THE TOWN of Wakefield is seeking a consultant to encourage new housing, including affordable units.
WAKEFIELD — The town has issued a Request for Proposals seeking a consultant to develop a new Housing Production Plan & Housing Needs Assessment for Wakefield.
A Housing Production Plan and needs assessment is required for approval through the Massachusetts Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities (EOHLC) in accordance with the state guidelines.
The town’s previous Housing Production Plan and Housing Needs Assessment expired in 2020. The Town is seeking to continue its efforts to increase affordable housing and meet the housing needs of residents through an updated plan as referenced in new RFP.
The RFP requests that candidates provide a separate proposal for each task: the Housing Needs Assessment, and the Housing Production Plan. The work would be completed in two phases, rather than simultaneously, to allow the Assessment to guide the Plan.
The proposal should include a public engagement plan, regular progress meetings with town staff, measurable milestones, a draft review process and a final plan that includes a presentation to the public.
The town expects the consultant to collaborate with with the town’s Community and Economic Development Department, an advisory committee and the public, as community outreach and engagement is a crucial part of the housing plan process.
The town has $79,000 to spend on this effort, thanks to a Housing Choice Grant from the EOHLC for Fiscal Year 2024-25.
While the town’s 2015 Housing Production Plan expired in 2020, the Town has nonetheless been diligently working to make progress on the goals and objectives of that plan, according to the RFP documents.
“Since the (earlier) plan’s adoption, it has guided efforts to increase affordable housing units, collaborate with developers, form an Affordable Housing Trust, establish a multifamily and mixed-use overlay district, and has created and permited 1,300 multi-family units since 2015, with around 450 of the units being affordable. Through these efforts, in 2023, the Town of Wakefield was designated by the state as a Housing Choice Community. This designation highlights Wakefield’s efforts in producing new housing and adopting best practices to promote sustainable housing development.”
According to the town, in 2015, affordable housing represented 6.01 percent of the town’s year-round housing stock. Currently, the Town of Wakefield has 1,001 units that meet the criteria for being listed on the State’s Subsidized Housing Inventory (SHI). This reflects 8.89 percent of the town’s housing. Additional pending projects will add 157 new units, bringing the percentage to over 10 percent. While the town may be close to meeting the State’s SHI minimums by the end of 2024, the town seeks an updated Housing Needs Assessment to help guide future developments to maintain that percentage and meet the needs of residents.
According to the RFP documents, the town’s goal is to understand housing needs and barriers Wakefield faces and find ways to make progress addressing these issues.
“The Housing Production Plan shall offer an analysis of existing conditions and actionable steps to meet the concerns reflected in the Assessment,” according to the RFP. “The Plan shall include an analysis of the existing conditions to determine regulatory and non-regulatory barriers to increasing not only the amount, but also the variety, of affordable housing available in the Town. This can include outlining a path for regulatory changes, such as, but not limited to, shifting the criteria for Accessory Dwelling Units, steps for the development of lots that don’t meet standard minimum lot requirements and/or designating a 40R district(s).”
The Housing Production Plan should especially consider addressing ways the Town can bolster its units that meet the needs of families and those with disabilities, including wheelchair designed units.
The RFP asks for a plan that identifies actionable steps to allow the town to meet a variety of housing needs, beyond market rate housing, for both rental and ownership housing. The town would like to encourage additional development of affordable ownership housing and support existing homeowners facing ownership difficulties such as maintenance issues.
The consultant will be expected to develop a plan and process that encourages participation of all constituents, including those who may not have been included in these conversations in the past. “The Town is dedicated to engaging members of the public who have not traditionally been involved in governance,” the RFP states. “The Housing Production Plan process will include significant community outreach, education, and engagement, and as such the consultant shall be prepared to collaborate with the public to define a community vision for housing.”
The Community and Economic Development Department will administer the contract, be available to answer questions, and provide support for meetings, both with the public and in-house. The consultant will be expected provide regular updates on the progress of the project to the department and the advisory committee.
“The consultant shall collaborate not only with the residents and end users of the plan, but also the town staff, Wakefield Affordable Housing Trust and Wakefield Housing Authority,” according to the RFP documents. “A successful bid will reflect an inclusive plan incorporating the needs of all parties. Public engagement and support are crucial to the ultimate success of a Housing Production Plan.”
The RFP outlines a scope of services, selection criteria and submission requirements.
Proposals are due by 12 noon on June 21, 2024. Interviews will take place in June and July.
