Service Lines
Section 3 Compliance & S3R Reporting
Section 3 requires that HUD-funded projects over certain thresholds prioritize economic opportunities for low- and very low-income workers and businesses. For CPD-funded projects including CDBG and HOME, compliance means accurate labor hour tracking, subrecipient documentation, and IDIS reporting. The Dean Group provides Section 3 training, compliance plan development, subrecipient oversight support, and ongoing technical assistance to help CPD grantees meet their obligations and avoid findings.
Our principal delivered more than 20 Section 3 training sessions nationally during her tenure at ICF Incorporated, redesigned Section 3 curriculum for CPD grantee and subrecipient audiences, and served on HUD's AAQ desk responding to complex Section 3 compliance questions on behalf of HUD. That depth of experience is what The Dean Group brings to every Section 3 engagement.
Environmental Review (Part 58)
Every CPD-funded project requires a completed environmental review before federal funds can be committed or expended. Without it, no funds can flow and no project can proceed. The Dean Group conducts Part 58 environmental reviews for housing rehabilitation, new construction, and community development projects including Categorical Exclusions Subject to 58.5 (CESTs), Environmental Assessments, and complex tiered reviews.
Our reviews navigate the full spectrum of cross-cutting federal requirements including floodplain management under the Federal Flood Risk Management Standard, historic preservation under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, noise, contamination, and endangered species considerations. We document findings accurately, prepare complete Environmental Review Records, and ensure your project is cleared to proceed on schedule.
Our principal completed 15 to 20 Part 58 environmental reviews independently for a HUD-funded affordable housing developer in South Carolina, with named references available. That hands-on experience across multiple project types is what The Dean Group brings to every environmental review engagement.
HOME & HOME-ARP Program Compliance
The 2025 HOME Final Rule is the most significant update to the program since 2013, creating immediate compliance complexity for every participating jurisdiction. Key changes include expanded CHDO eligibility requirements, new §92.203 income determination safe harbors, updated inspection standards, and revised tenant protections under §92.253. The Dean Group provides HOME program administration support, income determination guidance, long-term affordability monitoring, underwriting and subsidy layering review, subrecipient oversight, and allocation plan support for HOME-ARP grantees.
Our principal developed HOME-ARP compliance guidance for elected officials during her tenure at ICF Incorporated that was featured on the White House website and distributed to all 651 participating jurisdictions nationally. She delivered HOME-ARP training to the full national PJ audience and has deep familiarity with the regulatory transitions every HOME grantee is navigating right now. That expertise is what The Dean Group brings to every HOME engagement.
CDBG & CDBG-DR Program Administration
Community Development Block Grant and its disaster recovery counterpart represent some of the most complex and high-stakes federal housing compliance work available. National objectives documentation, timeliness ratio management, and subrecipient oversight each carry real risk when administered incorrectly. Falling below the 1.5 timeliness ratio, failing to document national objectives, or missing a subrecipient finding can put your entire program at risk. The Dean Group provides comprehensive CDBG and CDBG-DR program administration support including national objectives documentation, timeliness management, subrecipient monitoring and oversight, consolidated plan and action plan development, grant management, and IDIS reporting support.
Our principal served as Compliance Officer for the City of Columbia, South Carolina's CDBG entitlement program, managing all aspects of subrecipient oversight, crosscutting federal requirements, and compliance administration including projects that funded infrastructure improvements, park enhancements, and small business support across the community. During her tenure at ICF Incorporated she worked extensively on CDBG, CDBG-DR, and CDBG-CV, leading development of the program administration plan for Guam's CDBG-DR grant, serving as training lead for CDBG-CV webinars, drafting training materials adopted by all TA firms working with HUD on that project, coordinating delivery of more than 10 in-person training sessions nationally, and managing reporting back to HUD. That combination of direct compliance administration and national technical assistance experience is what The Dean Group brings to every CDBG and CDBG-DR engagement.
Technical Assistance & Training
Technical assistance and training are not add-on services for The Dean Group. They are core competencies built through four years of national level curriculum development and training delivery at one of HUD's premier technical assistance primes. The Dean Group designs training from scratch, adapts existing curriculum for new audiences, delivers virtual and in-person sessions, creates written guidance documents and compliance toolkits, and builds communities of practice that extend learning beyond the training room.
Our principal's training portfolio spans the full spectrum of HUD CPD programs including Section 3, Environmental Review, CDBG, CDBG-CV, HOME, HOME-ARP, Davis-Bacon, and IDIS. During her tenure at ICF Incorporated she built IDIS training from scratch for the State of Nevada, developed the CDBG-CV training curriculum adopted by all TA firms working with HUD and delivered across more than 10 in-person sessions nationally, and coordinated the delivery of 17 HOME-ARP training sessions across the country over a two week period while simultaneously delivering that training herself in Atlanta, Chicago, and Puerto Rico. She also designed and facilitated Moving to Work cohort onboarding and peer learning communities for HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research.
The Dean Group brings that same capacity for high quality, high volume training delivery to every engagement whether that means a single targeted workshop for your compliance staff or a multi-city training series for your subrecipient network.
Practical AI for HUD Compliance Workshop
Practical AI for HUD Compliance is a half-day virtual workshop designed specifically for nonprofit housing staff administering HOME programs. Participants learn to use AI tools for income calculations, monitoring readiness, tenant file review, regulatory interpretation, and internal audit preparation. No technical background required. Participants leave with a working knowledge of how to apply AI tools to the compliance tasks they face every day.
Organizations completing the workshop receive a 15% discount on their first Dean Group compliance consultation.
Pricing: Virtual single organization two hours $500-750 · Virtual half-day $850-1,200 · Open enrollment per participant $75-125 · In-person half-day $1,200-1,800 plus travel
Office Hours & Retainer
The Dean Group offers two flexible options for organizations that need compliance support without a full project engagement.
Office Hours are a 30-minute focused consultation available to any CPD grantee, subrecipient, or nonprofit housing organization with a pressing compliance question across any HUD CPD program including CDBG, HOME, HOME-ARP, Section 3, Environmental Review, Davis-Bacon, and IDIS. Designed for the question that keeps you up at night. Thirty minutes with someone who has seen it before can save hours of uncertainty. Book via Calendly on the Contact page.
Office Hours pricing: $75-100 per 30-minute session.
For organizations with recurring compliance needs, The Dean Group offers monthly retainer arrangements providing guaranteed hours of on-call compliance support with priority response.
Retainer pricing: Starter: 3 hours per month $375-450 · Standard: 6 hours per month $700-800 · Plus: 10 hours per month $1,100-1,250
Contact us to discuss which option fits your needs.
