HomeMy WebLinkAboutIR 8368 INFORMAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS No. 8368
December 4, 2001
ONCE
To the Mayor and Members of the City Council
1973 SUBJECT: Selection of A Consultant to Recommend Housing Strategies
to Revitalize the Central City
This Informal Report is a follow-up to a series of presentations made by staff to the City Council on the
current housing policies and programs. Staff recommended the issuance of a request for proposal
(RFP) to explore and evaluate alternative strategies to develop market rate housing in the central city.
More recently, a strategic goal adopted by the City Council for 2002 to 2006 is to "revitalize central city
neighborhoods and commercial corridors". Among the Council's specific action plans to achieve this
goal are " strategic development of market rate housing" and " continued support of the Model Block
Programs." The following information discusses the selection of a consultant to recommend housing
strategies to revitalize the central city: 1) Background Information 2) Scope of Services, 3) Project
Team, 4) Project Schedule. A Mayor and Council communication requesting City Council approval of
the Consultant Contract will be submitted within two weeks.
I. Background Information
On August 27, 2001, the Housing Department issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) to select a
OFnsu tant who will recommend housing strategies to revitalize the central city, including the strategic
weopment and facilitation of market rate housing. The study will determine or confirm key issues,
give a profile of the market, housing and neighborhood conditions, catalogue best practices across the
country and recommend housing policies and specific housing programs appropriate to Fort Worth to
achieve City Council's goal of strategic development of market rate housing.
On September 13, 2001, the Housing Department conducted a proposers conference where information
was presented on the project and questions were answered related to the scope and intent of the
proposal. Following the proposers conference, six consultants submitted proposals in October 2001.
Out of the six consultants who submitted proposals, the Housing Department staff selected three to be
interviewed:
• Maureen Kennedy &Associates, Piedmont, California;
• ICF Consulting, San Francisco, California; and
• S. B. Friedman & Company, Chicago, Illinois
This initial selection was based on the following criteria: understanding of the project, staff ability,
experience, ability to meet the project schedule, cost effectiveness and degree of minority/women
business enterprise involvement.
On November 2 and 5, 2001, an interview panel composed of representative players in housing and
I eighborhood development met to recommend a consultant to conduct the study. The interview panel
cluded representatives of financial institutions (Fannie Mae and Chase/JP Morgan Bank); a developer
kHearthside Development Corp.); nonprofit organizations (Fort Worth South, Inc. and Fort Worth Housing
Authority); and the City (City Manager's office, Development Department and Housing Department).
ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER FORT WORTH, TEXAS
INFORMAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS No. 8368
December 4, 2001
To the Mayor and Members of the City Council
'°" SUBJECT: Selection of A Consultant to Recommend Housing Strategies
to Revitalize the Central City
The panel's unanimous decision was to recommend Maureen Kennedy & Associates to conduct the
study.
• Maureen Kennedy & Associates proposed cost is $73,200.
II. Scope of Services
The Scope of Services that the selected consultant is expected to undertake include the following:
A. Review existing data and information on housing and related policies and programs to fully
understand housing and economic market conditions; conduct interviews and focus group meetings.
B. Catalogue housing policy and program best practices across the country to leverage central city
revitalization.
C. Recommend appropriate housing policies or programs for central city revitalization, including
specific strategies to develop and facilitate market rate and mixed income housing, improve existing
housing stock, leverage private sector investment, and attract new residents into the area.
Recommendations on specific strategies will include but not be limited to program design,
administrative procedures and funding. Implementation plans will emphasize outcomes, customer
orientation, and leveraging.
III. Project Team: Maureen Kennedy & Associates
The selected consultant is highly qualified and is composed of a three member project team. Their
qualifications are outlined below:
• Maureen Kennedy, the team leader, has over 20 years experience in the public sector (HUD
Deputy Assistant Secretary and Administrator of the Rural Housing and Community
Development- Finance Agency), non-profit management (Aspen Institute), and as a
consultant (studies for Brookings Institution). Recent projects include Gentrification and
Housing Strategies to Moderate it, Community Reinvestment (CR), Housing Program
Benchmarking, Process Reengineering, and Performance Measures.
• Cort Gross is a finance, development and market analysis specialist. He has private
(Wessington Ventures, LLC & Tri-Capital Corporation), non-profit housing development
(Bridge Housing Corporation) and finance expertise, including mixed-use, mixed-income
development. Recent projects include two successful HOPE VI applications and
analysis/negotiation for inclusionary zoning.
ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER FORT WORTH, TEXAS
INFORMAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS No. 8368
�rrll December 4, 2001
To the Mayor and Members of the City Council
SUBJECT: Selection of A Consultant to Recommend Housing Strategies
to Revitalize the Central City
• Paul Leonard is policy development specialist. He has worked in government (HUD Deputy
Assistant Secretary for Policy Development and Research), non-profit agencies (Center on
Budget and Policy Priorities), and consultancy (Brookings Institution), working with Kennedy
on gentrification and CR projects.
IV. Proposed Schedule
The staff proposes to bring an M&C to the City Council to award the consultant contract on December
11, 2001. Depending on the adoption of the M&C, the staff recommends the following schedule for
Maureen Kennedy & Associates:
December - Late January 2002 - Research, environmental scan and assessment of housing and
related issues; meet with housing providers, developers, City and other related organizations. Develop
Housing Strategies Options paper.
W"PIM"id February 2002 - Fort Worth visit and paper presentation.
Mid February - April 2002 - Development of recommendations & implementation plan.
May 2002 - Presentation to the SCDC and/or the City Council.
Prior to award of the contract, the staff is prepared to brief the members of the City Council individually
if you have questions regarding this consultant process.
%ary Jk
�� ck
City Manager
ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER FORT WORTH, TEXAS