The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has announced the allocation of $73 million in cooperative agreements under the Community Compass Technical Assistance and Capacity Building Program. This funding is directed towards 34 non-profit and for-profit organizations, including six new participants, to assist HUD grantees such as local governments and housing agencies in effectively utilizing HUD resources to improve access to affordable housing across the nation.
"Under this Administration, we are focused on ensuring our local and state partners can deliver outcomes for the American people," stated HUD Agency Head Adrianne Todman. "Today, we announce $73 million to empower our stakeholders by providing tailored support to improve program effectiveness."
The Community Compass initiative aims to strengthen the capacity of HUD grantees, local governments, and community stakeholders through specialized technical assistance (TA). This effort supports municipalities nationwide by equipping them with necessary tools for long-term capacity building.
"HUD's TA helps empower local communities and support them in developing innovative, equitable, evidence-based, and data-driven solutions to their housing and economic development challenges," said Solomon Greene, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy Development and Research. "TA funds have been used by communities across the country to maximize the impact of HUD funding, policies and programs and make sure they respond to the needs of people who face the greatest barriers to housing stability, affordability and opportunity."
The awarded funds will enable qualified organizations to provide technical assistance and capacity-building support to various stakeholders including Indian tribes, multifamily housing owners, public housing authorities, among others. The initiative encompasses investments from several HUD offices such as Community Planning and Development (CPD), Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity (FHEO), Public and Indian Housing (PIH), along with Policy Development and Research (PD&R).
Some examples of tools developed with CCTA support include the Community Resiliency Toolkit for enhancing resilience against climate-related risks; Build for the Future Navigator which is a database identifying funding opportunities; and Client-Centered Data Collection Approach: Virtual Reality Series offering training for data collection personnel.
Community Compass also provides direct assistance in addressing critical issues within communities. In McKean County, Pennsylvania, CCTA facilitated fair housing training aimed at equal access for persons with disabilities.
Organizations receiving Community Compass TA funds include ABT Global ($12.6 million), ICF Incorporated ($13 million), Cloudburst ($5.8 million), among others listed with specific award amounts.
