, Increasing Public Participation & Best Practices
The presenters will include state agencies and a technical assistance provider to describe strategies and resources that help states improve their Con Planning efforts, with a particular emphasis on addressing resilience and increasing public participation. The presenters will share their experience and offer advice for more effective planning in the use of community development, housing, and homelessness resources.
SPEAKER: Andrew Hayman, CDBG Director, Kansas Department of Commerce
SPEAKER: Anne Zajic, CDBG Assistant Director, Kansas Department of Commerce
SPEAKER: Felicity Gasser, Community Development Branch Chief, California Department of Housing and Community Development
SPEAKER: Benjamin Sturm, Manager, The Cloudburst Group
MODERATOR: Jean Noble, Director, Grants Division, Arkansas Economic Development Commission
Funding Infrastructure with Data-Driven Decisions
The Method of Distribution to award CDBG funds can rely on different data sets and procedures to select the best use of public funds. COSCDA members will share examples of how they use both quantitative and qualitative data to consider and approve infrastructure grants.
SPEAKER: Suzanne Barnard, Director for CDBG Programs, Texas Department of Agriculture
SPEAKER: Lisa Maxwell, Deputy Director, Mississippi Development Authority
SPEAKER: Kellon Dixon, Director of CDBG Program Planning, Community Development Division, Oklahoma Department of Commerce
SPEAKER: Brandon Jenson, CDBG Program Manager, Missouri Department of Economic Development
MODERATOR: Katherine Easterly Martey, Executive Director, New Hampshire Community Development Finance Authority
Best Practices for Monitoring HOME & HOME-ARP Subrecipients & Grantees
This session will have COSCDA members present how they organize and undertake their monitoring of housing subrecipients and grantees. This session will primarily focus on the experience and examples of states. Additional information from a program perspective will be provided by a technical assistance provider.
SPEAKER: Carrie Kronberg, Director, Community Development, ICF
SPEAKER: Mechele Grimes, HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME)/National Housing Trust Fund (HTF) Manager, Housing Division, Nebraska Department of Economic Development
SPEAKER: Jennifer DiGiallonardo, Federal Housing Assets Team Manager, Division of Housing, Colorado Department of Local Affairs
SPEAKER: Curtis Stauffer, Managing Director-Housing Contract Administration, Kentucky Housing Corporation
MODERATOR: Lyndsi Austin, Associate Director, Housing Policy, Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development
Homelessness Opportunities of the New HUD Landscape
The Trump Administration transition and many changes that are happening offer an opportunity to reassess the direction of HUD. States may be given increased flexibility to use federal funding to address homelessness needs. There will also be challenges to assure that successful programs are retained and supported. This session will include some of COSCDA’s partners in Washington that can share the latest updates on program and policy changes. They will also offer advice on the best approaches to respond and work with changes implemented by the Department of Government Efficient (DOGE) initiative. Attendees will be asked to share their experience or strategies that demonstrate the effectiveness of homelessness programs. The session will highlight opportunities to demonstrate efficiency and effectiveness of housing programs.
SPEAKER: Ann Oliva, CEO, National Alliance to End Homelessness
MODERATOR/FACILITATOR: Tess Hembree, Executive Director, COSCDA
Closeouts & Managing Program Income
The presenter in this session will review the process, checklist, and steps necessary to closeout CDBG-DR grant awards. This session will also include information about how states can use program income whenever that occurs and how it is managed after a DR project closeout. This session will assure that states know how to comply with HUD’s program requirements.
SPEAKER: Chris Narducci, Director, ICF
MODERATOR: Jenny B. Mason, Director of Community Development and Disaster Recovery, Nebraska Department of Economic Development
Eastern Region Lunch
STATES: Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Vermont
FACILITATOR: Katherine Easterly Martey, COSCDA Board, New Hampshire
Southern Region Lunch
STATES: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia
FACTILITATOR: Kimberly Carter, COSCDA Board, Georgia
Western Region Lunch
STATES: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming
FACILITATOR: Pauletta Bourne, COSCDA Board, Alaska
Midwestern Region Lunch
STATES: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, Oklahoma, and Wisconsin
FACILITATOR: Debbie Feeback, COSCDA Board, Missouri
New Directions for the 119th Congress
The President and HUD are not the only key leadership that impacts federal programs. This session will have a panel of Congressional staffers to highlight the priorities and anticipated actions of the legislative branch. This information will help COSCDA members advocate effectively to meet housing and community development needs.
This session will also include closing remarks from COSCDA’s Executive Director, Tess Hembree
Prepping for Dialog with HUD Senior Officials
In the transition to new leadership in the White House and at HUD, states will have many questions and there are topics and policy changes that states want clarified. This session will be an opportunity to gather a list of questions and issues that COSCDA members would like to discuss with HUD senior officials. Come prepared to voice your concerns for this dialog.
MODERATOR: Suzanne Barnard, Director for CDBG Programs, Texas Department of Agriculture
Prepping for Dialog with HUD Senior Officials
In the transition to new leadership in the White House and at HUD, states will have many questions and there are topics and policy changes that states want clarified. This session will be an opportunity to gather a list of questions and issues that COSCDA members would like to discuss with HUD senior officials. Come prepared to voice your concerns for this dialog.
MODERATOR: Rebecca Frawley Wachtel, Tax Credit and HOME Program Director, Massachusetts Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities
Prepping for Dialog with HUD Senior Officials
In the transition to new leadership in the White House and at HUD, states will have many questions and there are topics and policy changes that states want clarified. This session will be an opportunity to gather a list of questions and issues that COSCDA members would like to discuss with HUD senior officials. Come prepared to voice your concerns for this dialog.
MODERATOR: Janice Waddell, Assistant Deputy Director, California Department of Housing and Community Development
Prepping for Dialog with HUD Senior Officials
In the transition to new leadership in the White House and at HUD, states will have many questions and there are topics and policy changes that states want clarified. This session will be an opportunity to gather a list of questions and issues that COSCDA members would like to discuss with HUD senior officials. Come prepared to voice your concerns for this dialog.
MODERATOR: Heather Lagrone, Senior Deputy Director, Texas General Land Office
COSCDA represents the leadership role of the states as the premier voice of authority to Congress, federal and state agencies in advocating and promoting community development and affordable housing, eliminating homelessness and in providing technical assistance and increasing collaboration among state partners.
Advocate for the common community development goals of the states;
Develop policies and recommendations on community development issues;
Keep members informed on federal and state legislative and administrative developments that affect them;
Enhance the capacity of states to deal effectively and comprehensively with community development issues;
Ensure the availability of community development expertise to members;
Encourage and assist states in the development and implementation of effective community development programs; and
Facilitate the exchange of information about programs and achievements among states
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