State Departments of Community Affairs (DCA's) Financial Management Capacity Sharing: Local Government Needs Summary

摘要

This report represents a portion of the work contracted by HUD to provide the information necessary to develop a program to help local governments construct more efficient and effective financial management practices. The Council of State Community Affairs Agencies (COSCAA) was contracted to provide input in the needs assessment process concerning financial management problems confronted by local governments. COSCAA is the national organization representing State executive agencies of commmunity affairs. The State Departments of Community Affairs (DCA's) are responsible for a variety of local assistance functions in community development. In its needs assessment strategy, COSCAA sponsored two workshop sessions and prepared case studies to identify the most pressing local financial management needs and promote information exchange among the States. Additionally, the work plan called for COSCAA participation in a 2 - day HUD - sponsored national conference to achieve a consensus with the other public interest group participants on priority local government financial management problems. Ten State DCA's were selected to participate in COSCAA's needs identification case studies. Selection criteria are indicated. The needs found in these case studies are listed and prioritized. Results are also reported from the two workshops and the national conference. In addition, existing DCA resources and suggested programmatic responses are discussed. The appendices contain the following: a description of HUD's Financial Management Capacity Sharing Program, a list of attendees at each of the workshops and representatives to the national conference, workshop agendas, a guideline memorandum for case study preparation, an overview of problems and problem statements, a consolidated list of priority problems, and results memorandums on the workshops and the national conference.