Request for proposals - Housing Assessment Study

Agency:	Johnson County
State:	Iowa
Type of Government:	State & Local
NAICS Category:	541618 - Other Management Consulting Services 541620 - Environmental Consulting Services 541690 - Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services
Posted Date:	Oct 21, 2024
Due Date:	Dec 20, 2024
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REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

Housing Assessment Study

Johnson County, Iowa

DATE: October 21, 2024

NOTICE

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN proposals will be accepted for a detailed, technical, and actionable housing study.

Emailed proposals must be received by the Johnson County Planning, Development and Sustainability (PDS)

Department no later than noon (12 p.m.) CT on DECEMBER 20, 2024. Please email all proposals in a digital (PDF)

format to Josh Busard, PDS Director, at jbusard@johnsoncountyiowa.gov. The email subject line must contain

the phrase “Housing Assessment Study” and should identify the firm making the proposal.

Johnson County (“County”) reserves the right to reject any and all proposals, to waive technicalities or

irregularities, abandon or change the RFP process, and to enter into such contract as it shall deem to be in the

best interest of the County.

SECTION I. INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND

Introduction

Johnson County, Iowa, has requested a scope of services and cost proposal for a housing assessment study with

feasible and practicable recommendations that can be implemented for the unincorporated area of Johnson

County and the six small, incorporated cities within the county, excluding the metro area consisting of the cities of

Coralville, Iowa City, North Liberty, Tiffin and University Heights (hereafter “metro area”). The study is expected to

commence no later than June 1, 2025.

Study Area

The areas to be analyzed include the unincorporated area of Johnson County and the six smaller incorporated

cities (hereafter, “small cities”): Hills, Lone Tree, Oxford, Shueyville, Solon and Swisher. The unincorporated area

includes several manufactured / mobile home parks and the traditional villages including the larger villages of

Frytown, Joetown, and Cosgrove and six smaller villages. The manufactured / mobile home parks and village areas

must be included in the study.

Particular attention must be given to the manufactured / mobile home parks in the unincorporated area. The

manufactured / mobile home parks within the metro area should also be included in the County’s study only if

they are not sufficiently analyzed in other recent studies or the housing assessment study that the City of Iowa

City is expected to complete by spring 2025 (more information is provided below about Iowa City’s forthcoming

study).

Study Need and Purpose

One of the priorities in the Johnson County comprehensive plan is equitable access to safe and affordable

housing. This priority includes addressing the need for affordable housing supply and improving the quality and

safety of existing and future housing for residents.

Housing Assessment Study RFP 2024 Page 1 of 9

This housing assessment study will help inform housing, land use, transportation, and potentially other policy

decisions of local elected officials as well as inform comprehensive or other planning documents for the

unincorporated area and for each small city at those Cities’ discretion. The study should do the following at a

minimum:

• Define, consider and incorporate equity needs such as but not limited to housing stability, economic

security, supportive community, inclusion (e.g. not just single-family focus) and concerns unique to

renters.

• Forecast housing demand (2025 baseline) for the next 5, 10 and 20 years (to 2030, 2035 and 2045)

and recommend housing types and amounts needed to satisfy future housing demand in the

unincorporated area and each small city.

• Identify gaps, barriers and housing needs and potentially preferences (i.e. market analysis).

• Recommend feasible and attainable actions (e.g. funding to pursue, partnerships with cities, etc.) for

local elected officials to consider and implement. Include examples from similar counties across the

country. Examples of any affordable housing that incorporates sustainability (e.g. energy efficiency,

indoor air quality, etc.) and resiliency are also desired.

If possible and feasible, the study may also consider and appropriately incorporate data and findings from the

housing study that the City of Iowa City is actively completing for the metro area: leverage data and analysis,

relate to market factors, consider mutual concerns, identify shared or complementary recommendations, etc.

Iowa City’s study is expected to be completed by spring 2025; the County study is expected to commence in the

same time period or shortly after the conclusion of the Iowa City study. This timing will allow pertinent data from

the Iowa City study to be used for the Johnson County Housing Assessment Study.

Budget

The anticipated budget is $150,000.

Background

Located in eastern Iowa, Johnson County contains approximately 614 square miles, of which 564 square miles is

unincorporated territory (i.e. land outside corporate city limits). Incorporated cities in the county (in order of

population size) include Iowa City, Coralville, North Liberty, Tiffin, Solon, Lone Tree, University Heights, Swisher,

Oxford, Hills and Shueyville. A small portion of the City of West Branch also lies within Johnson County.

Based on the recent U.S. Census 2020, Johnson County had a population (both incorporated and unincorporated

areas) of 152,854 in 2020. Of the total population, 21,884 live in the unincorporated area. Johnson County is the

fourth-largest county in Iowa by population and continues to be the second fastest-growing county in the state

(16.8% population growth since 2010).

Consultant Selection Procedures

A selection committee will analyze and evaluate all properly submitted proposals in response to this request. The

selection committee using the “Evaluation Criteria” listed in this RFP will rank all consultants. Top scoring

consultants will be chosen for further evaluation, which may include interviews and presentations with those

firms. Each proposal will be evaluated based on the Evaluation Criteria listed in Section IV.

Housing Assessment Study RFP 2024 Page 2 of 9

SECTION II. SCOPE OF WORK REQUIREMENTS, TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Study framework

1. Gather Housing/Demographic/Community Pattern Information and Data

Use the most recent U.S. Census, American Community Survey (if needed), applicable national nonprofit

databases (e.g. National Low-Income Housing Coalition, Urban Institute Upward Mobility Initiative, etc.)

and state data to analyze and compare the population, demographic information, commuting patterns,

employment centers, and household composition of each community over time. The following

population and demographic data, at a minimum, shall be provided for the unincorporated area and for

each small city unless indicated differently:

i. Population characteristics and trends.

ii. Household characteristics (size and composition, tenure and ownership status).

iii. Income and Employment characteristics and trends (income, labor market characteristics,

unemployment rate).

iv. Household income and cost burden by housing tenure (i.e. renter, owner, etc.).

v. Commuting trends and regional employment centers.

vi. Estimate of number and type of families in need of housing assistance.

a. “Housing assistance” can include rental assistance, accessibility (finding a home as well as

disability-related accessibility), eviction avoidance, first-time buyer assistance, and any

other “assistance” measure considered meaningful by the consultant for this study.

b. Including an assessment of current and likely future senior housing needs and

consideration for those who want to age in place or in their community.

vii. Assessment of disproportionate housing needs by race and ethnicity.

viii. Descriptions of the characteristics and needs of people who are homeless (chronically, hidden,

episodically or transitionally) and people housed, but at risk of homelessness based on HUD

definitions and other relevant local, state and federal definitions that may have longer

timeframes than those cited by HUD (e.g. risk of housing loss beyond an imminent 14-day period).

ix. Information regarding residents considered to be “under-housed” (i.e. housing unit size is

insufficient for total number of occupants).

x. Overall residential unit/building conditions assessment in the six small cities.

a. Base the inventory on an assessment for each small city.

b. Consider existing information in the Downtown Walkaround Reports created by the Iowa

Economic Development Authority for (1) the small cities of Hills, Lone Tree, Oxford, and

Swisher (March 2023); and (2) the small city of Solon (May 2023). These reports will be

made available to the consultant selected to complete the project.

c. Consider information gleaned through public input sessions (see item 4, p. 5).

xi. Inventory of vacant buildings and buildings with residential potential in only the six small cities

and suitability of vacant and/or decaying units in those cities for rehabilitation to housing stock.

(The sources cited in item x. above are among potential sources for data.)

xii. Information that is pertinent to each manufactured / mobile housing park including, but not

limited to, land ownership, demographics, on-site and/or local management, rent averages and

trends, quality and safety, etc.

Housing Assessment Study RFP 2024 Page 3 of 9

xiii. Report on the condition of manufactured / mobile home parks in the unincorporated area and the

six small cities. The report should include an assessment of infrastructure, amenities, roads, etc.

xiv. Information regarding the type of housing, age, value and cost will be collected using Census data,

recent sales information, and city/county records.

xv. Review of any expiring affordable housing units and conversions to market rate that may impact

affordability.

xvi. Other factors that are influencing the housing market such as high cost of land, local and state

regulations, rising mortgage/interest and insurance rates, public opposition and the availability of

commercial and government services.

2. Consider and Leverage Information in Previous Housing Reports and Studies

• Forthcoming City of Iowa housing assessment study that is part of the City Steps 2030

consolidated plan.

• Iowa City housing plans and studies dating back to 2016. These reports are available at the

City’s Plans and Housing Studies webpage.

• Johnson County Affordable Housing Report for 2023.

• Annual reports or other documents produced by housing coalitions or nonprofits in the area

(e.g. Affordable Housing Coalition of Johnson County, Housing Trust Fund of Johnson County,

etc.).

• Reports / descriptions of landlord and lending practices in the area related to housing access,

procurement and affordability such as how renters’ applications are vetted, loan approval

criteria, etc.

• Reports related to area housing assistance programs as described in Section II, item 1.

• Other reports mutually deemed relevant.

3. Provide a City/County Policy and Initiatives History

Collect, review, analyze and recommend potential changes for current housing, land use, transportation

and potentially other policies that apply to the unincorporated area and each small city. Collect and

provide analysis of the following information:

• Small city/county building permit requirements and code enforcement practices.

• Housing initiatives currently or historically implemented.

• Comprehensive planning documents including but not limited to

o Johnson County 2018 Comprehensive Plan, especially its Volume 3: Mid-Term Update

2024 available at https://www.johnsoncountyiowa.gov/compplan

o 2022 Johnson County, Iowa, Economic Development Plan: Opportunities for the

Unincorporated Area, Villages and Smaller Towns.

o Johnson County Community Health Improvement Plan 2023-2028 (housing is one of

four pillars).

• Local zoning and development codes (county unincorporated area and the six small cities), to

gain understanding of priorities for future growth and land use.

• Any school district information, policies or plans that may impact land use and decisions on

school location (closings, new buildings, etc.).

Housing Assessment Study RFP 2024 Page 4 of 9

4. Gather Public and Municipal Input

The consultant must make a diligent effort to directly engage with the County’s and the small cities’

elected officials and staff and shall conduct robust public input opportunities that engage the elected

officials and staff, community organizers, business leaders, non-profit directors, and community members

at-large. The engagement will include assessing concerns and soliciting recommendations and/or getting

input on solutions to include in the plan.

Survey: One online survey (also available on demand in a paper format) must be made available to the

public. The survey, both online and on demand, must be available in Arabic, English, French, Mandarin

Chinese and Spanish.

Public input engagement sessions/meetings: The consultant is expected to make at least one trip covering

several days of in-person contact in Johnson County. The consultant will host and lead meetings across

the area. The public engagement across the area will include these meetings in addition to the survey:

• A minimum of four general input sessions for the public and other stakeholders. These input

sessions would occur in different areas of the county and at different times in the process

(e.g. two earlier in the process and two more later).

• Individual meetings (seven total) with the elected officials and staff of the County and each of

the six small cities.

• Three small focus group meetings for designated stakeholders.

• Three individual meetings with designated stakeholders.

Recommendations setting: One additional in-person or virtual meeting to present and solicit input on

proposed recommendations (see item 6 below) and then incorporating the input into the final report.

(Please see item 7 below regarding a separate, in-person presentation of the final report.)

5. Provide a Gap Analysis

Consider the needs of the unincorporated area and each small city for future housing, based on the

information gathered (Items 1, 2, 3 and 4 above) and demographic projections. Complete a housing gap

analysis for the unincorporated area and for each small city which includes the following, at a minimum:

1. The number and percentage of households that are cost burdened by tenure and income tier.

2. The mismatch between household income and the level of affordability of the dwelling units

occupied by households by income tier.

3. The gap in housing units, with specific attention to the gap in affordable units, that are needed to

meet current and future housing demand and a projection of the different types and number of

units, including affordable units, needed to fill the gap and future demand for the

unincorporated areas and for each small city. This analysis should include manufactured housing.

4. Identification of non-housing priority needs for each small city.

5. Identification of mismatch between housing needs and adopted policy, plans and ordinances

(e.g. more multi-family is needed, but current ordinance restricts).

Housing Assessment Study RFP 2024 Page 5 of 9

This page summarizes the opportunity, including an overview and a preview of the attached documents.

Request for proposals - Housing Assessment Study

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