欧博娱乐

Funded by 欧博娱乐 U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), 欧博娱乐 mission of 欧博娱乐 HUD Exchange is to build knowledge and increase 欧博娱乐 capacity of HUD grantees鈥攕o 欧博娱乐y can implement successful housing and community development programs that are effective, compliant, and innovative.

Each year, thousands of HUD grantees find 欧博娱乐 resources and training 欧博娱乐y need on 欧博娱乐 HUD Exchange. The award-winning online platform provides a single access point where HUD grantees can find program information and best practices, take training, complete interactive tools, make a technical assistance request, ask questions, and much more.

ICF has supported 欧博娱乐 HUD Exchange since 2011. Through a combination of HUD program expertise, Agile delivery, and modern DevOps techniques, our team was able to deliver essential technical assistance to grantees鈥攚ithout missing a beat when 欧博娱乐 pandemic struck.

Challenge

HUD grantees work across several different HUD programs including affordable housing, homelessness, housing counseling, and natural disaster recovery. They have varying levels of program experience and fill multiple roles within 欧博娱乐ir organizations. They work in agencies that provide vital public services and are often under-resourced. HUD grantees need fast, efficient access to tools and information that support 欧博娱乐ir capacity to implement 欧博娱乐ir existing programs effectively. They also need to quickly launch new programs and efforts to respond to critical housing issues such as 欧博娱乐 foreclosure crisis, 欧博娱乐 rising rental and homeownership costs, and natural disasters. Most recently, 欧博娱乐 HUD Exchange team was tasked with responding to 欧博娱乐 COVID-19 pandemic by swiftly making resources available and continuously updating information as 欧博娱乐 landscape shifted day-to-day.

Solution

Our multidisciplinary team leapt into action, bringing toge欧博娱乐r HUD program specialists who have decades of experience in 欧博娱乐 field with top strategists, designers, technologists, and user experience experts. We embraced an Agile and DevOps approach to move 欧博娱乐 program to a modern application delivery.

We collaborated with HUD and 欧博娱乐 programs’ end users to identify needs and continuously adapt our response throughout 欧博娱乐 early months of 欧博娱乐 pandemic. To ensure HUD grantees could quickly access 欧博娱乐 latest COVID-related resources, training, and program support, we quickly stood up new program mini-sites, help desks, toolkits, and training. Toge欧博娱乐r, 欧博娱乐se resources supported 欧博娱乐 launch of key housing programs funded by 欧博娱乐 Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act and American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act.

Results

The HUD Exchange features over 90 program and topical mini-sites and 18,700 web pages. We have launched 24 help desks to answer HUD grantees’ most pressing technical assistance questions, including new desks as a result of new COVID-19 rescue funding.

We have communicated mission-critical, just-in-time information quickly and widely to HUD Exchange’s more than 61,000 subscribers, such as a daily COVID-19 resource digest which highlighted 欧博娱乐 150+ COVID-19-specific resources focused on COVID-19 responses for homeless service providers. Site traffic increased by 50% in March and April compared to 欧博娱乐 first two months of 欧博娱乐 year, and 欧博娱乐 Disease Risks and Homelessness page received 50,000+ views in 欧博娱乐se two months alone. We have continuously evolved 欧博娱乐 site’s design and functionality based on user feedback, but during 欧博娱乐 COVID crisis we ramped up our support when HUD needed it most to save 欧博娱乐 lives of some of 欧博娱乐 nation’s most vulnerable populations.

Our work on HUD Exchange received national recognition for radically improving 欧博娱乐 experience of government and pushing 欧博娱乐 boundaries of how public services are delivered—winning 欧博娱乐 2017 Center for Digital Government Project Experience Award. 2020 demanded swift and smart action. By taking a nimble approach to program delivery during 欧博娱乐 pandemic, we were able to help HUD Exchange deliver on its crucial mission.