Staff Training Case Study

BACKGROUND

A major city responsible for administering a variety of housing loan programs was experiencing a lack of consistency in analytical work performed by its staff, and concerned that rapidly evolving market conditions were not being adequately considered in its decision making process.  The city sought additional staff training to address these conditions.

SPECIFIC CHALLENGES

Due to staff turnover and varied prior professional experience, city staff members had varying levels of knowledge about current market conditions, optimal financing strategies, and the detailed underwriting process for affordable housing development.  While some staff members had extensive financial analysis strengths, others were more experienced in practical development considerations or planning issues.  The goal of the training was to provide a broad ranging yet practical overview of the development process and financing tools, preferably through the use of current market case studies.

STRATEGY & SOLUTION

Veloce Partners prepared a training curriculum that included program background on key funding programs, a comparison of key features and decision-making criteria, and real-world case studies to demonstrate the structuring and analysis process from a development perspective.  The training program also included hands-on financial modeling and analysis case studies that were completed individually and in small groups to reinforce the learning process.  Through this training the city achieved several positive outcomes including improved staff productivity and work quality, and was able to reduce its reliance on outside consultants to perform routine due diligence reviews.