Bid Detail

25-057 - RFP: Development of Affordable Rental Housing for HOME Investment Partnerships Program

Bids will be available on Wednesday, October 2, 2024.

Technical Assistance Session: Oct. 10, 2024, 4:00 pm on Zoom
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83159531850?pwd=GrIWnZZza122GTfpZoHIbVOvt0Jati.1
 
INTRODUCTION
The City of Springfield seeks proposals from housing developers to develop or preserve affordable rental housing. This opportunity makes available funds from the federal HOME Investment Partnership Program (HOME) program with the expectation that these funds will be used to leverage additional affordable housing resources. Proposals are being solicited for the following:
• New construction of affordable multi-family rental housing
• Adaptive reuse to create affordable multi-family rental housing
• Rehabilitation to preserve affordable multi-family rental housing

Other funding sources do not need to be committed at the time of proposal submission. The proposer must have site control.

Applications: The deadline for submitting completed proposals is November 1, 2024, by 2:00 pm. This funding process is competitive.

FUNDING OPPORTUNITY
FUNDS AVAILABLE
The City expects to award up to $850,000 in federal HOME funds, and anticipates making awards to a minimum one (1) and up to three (3) developers. Awards made under this solicitation are subject to the requirements of the HOME Investment Partnership Program (Assistance Listing Number 14.239).

ELIGIBLE POPULATIONS
Units produced with funds from this solicitation must benefit individuals and families with incomes at 60 percent of the area median income (AMI).

ELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES
HOME funds may be used to acquire, rehabilitate, or construct affordable rental housing for occupancy by income-eligible individuals and families.

ELIGIBLE COSTS
HOME funds may be used to pay for up to 100% of the following eligible costs associated with the acquisition, development, and operation of HOME rental units:
1. Development hard costs as defined in 24 CFR 92.206(a).
2. Acquisition including the costs of acquiring improved or unimproved real property.
3. Related soft costs as defined in 24 CFR 92.206(d).
4. Relocation costs as defined in 24 CFR 92.206(f), 24 CFR 92.353, and described in HUD Notice CPD-21-10.

LEVERAGE
The goal of this solicitation is to provide gap funding for acquisition of standard property, acquisition and rehabilitation of substandard property, rehabilitation of vacant substandard units a developer already owns, or construction of new units.

Proposals must be leveraged with other resources that may include private equity, loans from lending institutions, and/or funds from Federal, State or local programs such as Low-Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTCs), Affordable Housing Trust Fund, Housing Innovations Fund, MASH-ARPA, MA HOME, and/or Federal Home Loan Bank Affordable Housing Program.

MINIMUM COMPLIANCE PERIOD
HOME rental units must comply with the HOME rental requirements for a minimum of 15 years, or a minimum of 20 years for new construction, irrespective of the amount of HOME funds invested in the project. Units assisted with HOME funds must comply with the requirements of the HOME program throughout the compliance period, including:

1. Units available for low-income households must be continuously occupied by households who are income eligible. The rents for these units must comply with the rent provisions specified in 24 CFR 92.252(i) for households whose income increases above 80 percent of area median income.

2. The units must comply with the ongoing property condition standards of 24 CFR 92.251(f) throughout the compliance period as demonstrated by an on-site inspection within 12 months of project completion and an on-site inspection at least once every three years thereafter as required by 24 CFR 92.504.

3. Each household that occupies a HOME unit has an executed lease that complies with the tenant protections required in 24 CFR 92.253.
TENANT SELECTION
Each project awarded HOME funds will be required to have a Tenant Selection Plan and Affirmative Fair Housing Marketing Plan approved by the City of Springfield.

SELECTION PROCESS AND TERMS OF THE RFP
Selection Process

A review committee will be established to review proposals and may be composed of representatives from the Office of Housing, Office of Planning and Economic Development, and Office of Community Development.

The Review Committee will use the following evaluation factors. See Attachment A for further description of the criteria and scoring.
1. Development Team Capacity
2. Development Plan
3. Financial Feasibility
4. Economic and Community Inclusion (MWBE)
5. Community Impact

Proposals must receive a composite score of Highly Advantageous or Advantageous to be selected for funding.

Minimum Requirements

A proposal must meet the following requirements to be forwarded to the Review Committee for evaluation and scoring:

• The application must be complete and submitted on time
• Site Control The project sponsor must be able to demonstrate full control of all land and buildings included in the project through a fully executed agreement such as an option agreement, a purchase or sale agreement, or another similar instrument. The instrument demonstrating site control must include a sales price and an expiration date. The expiration date of the instrument should extend at least six months beyond the date of the application for HOME funding. Ownership of a note and assignment of a mortgage when combined with other factors may constitute full site control in certain limited circumstances.
• HOME eligibility The proposed activity must be eligible under the HOME Program, and must comply with income targeting requirements.

Questions about the RFP
The Chief Procurement Officer requests that all proposers submit written questions to the Office of Procurement at City Hall, not later than October 22, 2024. Questions may be emailed to LStabilo@springfieldcityhall.com or faxed to (413) 787-6295. The City will compile written answers which will be mailed or emailed back to all Proposers who requested a copy of the RFP no later than October 25, 2024.

To maintain a fair and impartial process, the City will only answer written questions. Please avoid private communication regarding this RFP with City staff or RFP Review Committee members during the period from RFP release date through the date that applicants are notified of awards. Proposers who initiate private communication or attempt to violate the process outlined in this RFP may be disqualified.

General Conditions
The City may, at any time, in its sole and absolute discretion, reject any and all, or parts of any and all proposals; re-advertise this RFP if so inclined; postpone or cancel this RFP process; and change, adjust, or modify the anticipated schedule. The Chief Procurement Officer reserves the right to waive any minor informalities pertaining to any proposals received. The determination of the criteria and process whereby proposals are evaluated, the decision as to who will receive preferred developer status, and whether or not an award shall ever be made as a result of this RFP shall be in the sole and absolute discretion of the City.

This Procurement is exempt from the Uniform Procurement Act pursuant to MGL. Ch. 30B Section 1(b(30)), but will be conducted similar to the Request for Proposal (“RFP”) process. The contract award will be based on a qualitative ranking process with technical and price proposals submitted and considered together. As this service is exempt, the City reserves the right to deviate from the prescribed RFP process if it is in its best interests to do so.
All proposals, correspondence and records made thereof shall be considered public information and handled in compliance with applicable state and local laws.

The City of Springfield supports the goal of twenty percent minority and women participation in all contracts. No questions will be answered unless received by the Chief Procurement Officer at least 7 days prior to the expiration of the time set for submitting bids or proposals. The Chief Procurement Officer reserves the right to waive any informality in and to reject any or all bids if it is in the public interest to do so.

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