Council action is requested to issue a purchase order to Development Strategies, in the amount of $55,500.00 for a Housing Study for the Community Development Department.

Council action to issue purchase order.

On February 16, 2021, the City Council passed Resolution No. 6646 directing the City Manager to implement up to a one-year temporary moratorium on all new apartment permit applications. As part of that Resolution, the City Manager is directed to include adequate funding in the Fiscal Year 2021-22 Budget for completion of a comprehensive housing study.

In April 2021, the City issued a RFP requesting proposals for the preparation of a housing study and needs analysis. The results of this Housing Study will help elected officials, City staff, stakeholders and community members develop a meaningful sense of the housing market, and understanding of key housing issues and how they impact the City of Independence. It will also serve as a platform for strategy and policy decisions. The report is intended to offer community leaders and stakeholders a basis for formulating community-specific housing priorities, policy alternatives and intervention strategies, including land use and zoning decisions, and allocation of City and other resources.

The scope of this project will consist of collecting and analyzing housing data to assess the overall health of the City’s housing stock and market conditions. It is expected that the study will review existing plans and studies relevant to the housing market in the City, collect the best available data, provide written analysis, and provide Geographic Information Systems (GIS) based products to be included as part of the Housing Study and analysis.
Eight (8) responses were submitted and evaluated by the Evaluation Committee. These responses were evaluated on:
• Qualifications, Experience, and Past Performance – specific professional competence, and qualifications as well as current and past experience of the firm and professional staff to be assigned in providing similar services.
• Project Understanding & Approach – a demonstrated understanding of the work to be performed and completeness and reasonableness of the plan for accomplishing the Scope of Work.
• Responsiveness – the ability to deliver the required services in a timely manner and in accordance with the Scope of Work.
• Cost

The eight (8) responses were narrowed down to four (4) firms to present their proposal to the Evaluating Committee. The four (4) finalists were Development Strategies, RDG Planning & Design, Shockey Consulting Services, LLC and Urban Partners. After presentations and interviews Development Strategies was selected as the best value selection. The facts that made them the most suited firm were their good mix of personnel with planners and public policy expertise; well outlined strategy process; reasonable timeline of four months; presentation which will be provided to Council and their grasp of the severity of current housing market crisis and implications for the future.

This project is a budgeted item in the Community Development Department’s FY 2021-22 budget using American Recovery Plan (ARP) funds.

Approval of this item authorizes change orders up to a total of ten (10) percent of the original authorized amount for each order, providing appropriations are available.

Fiscal Impact. The fiscal impact to the City is $55,500.00. Funding is provided through American Recovery Plan Funding.