Asheville NC RFP
REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP)
AFFORDABLE HOUSING MARKET STUDY AND
ANALYSIS
CITY OF ASHEVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA
Important Dates
Responses Due: September 12, 2014
Award of Contract: @ October 10, 2014
Project Start Date: Upon Contract Award
Community Development Division
City of Asheville
Community Development Division
P.O. Box 7148
70 Court Plaza, 5th Floor
Asheville, North Carolina 28802
Contact: Jeff Staudinger, Assistant Director
Community and Economic Development Department
Phone (828) 259-5723
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http://www.ashevillenc.gov/Departments/CommunityDevelopment.aspx
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The City of Asheville Community Development Division is seeking proposals from qualified
consultants to prepare and provide an Affordable Housing Market Analysis for the City of
Asheville and the Asheville Regional Housing Consortium service area, including Buncombe,
Henderson, Madison and Transylvania Counties.
Request for Proposals are available in the Community Development Division, City Hall, 70 Court
Plaza, 5th Floor, Asheville, North Carolina. Proposals must be submitted as one unbound,
untabbed, signed original. and one digital (.pdf) copy. The printed original should be mailed or
delivered in a sealed envelope and labeled: “City of Asheville Affordable Housing Market
Analysis” to the City of Asheville Community Development Division, 70 Court Plaza, 5th Floor,
Asheville, North Carolina, 28802. The Digital Copy must be received via e-mail at
jstaudinger@ashevillenc.gov or by submission of a CD-ROM or flash drive. Fax submissions will
not be accepted.
Any questions regarding this proposal request must be submitted via email to:
Jeff Staudinger, Assistant Director
Community and Economic Development Department
City of Asheville
jstaudinger@ashevillenc.gov.
All questions and answers will be posted on the City of Asheville website at
http://www.ashevillenc.gov/Departments/CommunityDevelopment.aspx.
All proposals must be received by 4:00 pm, September 12, 2014
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REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS
AFFORDABLE HOUSING MARKET STUDY AND ANALYSIS
CITY OF ASHEVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA
The City of Asheville, North Carolina, through its Community Development Division, invites
proposals from qualified firms for the preparation of the 2014 City of Asheville and Asheville
Regional Housing Consortium Affordable Housing Market Study and Analysis. This study will
support the City’s 2015-2019 Consolidated Plan for CDBG and HOME, as well as City of Asheville
initiatives to ensure an adequate supply of affordable housing. This RFP is available to the
public online at:
http://www.ashevillenc.gov/Departments/CommunityDevelopment.aspx
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
The City of Asheville Community Development Division will contract with a qualified consultant
for a regional affordable housing market study and analysis. The City is the Participating
Jurisdiction (PJ) of the Asheville Regional Housing Consortium, and manages federal HOME
Partnership Act funding for the four counties and numerous local municipalities who participate
in that Consortium. The City also is a HUD Community Development Block Grant Entitlement
City. The City of Asheville directly funds affordable housing development through its Housing
Trust Fund (HTF), affordable housing fee rebates and Land Use Incentive Program.
The Housing Market Study should:
1.Provide an inventory of existing affordable housing- both publically supported and solely
in the private sector- throughout the four county region.
2.Give a detailed picture of the current affordable housing market in Asheville, with
specific attention to the existing demand and supply at various for-sale and rental price
points for both rental and single-family ownership housing.
3.Delineate the current affordable housing market, with specific attention to the existing
demand and supply at various single-family for-sale and rental price points in each of
the four counties in the Consortium (Buncombe, Henderson, Madison and Transylvania)
and in the following municipalities: Black Mountain, Hendersonville and Brevard.
4.Provide information regarding the location of affordable housing that will assist the City
of Asheville and its development partners to develop action strategies aimed at
reducing housing and transportation cost burdens.
5.Provide market trend information to the City of Asheville and its development partners
that will assist in decision-making regarding the investment of public funds in affordable
housing programs over the next 5 years.
6.Provide information regarding housing market “sub-niches” that may have an impact on
affordable housing demand, investment, and construction.
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BACKGROUND
The City of Asheville is located in the mountain region of western North Carolina. The City’s
population is about 83,000, located in Buncombe County with a population of 238,000.
The City is now preparing to develop its 2015-2019 Consolidated Plan, and is soliciting
proposals to better understand housing market forces with specific intent to improve the
provision of affordable housing. The City of Asheville serves as the Participating Jurisdiction for
CDBG funds, administers HOME funds for the four-county Asheville Regional Housing
Consortium (Buncombe, Henderson, Madison, and Transylvania counties), and has funded a
City of Asheville Housing Trust Fund since 2001.
According to the recent “Affordable Housing Scorecard’ (available on the City web site),
Asheville is pro-actively addressing its affordable housing needs compared to other North
Carolina municipalities. However, that report also indicates that the affordable housing need in
Asheville continues to be significant. Many challenges make the provision of affordable housing
in Asheville difficult, its mountainous terrain, tourism-driven economy and popularity among
retirees among them. Many households in Asheville are housing cost-burdened, and many
employees seeking less expensive housing outside the City become transportation
cost-burdened. Previous housing market analyses have found that those needing affordable
housing (primarily but not limited to households earning less than 80% AMI) face demand that
far exceeds supply.
Increasing affordable housing production is one of the Asheville City Council strategic goals, and
therefore the City is actively involved in a number of affordable housing initiatives. These
include the funding of and planning for new rental and owner-occupied housing construction.
More information on the City initiatives- including current and future planning efforts- can be
found on the Community Development page at www.ashevillenc.gov
SCOPE OF WORK
The Affordable Housing Market Analysis shall provide an in-depth assessment of the significant
characteristics of the current affordable housing market, and the projected characteristics of
that market, for each of the four counties and four specified municipalities. It should, at a
minimum, address the following:
●Inventory and analyze the existing affordable housing stock. The City will provide the
Consultant with the location and number of subsidized housing units (from HUD data),
and designated affordable housing units (those which must serve as affordable housing
through deed restrictions or other agreements). The Consultant will inventory and map
private non-subsidized housing meeting general affordability cost criteria. Respondents
should propose a methodology that conducts the inventory, identifies data and data
collection methods to be used, and how the data will be used.
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●Determine the current supply, demand, condition and cost of housing for rental and
homeownership housing, including need for units by type of housing (including number of
bedrooms) according to income and size of household, using most recent HUD published
income guidelines, and broken down at 30%, 60%, 80% 100% and 120% of Median Income
for each of the four counties and four named municipalities
●Determine the projected supply, demand, condition and cost of housing for rental and
homeownership housing, including need for units by type of housing (including number of
bedrooms) according to income and size of household, using most recent HUD published
income guidelines, and broken down at 30%, 60%, 80% 100% and 120% of Median Income
for each of the four counties and four named municipalities between today and the year
2020.
●Quantify the production and inventory the characteristics of all new housing built over the
past three years, and projected to 2020, and the impact of this production on the region’s
affordable housing needs, as well as the specific impact on the needs in Asheville and
Buncombe County.
Additional issues to be addressed include:
●Current housing stock available to serve persons with disabilities, compared with current
and future projected demand.
●The location, ownership and characteristics of all mobile home developments in the
region, with an analysis of the current and future role of these developments for
affordable housing.
We expect to use the study and analysis to help us answer the following questions:
●How does the condition and occupancy of existing housing stock affect demand for
affordable housing in Asheville?
●Is there a need to consider rehabilitation or conversion of affordable housing units to
avoid significant losses?
●Is the demand for new unit production outpacing the actual creation of those new units?
By what extent? At what price ranges (or, affordable at what incomes)?
●How do housing and transportation costs affect current household locational decisions,
and how will they affect future decisions? How will this affect demand and pricing in
existing neighborhoods, particularly in the City of Asheville?
●What are the measurable barriers to the creation of additional affordable housing (for
example, land or construction costs that are comparatively higher than in other places)?
●What are the impacts, if any, of the availability of lower cost housing (for example,
mobile homes) in outlying areas?
●What are the impacts of overcrowding, seasonal and short-term leasing, and other types
of demand that impact Asheville’s housing market?
●What should be the characteristics of new affordable housing, including minimum and
maximum size, price points, number of bedrooms and baths, scale of development
(single-family, townhouse, low-rise, etc.), and for ownership housing, whether a
condominium market is re-emerging.
DELIVERABLES
●Completion of first drafts
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●Completion of final reports (1 unbound hard copy, 4 bound hard copies, digital, and
power point)
●Attendance at one meeting each of the Asheville Regional Housing Consortium Board
and City of Asheville Housing and Community Development Committee to present the
completed Market Analysis.
PROPOSAL SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS
1.Organizational Information
A proposal must include the full name and address of your firm or organization and, if
applicable, the branch office or other subordinate element that will perform or assist in
performing the scope of work outlined in this proposal. The proposal submission must also
indicate whether you operate as an individual or partnership or corporation and include the
state in which your firm or organization is incorporated. If a joint venture is contemplated,
name the firms involved. Also, subcontractors to be used for completion of the Analysis must
be identified in a similar manner.
2.Statement of Experience
A proposal must evidence your firm’s experience in completing Housing Market Analyses or an
equivalent. Please provide examples of project experience involving staff members who will
work on the Asheville project using the following format:
●Client name,
●Contact person and phone number,
●Services provided,
●Original estimate or project costs and actual project costs, and
●Original estimated Project completion schedule and actual completion schedule
3.Project team
The proposal must include the names, qualifications, and background information (resumes) of
your Project Team, including Project Manager, and other professional staff who will be assigned
to complete the Housing Market Analysis, including subcontractors, if any.
4.Work Plan
Present in detail your proposed work plan for this project, including all major and minor work
tasks to be achieved and related work products. Also, present in detail any “Additional
Recommended Items” that you deem appropriate to be included as part of the work plan, even
if not specifically mentioned.
5.Schedule
Please provide a work schedule outlining the time frame to complete the work including
“Additional Recommended Items” and the estimated time required for the completion of each
major and minor task.
6.Cost proposal
Provide the not to exceed cost for delivery of the Affordable Housing Market Study and
Analysis. Demonstrate the level of effort for the Project by listing, by position, the number of
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hours necessary to complete the plan based on the work plan, including a detailed outline of
professional personnel (including subcontractors, if any) and the hourly labor rate for each
person working on the project. Include a schedule of all other direct and indirect costs. This
Cost proposal will be considered an “all-in” proposal for the completion of all work detailed
herein.
7.Minority and Women Business Enterprises
The City of Asheville has adopted a Minority Business Outreach Plan to encourage participation
by women and minority businesses in the public bidding process. The purpose of this outreach
effort is to increase the likelihood of success in the award of contracts. Bidders are hereby
notified that this RFP is subject to the provisions of this Outreach Plan. Questions regarding the
Minority Business Outreach Plan may be directed to, Brenda Mills, Economic Development
Specialist, City of Asheville, Post Office Box 7148, Asheville, NC 28802-7148 or by phone at (828)
259-8050 or by e-mail at minoritybusiness@ashevillenc.gov or bmills@ashevillenc.gov. You can
access a listing of certified minority firms at either
https://www.ips.state.nc.us/Vendor/SearchVendor.aspx (State of North Carolina’s VendorLink
search) or www.doa.state.nc.us/hub (Link for Office of Historically Underutilized Businesses to
search for HUB vendors directly). It is the policy of the City to (1) provide minorities an equal
opportunity to participate in all aspects of its contracting and procurement programs and (2) to
prohibit any and all discrimination against persons or businesses in pursuit of these
opportunities. Provide a statement documenting your outreach efforts and indicate any
utilized minority and/or women firms.
EVALUATION CRITERIA
Proposals will be evaluated by City of Asheville staff. The proposals will be evaluated on the
firm’s ability to meet the requirements of this RFP. Specific evaluation criteria, among other
factors, will include:
Qualification and experience of the proposed team:
History of the firm and its experience in similar projects
Proposal of a qualified project manager with relevant previous experience
Quality and availability of staff assigned to the project
Knowledge of technical requirements
Creativity and relevance of past work
Understanding and knowledge about the project study area
Proposed approach to the project:
Responsiveness to project description
Proposed distribution of work and time between team members
Proposed time frame for the project
Knowledge of technical requirements
Technical analysis tools and techniques proposed
Proposed scope of work and deliverables
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Quality of proposal:
Concise description of tasks, staff and process proposed
Clarity of roles and responsibilities of key team members
Responsiveness to other City requirements
MWBE Response
Understanding and acceptance of federal and City regulations and policies
Competitiveness and Completeness of Cost Proposal
Reasonable allocation of human resources to project
Cost Competitive within range of proposals submitted
Sufficient detail to facilitate final cost negotiations to enable project to be completed
with budget
Depending on the analysis of all submittals, personal interviews may be scheduled.
FINAL SELECTION AND REQUIREMENTS
●All proposals become the property of the City of Asheville upon submission.
●The cost of preparing, submitting and presenting a proposal is the sole expense of the
consultant.
●The City of Asheville reserves the right to reject any and all proposals received as a
result of this solicitation, to negotiate with any qualified source, to waive any formality
and any technicalities or to cancel the RFP in part or in its entirety if it is in the best
interest of the City of Asheville. This solicitation of proposals in no way obligates the City
of Asheville to award a contract.
●All data, analysis and final report and recommendations will become the property of the
City of Asheville in perpetuity and may not be used by the consultant for any other set of
studies without prior written approval.
●Data and analysis will be provided in written and electronic formats in order to create an
ongoing source for research and analysis on housing market trends.
●Uses of data should be documented and include a wide number of sources from local,
regional, state and national data sources.
●The contract for the completion of the Affordable Housing Market Study will be awarded
in accordance with all appropriate HUD and City of Asheville procurement requirements.
●The contract for completion of the Affordable Housing Market Study will be awarded in
accordance with the State of North Carolina’s E-Verify requirements.
●The selected bidder will be required to provide general liability, commercial auto liability,
workers’ compensation insurance, and professional liability insurance coverage. Said
proof of liability insurance shall be included as part of the contract document. The exact
requirements are to be determined by the City of Asheville Risk management Division.
●The consultant shall submit and maintain a schedule with specified milestone dates for
the project. The schedules must allow for necessary review periods for all parties
involved with the project.
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●The consultant shall submit invoices with a written, status report on each project on the
to the City of Asheville Coordinator, who reserves the right to request supplemental
information to ensure appropriate project progress.
Timeline
●Request for Proposal issued:August 21, 2014
●RFP submittals due: September 12, 2014
●Consultant selection and contract negotiation:October 1, 2014
●Contract execution October 10, 2014
●Begin project:October 10, 2014
●Final deliverables due: Based upon contract
Submit by September 12, 2014 to:
Jeff Staudinger, Assistant Director
Community and Economic Development
Department
70 Court Plaza
City Hall, Fifth Floor
PO Box 7148
Asheville, NC 28802
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