Olympia seeks proposals to study various ways to increase affordable housing for low-income households

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Olympia is seeking proposals from qualified consultant teams to conduct research and provide recommendations, specifically in increasing the number of units permanently affordable to low-income households.

The request for proposals is for a study to help the city determine how to support access to affordable homeownership opportunities, help the city identify ways to help local organizations engage in affordable housing projects, and identify funding mechanisms that would assist the city in supporting partners and projects.

Application requirements include that the ideal candidates must demonstrate experience researching local government housing programs, specific experience and expertise to carry out the RFP objectives, and experience assisting other cities similar to Olympia.

The city identified some specific focuses they want to include in the analysis:

  • Help the city think outside the box to identify concepts for creative, realistic and impactful low-income housing projects (e.g., cottage development for low-income seniors).
  • Include exploration of private philanthropy models, community development, financial institutions, use of bonds, and low-interest loan options
  • Identify existing or potential down payment assistance programs for first-time home buyers and low-income households that could be available in Olympia. Assess the value and limits of these programs in the current market, along with opportunities to pair them with affordable homeownership programs that may be implemented by the city and partners.
  • Include options for a city program to help convert older mobile home parks into affordable housing projects under a land trust or cooperative model or upgrading mobile homes that need to be replaced with something new.
  • Include strategies to qualify more low-income prospective homebuyers for ownership (such as credit counseling, debt repair, and financial literacy)
  • Include feasibility and supports needed for an effective Tenant Opportunity to Purchase ordinance, Right of First Refusal, notice of sale of low-income housing, or similar policies.
  • Identify any successful models for rent-to-own programs or policies.
  • Identify other communities doing well in similar endeavors and creating meaningful impact

The Olympia Action Plan recognizes an urgent need for more housing supply. One of the strategies identified in the plan is to increase the supply of permanently affordable housing for households that make up 80% or less of the area’s median income.

On its website, Olympia stated that the city is interested in addressing disparities in homeownership for BIPOC, people with disabilities, single parents, and other populations.

The city is accepting proposals until May 15, 2023. All proposals must be emailed to Christa Lenssen at clenssen@ci.olympia.was.us.

Comments

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  • Honestyandrealityguy

    Never able to give enough free stuff to some "individuals ".

    Friday, May 5, 2023 Report this

  • psterry

    The City might want to dust off the recommendations that were given to it by Zach Kosturos several years ago. It was a thoughtful discussion with recommendations that were eminently doable for our local communities to encourage affordable housing. The City lauded the recommendations, but did nothing to implement any of it. The same will happen now.

    From Charlie Munger: "Show me the incentives and I will show you the outcome."

    From a Seattle citizen: "Why did you think high-cost regulations would create low-cost housing?"

    Friday, May 5, 2023 Report this

  • SelenaRushton

    I'm hoping to live in Olympia/Thurston County by this time next year. I need income adjusted rent at age 65+ due to chronic disabling cancer diagnosis. That being said, I'm a community leader and active individual that continues to make a positive impact as a way of life. Being close to state leadership matters. I'm currently at a loss as to how I can make my housing situation happen. The fear of being homeless is real. Please help make solutions available!

    Saturday, May 6, 2023 Report this

  • Southsoundguy

    Government should get out of the way.

    Sunday, May 7, 2023 Report this

  • tesboyd

    You it is frustrating to see the first comments on this be "individuals wanting free stuff".

    I don't want free, I want fare consideration. I want a roof over my head worth the dollars I am paying. I don't want to be someone's CASH COW! I don't want to move to a smaller and shabbier place every few years because someone just wants a profit at my expense. I have worked hard my whole life. I am reaching a point where society dictates I am now to live on a fixed income. I found what I thought would be affordable housing to live in through this phase. I did everything I was suppose to do through savings and budgeting. But it wasn't enough. In four years the cost of my housing has gone up so fast - and the projected raises are even more - it has eaten about 10 years out of what I thought I'd would need. That means instead of staying where I am for the rest of my life I will need to continue to search for affordable house well into my 80's and beyond. The last statics I saw showed 30% of Thurston County are retired or on some sort of fixed incomes. I hope that article was wrong. We don't want fee stuff. We want to live off what we have earned and saved. We don't want to homeless in the process. We are not garbage and don't want to be thrown away. Please consider affordable hosing on a broadscale and stop trying to cyphen away every last penny we have.

    Sunday, May 7, 2023 Report this

  • Yeti1981

    Remove minimum parking requirements where feasible, eliminate single family zoning in the urban core, end the practice of imposing impact fees, streamline the permitting process, stop hiring consultants to tell you what those in the industry have been telling you for years, and so on...

    You can't build affordable housing by making it more expensive to build.

    Monday, May 8, 2023 Report this