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Community Development, Housing, and Homelessness
Program Managers Training Conference
Agenda
February 24-25, 2020
Sunday, February 23, 2020
4:30 p.m. –
6:00 p.m.
COSCDA Board Meeting - Open to all conference attendees
Location: Foxhall Ballroom
Monday, February 24, 2020
7:30 a.m. –
Noon Registration/Coffee and Tea Service
8:30 a.m. –
10:00 a.m. Opening Plenary – All Conference Attendees
Welcome and Washington Update
Location: Dupont Ballroom
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) deputy assistant
secretaries will provide an overview of recent HUD policy and program actions and
priorities in the coming year.
Speakers:
David Woll, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Community Planning and
Development, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
John G. Bravacos, General Deputy Assistant Secretary, Community Planning
and Development, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
Moderator:
Steve Hardin, COSCDA President and Director of Community Services
Division, Mississippi Development Authority
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10:00 a.m. –
10:45 a.m. COSCDA Federal Update - All Conference Attendees
Location: Dupont Ballroom
Hear COSCDA staff provide an update on Congressional actions and legislation being
debated on the Hill, and program changes being developed by HUD and other federal
agencies.
Speaker:
Josh Shumaker, Director of Advocacy & Federal Programs, COSCDA
Moderator:
Steve Hardin, COSCDA President and Director of Community Services
Division, Mississippi Development Authority
10:45 a.m. –
11:00 a.m. Networking Break (No Refreshments)
Take advantage of this opportunity to engage with your colleagues to exchange program
information and share effective strategies.
11:00 a.m. –
12:30 p.m. Concurrent Sessions – Choose One
Community Development: Using CDBG for Broadband and Opportunity Zone
Update
Location: Dupont Ballroom
This session will cover how CDBG funds can be used to provide increased access to
broadband in non-entitlement areas. Also, this session will highlight state activities to
promote development in federally-designated Opportunity Zones.
Speakers:
James E. Höemann, Director, Entitlement Communities Division, Office of
Block Grant Assistance, Community Planning and Development,
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
Geoffrey Armes, Community Planning and Development Specialist, Office of
Block Grant Assistance, Community Planning and Development,
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
Tamarah Holmes, Director, Office of Broadband, Virginia Department of
Housing and Community Development
Leslie Leager, Division Coordinator, Iowa Economic Development Authority
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Moderator:
Deborah Johnson, COSCDA Board Member and Director, Office of
Community Development, Maine Department of Economic and Community
Development
Housing: HOME Monitoring Guide
Location: Kalorama Meeting Room (2nd Floor)
This session will provide an overview of the recently updated HOME Monitoring
Guide and give states guidance on how to perform a self-assessment. This resource
is an effective tool to assure that states are complying with the program regulations.
Speakers:
Virginia Sardone, Director, Office of Affordable Housing Programs,
Community Planning and Development, U.S. Department of Housing and
Urban Development
Martha Murray, Senior Affordable Housing Specialist, Office of Affordable
Housing Programs, Community Planning and Development, U.S. Department
of Housing and Urban Development
Moderator:
Gloria Paradise, Director of Housing Grant Programs, New Hampshire
Housing Finance Authority
Homelessness: Addressing Youth Homelessness
Location: Glover Park Ballroom
HUD staff will describe the Youth Homelessness Demonstration Grant Program and
the status of funding opportunities, as well as recent learning derived from this
initiative. Additionally, COSCDA member states will present information about their
rural, balance of state, youth homelessness projects funded by HUD.
Speakers:
Nili Soni, Division Director, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban
Development
Scott Gary, Supportive Housing Manager, Ohio Development Services
Agency
Shaye Rabold, Program Manager, Kentucky Housing Corporation
Moderator:
Suzanne Korff, Program Officer, Maryland Department of Housing and
Community Development
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12:30 p.m. –
2:00 p.m. Lunch on Your Own
We encourage you to join with your colleagues to explore the many delightful dining
options available near the Dupont Circle Hotel.
2:00 p.m. –
3:30 p.m. Concurrent Sessions – Choose One
Community Development: NSP and CDBG Grant Closeouts
Location: Dupont Ballroom
NSP closeouts are a priority concern for HUD which will be discussed along with
regular CDBG closeouts. HUD staff will address a list of issues and concerns raised
by COSCDA members, as well as highlight changes in DRGR that are part of the
closeout process.
Speakers:
Njeri Santana-Carter, Community Planning and Development Specialist,
Office of Block Grant Assistance, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban
Development
Andrala Walker, Community Planning and Development Specialist, Office of
Block Grant Assistance, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
Traci Watts, COSCDA Board Member and Director, Louisiana Office of
Community Development
Moderator:
Suzanne Barnard, COSCDA Board Member and Director for CDBG
Programs, Texas Department of Agriculture, Office of Rural Affairs
Housing: Green and Sustainable Building
Location: Kalorama Meeting Room (2nd Floor)
Passive House construction and conversion of storage containers into affordable
housing will be presented in this session. Passive House construction will be
described and how Pennsylvania has implemented incentives to promote it.
Enterprise Community Partners will highlight its 2020 Green Communities Criteria,
moving to deeper levels of energy efficiency using renewables and reaching for net
zero energy. The third speaker will discuss Virginia’s initiative to convert storage
containers into affordable housing.
Speakers:
Stan Salwocki, Manager of Architecture and Engineering, Pennsylvania
Housing Finance Agency
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Shelby O’Neill, Program Officer, Enterprise Community Partners
Chris Thompson, Director of Strategic Housing, Virginia Housing
Development Authority
Moderator:
Rebecca Frawley Wachtel, COSCDA Board Member and Tax Credit and
HOME Program Director, Massachusetts Department of Housing and
Community Development
Homelessness: Issues Impacting Unsheltered Homelessness and Difficult to Serve
Subpopulations
Location: Glover Park Ballroom
HUD staff will discuss difficulties with encampments and related health concerns.
The session will also cover utilization of existing shelter capacity and difficult to
serve subpopulations of the homeless. These subpopulations include persons with
mental illness, homeless with pets, and an increasingly elderly homeless (including
medically frail) population.
Speakers:
Brett Esders, Senior Program Specialist, U.S. Department of Housing and
Urban Development
Nicolé McCay, Federal Branch Section Chief, California Department of
Housing and Community Development
Moderator:
Matthew LaMantia, COSCDA Board Member and Deputy Chief, Ohio
Development Services, Office of Community Development
3:30 p.m. –
3:45 p.m. Networking Break (No Refreshments)
Take advantage of this opportunity to engage with your colleagues to exchange program
information and share effective strategies.
3:45 p.m. –
5:00 p.m. COSCDA Committee and Subcommittee Meetings
All conference participants are encouraged to attend COSCDA committee meetings.
COSCDA committee meetings play an integral part in shaping the organizational
policy. Attend the session of your choice and help shape the future of your
association.
Committees will be briefed on legislative and policy issues impacting their programs,
appropriations, and other program related issues.
*Community Development Committee will meet on Tuesday, at 10:15 a.m.*
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Eastern Region
Facilitator:
Cindy Stone
COSCDA Board
Maryland
States
Connecticut,
Delaware, Maine,
Maryland,
Massachusetts, New
Hampshire, New
Jersey, New York,
Pennsylvania, Rhode
Island, and Vermont
Southern Region
Facilitator:
Traci Watts
COSCDA Board
Louisiana
States
Alabama, Arkansas,
Florida, Georgia,
Kentucky,
Louisiana,
Mississippi, North
Carolina, Puerto
Rico, South
Carolina,
Tennessee, Texas,
Virginia, and West
Virginia
Western Region
Facilitator:
Pauletta Bourne
COSCDA Board
Alaska
States
Alaska, Arizona,
California,
Colorado, Idaho,
Montana, Nevada,
New Mexico,
North Dakota,
Oregon, South
Dakota, Utah,
Washington, and
Wyoming
Midwestern
Region
Facilitator:
Christine Whitz
COSCDA Board
Michigan
States
Illinois, Indiana,
Iowa, Kansas,
Michigan,
Minnesota,
Missouri,
Nebraska, Ohio,
Oklahoma, and
Wisconsin
Committee Meeting:
Disaster Recovery
Subcommittee
Location: Dupont
Ballroom
Committee Meeting:
Housing
Location: Kalorama
Meeting Room
Committee Meeting:
Homelessness
Location: Glover Park
Ballroom
5:00 p.m. –
6:00 p.m. Networking Reception – All Conference Attendees
Location: Fox Hall Ballroom
Meet and greet your colleagues attending the housing, community development, and
homelessness conferences.
6:00 p.m. Regional Dinners – on your own
We encourage you to join your colleagues from your region (a list of COSCDA
Regions is included as a part of your conference packet) to explore the many
delightful dining options available near the hotel as you discuss organizational issues
and initiatives and share information about regionally important topics in a casual
environment. Note: See your COSCDA Regional Representative to confirm your
attendance.
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Tuesday, February 25, 2020
8:00 a.m. -
4:00 p.m. Registration
8:00 a.m. –
10:30 a.m. Coffee and Tea Service
8:30 a.m. -
10:00 a.m. Concurrent Sessions Cross-Cutting Topics – Choose One
Grant Management Systems for States
Location: Dupont Ballroom
State administrators with experience using some of the major electronic grants
management systems will discuss pros and cons of these systems. Presenters will
discuss how the system generate reports and info to input into IDIS. One state is
developing a system that will integrate and upload into IDIS.
Speakers:
Mark Williams, Compliance Branch Manager, Kentucky Department for
Local Government
Janice Waddell, COSCDA Board Member and Section Chief, Grants
Management, California Department of Housing and Community
Development
Cheryl Brown, CDBG Program Manager, Utah Department of Workforce
Services, Housing and Community Development Division
Donna Enrico, Chief, Community Development Operations, Pennsylvania
Department of Community & Economic Development
Moderator:
Joanie Perry-Ward, COSCDA Board Member and Director, Community
Finance Division, Georgia Department of Community Affairs
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Complying with Uniform Administrative Regulation (2 CFR 200)
Location: Glover Park Ballroom
HUD staff and state administrators will discuss compliance with a few key
components of the Uniform Administrative Regulation, including procurement, and
subrecipient monitoring requirements.
Speakers:
Robert Peterson, Senior Community Planning and Development, Office of
Block Grant Assistance, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
Kathy Possinger, COSCDA Board Member and Director, Pennsylvania
Department of Community and Economic Development
Laura Sullivan, Assistant Chief, State of Rhode Island, Office of Housing and
Community Development
Moderator:
Jean Noble, COSCDA Board Member and Director, Grants Division,
Arkansas Economic Development Commission
Housing Counseling – Effective Implementation beyond New Rule
Location: Kalorama Meeting Room (2nd Floor)
Review the HUD Housing Counseling Certification rule and examine the HUD CPD
programs covered by the rule, including HOME, CDBG, CoC, and ESG. This session
will cover compliance with new regulations and go beyond to discuss how housing
counseling can be an effective resource for other activities such as disaster recovery,
foreclosure prevention, and landlord/tenant relationships.
Speakers:
Jerrold H. Mayer, Director, Office of Capacity Building, U.S. Department of
Housing and Urban Development
Shawna LaRue Moraille, Principal, ICF
Russell Graves, Executive Director, Consumer Credit and Budget Counseling,
Inc.
Patrick Noonan, Program Manager, Brothers Redevelopment, Inc.
Moderator:
Matthew LaMantia, COSCDA Board Member and Deputy Chief, Ohio
Development Services, Office of Community Development
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10:00 a.m. -
10:15 a.m. Networking Break (No Refreshments)
Take advantage of this opportunity to engage with your colleagues to exchange program
information and share effective strategies.
10:15 a.m. -
11:45 a.m. Concurrent Sessions – Choose One
Environmental Review: Critical Issues, Proposed Changes, & HEROS Update
Location: Dupont Ballroom
HUD staff will address issues and concerns raised by COSCDA’s working group on
ER and provide an update on proposed federal changes to the ER process. This
session will also cover how to coordinate difficult environmental reviews (Housing
Trust Fund projects in particular). HUD staff will demonstrate changes to the
HEROS system, confirming that it is not being mandated for states. Also, HUD staff
will lead a discussion seeking recommended changes to Part 50 and 58.
Speakers:
Danielle Schopp, Director, Office of Environment and Energy, U.S.
Department of Housing and Urban Development
Lauren McNamara, Environmental Review Division Director, U.S.
Department of Housing and Urban Development
Lauren Hayes Knutson, Environmental Specialist, U.S. Department of
Housing and Urban Development
Moderator:
Traci Watts, COSCDA Board Member and Director, Louisiana Office of
Community Development
Community Development Committee Meeting and Community Development
Block Grant Modernization/Reforms
Location: Kalorama Meeting Room (2nd Floor)
COSCDA has recently engaged members on recommendations to improve CDBG,
including enhancing administrative processes and strengthening resources. The
session will detail priorities and next steps to update the program. Additional
discussion will involve an overview of new advocacy priorities, follow-up from
September’s administrative issues session, and Community Development Week
engagement.
Moderator:
Joanie Perry-Ward, COSCDA Board Member and Director, Community
Finance Division, Georgia Department of Community Affairs
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Coordinated Entry: Best Practice and Reassessing What Works
Location: Glover Park Ballroom
This session will start with a brief overview of the characteristics of coordinated entry
from around the country and a couple states will present their coordinated entry
process in rural, balance of state areas. A significant portion of the session will be a
roundtable to discuss attendees experience with coordinated entry, sharing their
experiences as to what procedures/elements are working and what is not working.
Speakers:
Leigh Howard, President, Diana T. Myers and Associates, Inc.
Davis Schofield, Continuum of Care Administrator, South Dakota Housing
Development Authority
Ryan Vernick, Continuum of Care Coordinator, Arizona Department of
Housing
Moderator:
Nichele Carver, Program Manager, Virginia Department of Housing &
Community Development
11:45 a.m. –
1:00 p.m. Joint Networking Lunch – All Conference Attendees
Location: Fox Hall Ballroom
1:00 p.m. –
2:10 p.m. Plenary Session – All Conference Attendees
National Perspectives on Community Development, Housing, and Homelessness
Issues
Location: Dupont Ballroom
Hear national housing and community development experts discuss public opinions
on housing, provide an outlook for infrastructure programs in 2020, and national
perspectives on the issues impacting community development, housing, and
homelessness programs.
Speakers:
Mike Koprowski, National Campaign Director, National Low Income Housing
Coalition
Joseph Kane, Associate Fellow, The Brookings Institution
James S. McCleskey, Director, North Carolina Washington Office
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Moderator:
Alison George, COSCDA Board Member and Housing Director, Colorado
Department of Local Affairs
2:10 p.m. –
2:35 p.m. Plenary Session – All Conference Attendees
2020 Political Outlook
Location: Dupont Ballroom
This speaker will provide an overview of national politics in this election year and
will anticipate its potential impact on policy, legislation, and administrative actions.
Speaker:
Kyle Kondik, Managing Editor, Sabato’s Crystal Ball, University of Virginia
Center for Politics
Moderator:
Alison George, COSCDA Board Member and Housing Director, Colorado
Department of Local Affairs
2:35 pm –
2:45 pm
Plenary Session – All Conference Attendees
COSCDA President’s Remarks Location: Dupont Ballroom
Steve Hardin, COSCDA President and Director of Community Services
Division, Mississippi Development Authority
2:45 p.m. –
3:00 p.m. Networking Break (No Refreshments)
Take advantage of this opportunity to engage with your colleagues to exchange program
information and share effective strategies.
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3:00 p.m. –
4:30 p.m. Concurrent Sessions – Choose One
Briefing with HUD CDBG Officials
Location: Dupont Ballroom
The Director of the Office of Block Grant Assistance will provide an update on
program guidance, regulations, and the funding outlook affecting the Community
Development Block Grant Program, as well as CDBG-DR, NSP, and SUPPORT Act
funding.
Speaker:
Jessie Handforth Kome, Acting Director, Office of Block Grant Assistance,
Community Planning and Development, U.S. Department of Housing and
Urban Development
Moderator:
Joanie Perry-Ward, COSCDA Board Member and Director, Community
Finance Division, Georgia Department of Community Affairs
Briefing with HUD HOME/HTF Officials
Location: Kalorama Meeting Room (2nd Floor)
The Director of the Office of Affordable Housing Programs and staff will provide an
update on program guidance, regulations, and funding outlook affecting the HOME
Investment Partnerships and Housing Trust Fund programs.
Speakers:
Virginia Sardone, Director, Office of Affordable Housing Programs,
Community Planning and Development, U.S. Department of Housing and
Urban Development
Peter Huber, Deputy Director, Office of Affordable Housing Programs,
Community Planning and Development, U.S. Department of Housing and
Urban Development
Henrietta Owusu, Director, Program Policy Division, Office of Affordable
Housing Programs, Community Planning and Development, U.S. Department
of Housing and Urban Development
Vashawn Banks, Financial and Information Services Director, Office of
Affordable Housing Programs, Community Planning and Development, U.S.
Department of Housing and Urban Development
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Moderator:
Rebecca Frawley Wachtel, COSCDA Board Member and HOME/Tax Credit
Programs Director, Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community
Development
Briefing with HUD SNAPS Officials
Location: Glover Park Ballroom
The Director of the Office of Special Needs Programs will provide an update on
program guidance, regulations, and funding outlook affecting HUD’s Homelessness
programs.
Speaker:
Norm Suchar, Director, Office of Special Needs Assistance Programs, U.S.
Department of Housing and Urban Development
Moderator:
Kathy Possinger, COSCDA Board Member and Director, Pennsylvania
Department of Community and Economic Development