The Compass Group

What The Compass Group does

The Compass Group, LLC is a privately held niche consulting firm headquartered in Arlington, Virginia (2100 Crystal Drive, Suite 675), that provides expert advisory services to government and non-profit clients on the long-term success of affordable multifamily housing. The firm's client base consists primarily of federal agencies including HUD and USDA, state housing boards, municipal housing authorities, and non-profit housing organizations operating affordable multifamily housing. The firm was established around 2011 (per company-website copyright) and operates as an independent LLC with no external institutional investors, no subsidiaries, and no public listing.

The firm delivers three core consulting service lines: Policy Studies and Analysis (portfolio studies, policy analysis, and economic modeling); Data, Reporting and Measures (multifamily data collection and analysis with early-warning reporting); and Program Design and Support for Government Clients (design and implementation support for affordable rental housing programs, including expert underwriting of workouts and new investments). Representative engagements include the Millennial Housing Commission, a Public Housing Cost Study, the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board, the State of Mississippi, NeighborWorks America, Louisiana's Piggyback Program, the Mark-to-Market and Green Retrofit Program, HUD's HOME Program, and USDA's Multifamily Portfolio Revitalization. The firm has also authored three industry-reference publications—the Fair Housing Guidebook (2nd Edition, 350+ pages), Managing Occupancy: A Companion Guide to HUD's Occupancy Handbook (500 cross-referenced pages), and Shelter From the Storm—which serve as reference standards for affordable housing professionals.

The business model is project-based consulting sold directly to enterprise (government and non-profit) clients via principals Charlie Wilkins (Managing Principal) and Anker Heegaard (Principal), supplemented by retail sales of publications through Amazon and direct order. Pricing is per-project and not publicly disclosed. The firm operates domestically within the United States with an 11–50 employee base. Charlie Wilkins co-authored multifamily finance reform and GSE wind-down papers with Tom White, former head of multifamily for Fannie Mae, including recommendations submitted to the FHFA in August 2012 and a March 2013 reform paper.

Name

The Compass Group

Legal name

The Compass Group, LLC

Website

https://compassgroup.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Compass Group, LLC is a privately held Arlington, Virginia consulting firm providing expert advisory services in multifamily affordable housing policy, finance, and program design to federal, state, and local government agencies and non-profit housing organizations across the United States.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Affordable Housing Consulting

NAICS

Management Consulting Services (54161), Other Management Consulting Services (541618)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Real Estate Development & Feasibility Advisory (Highest-and-Best-Use, Entitlements Support) (BPAJANAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Affordable Housing & Community Development (Housing, Community Land Trusts) (BPAGALAC), Property Management Advisory & Leasing Administration (FSAEAJAN), National Housing Finance Agencies & Ministries (FSALAKAB), Agency (GSE) Multifamily Lending (FSALADAD)

Keywords

• Affordable housing consulting
• Multifamily housing policy
• Housing finance advisory
• HUD compliance consulting
• Public housing programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Arlington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

The Compass Group provides expert advisory services to government and non-profit clients focused on the long-term success of affordable multifamily housing. The firm delivers portfolio studies, policy analysis, economic modeling, data reporting, and program design/implementation support, and also publishes industry-standard guidebooks on fair housing, HUD occupancy, and market conversions of regulated housing.

Product overview

The Compass Group is a consulting firm that provides expert advisory services to government and non-profit clients for affordable multifamily housing. The company offers three core service lines: Policy Studies and Analysis (portfolio studies and economic modeling), Data Reporting and Measures (data collection and analysis), and Program Design and Support for Government Clients. Additionally, the firm has authored three major publications available for purchase: the Fair Housing Guidebook (2nd Edition) as an industry-standard reference, Managing Occupancy as a companion guide to HUD's Occupancy Handbook, and Shelter From the Storm covering market conversions of regulated housing.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Policy Studies and Analysis Portfolio studies, policy analysis, and economic modeling services that identify risks and opportunities and provide real-world recommendations for improved performance and outcomes of multifamily affordable housing. Engagements include the Millennial Housing Commission, Public Housing Cost Study, Vermont Housing and Conservation Board, and State of Mississippi.
• Data, Reporting and Measures Multifamily data collection and analysis service providing early warning and strategic insight through fluency with multifamily data sets. Engagements include NeighborWorks America, the Strength Matters Initiative, and Data and Reporting for OAHP.
• Program Design and Support for Government Clients Design and implementation support of affordable rental housing programs for government clients, including expert underwriting of workouts and new investments. Engagements include the Louisiana Piggyback Program, Mark-to-Market and the Green Retrofit Program, HUD's HOME Program, and USDA's Multifamily Portfolio Revitalization.
• Fair Housing Guidebook, 2nd Edition Industry-standard reference publication on Fair Housing for owners and managers of apartments, covering over 200 questions and answers with extensive indexing and cross-referencing; 350+ pages, updated in 2008.
• Managing Occupancy: A Companion Guide to HUD's Occupancy Handbook Extensive reference guide simplifying management of properties that operate with income restrictions, serving as a companion guide to HUD Handbook 4350.3; features thousands of cross-references and 500 cross-referenced pages written in plain English.
• Shelter From the Storm: Successful Market Conversions of Regulated Housing Guide addressing public policy, finance, and operational issues for the HUD Mark to Market program, opt-outs, prepayments, and privatization of public or military housing; provides context and tools for navigating properties through market conversions. Available through Amazon and direct volume purchase contact.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• WinnCompanies: National affordable housing owner and property manager that also performs consulting and management advisory for owners and agencies. Comparable because it operates deep in HUD program compliance and market conversion advisory relevant to Compass Group's expertise.
• HR&A Advisors: Real estate and economic development advisory firm with a federal housing practice. Comparable in serving government clients with portfolio studies, policy analysis, and program design for affordable and mixed-income housing.
• Quadel Consulting & Training: Boutique consulting firm specializing in LIHTC and HUD program compliance, training, and program design for public housing authorities. Highly comparable in serving the same government agency clients with affordable housing advisory and training services.
• Enterprise Community Partners: National nonprofit that invests in and advises on affordable multifamily housing. Overlaps with Compass Group on policy advisory, program design, and federal housing program support, though Enterprise also deploys capital directly.
• Novogradac & Company LLP: Real estate accounting and consulting firm with deep affordable housing, LIHTC, and HUD program expertise. Highly comparable to The Compass Group because it serves the same federal/state agency and developer/owner clients with policy, valuation, and compliance advisory services.

Broad incumbents

• Abt Associates: Government research and consulting firm with a long history of HUD and USDA housing research, evaluation, and program support contracts. Comparable on federal affordable housing policy and program design engagements.
• CohnReznick: Large national advisory and accounting firm with a dedicated affordable housing practice. Comparable because it serves LIHTC syndicators, HUD program participants, and government agencies on housing finance, compliance, and policy matters.
• ICF International: Large public-sector consulting firm with a housing and community development practice serving HUD, USDA, and state agencies. Comparable on federal advisory work, though operates at much greater scale across many other sectors.
• Baker Tilly: Advisory, tax, and consulting firm with a real estate and affordable housing practice that serves owners, lenders, and government agencies. Comparable on LIHTC, HUD program, and multifamily housing advisory work.

Emerging players

• Corporation for Supportive Housing (CSH): National nonprofit that provides training, lending, and advisory services to supportive and affordable housing providers. Comparable in advising government and nonprofit clients on affordable housing program design, though with a narrower supportive-housing focus.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Compass Group