Community Development Experts

CDE conducts basic and advanced training courses in IDIS as well as on-site technical assistance.  The basic course is Learning IDIS: A Course for IDIS Beginners and the advanced course is IDIS for Skilled Users.  These sessions are typically filled to capacity and usually produce sizeable wait lists of potential attendees. Each of the training courses provides a comprehensive learning experience for the basic and advanced participants.  The courses are also designed to provide both finance and program staff with necessary exposure and practice on system features related to their expected IDIS duties and responsibilities.  Combined with an inter-active light hearted training method, these courses have proven to be effective at imparting a successful training/learning experience for workshop participants.

“The IDIS training was the best I've been to so thank you very much for offering it.”

Project Coordinator, City of Salem Massachusetts

"I just wanted you to know that I got some feed back from some of the trainees about the IDIS training and they told me that you and your partner made an awesome training team. Well coordinated, very knowledgeable. They particularly liked when one was teaching the other was watching assisting those that were stuck or a little behind you were able to keep it moving, but not overwhelming them with too much at a time.”

HUD Field Office HUD Staff

Our technical assistance service is directed towards problem solving by working directly with grantee IDIS data in combination with other grantee financial and program documents. 

CDE provides support services to grantees on preparing the CAPER including training and document development.  In addition to the required narratives essential to the CAPER, CDE also ensures that outputs related to housing, community development, and public service are accurately captured in IDIS.  Some of our services include accomplishment and beneficiary data updates in IDIS and generation and submission of required IDIS reports in addition to the full CAPER document.

CDE provides support to grantees responsible for preparing Environmental Review Records in compliance with HUD regulations defined at 24.C.F.R. Part 58.  CDE is capable of onsite review of projects to determine their scope and applicability to the requirements of the standards for the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).   This includes making Exempt or Categorically Excluded determinations from NEPA requirements and assistance in the preparation of Environmental Assessments, Environmental Impact Statements, Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) and Request for Release of Funds Notice.

CDE provides training to grantees undertaking projects which trigger requirements of the Relocation and Real Properties Acquisition.  Emphasis is placed on real estate appraisals and timeliness of notices to tenants and property owners of the rights under the Act. 

CDE is also available to conduct tenant/neighborhood meetings to apprise tenants and owners of their rights under the act in an effort to protect against relocation payment claims as a result of displacement.

CDE offers training on the CDBG program with a primary emphasis on comprehending the regulations and knowing how to locate relevant information.  Training focuses on  relating complex regulation language to real world projects undertaken by grantees.