Re-Imagining Hudson

In June, Gossips reported on plans to issue an RFP (request for proposal) for a consultant to create an Affordable Housing Development Plan for Hudson. At the time, the problem was finding a way to pay for the consultant's fee. Apparently a way has been found, because yesterday, July 6, the RFP was issued. 

In the RFP, the scope of the project is outlined in this way.

1. DETERMINE WHAT IS BUILDABLE The Affordable Housing Development Plan will focus on city-owned property and property owned by partner organizations and agencies. The Affordable Housing Development Plan may also explore ideal properties owned by other public and private entities. The Affordable Housing Development Plan will determine what building options are possible. The Affordable Housing Development Plan will incorporate engineering, SEQRA, zoning, neighborhood compatibility, and economic feasibility to create a menu of development options for each developable property.
2. CLARIFY POTENTIAL BARRIERS Review current policies, comprehensive plan, zoning, and PILOT procedures to identify affordable housing development barriers. Identify opportunities to remove barriers and make affordable housing more viable and present those opportunities to city officials. 
3. ADDRESS THE VARIETY OF HOUSING NEEDS The Affordable Housing Development Plan will incorporate the variety of housing needs, which include a mix of income levels as well as rental and homeownership. Not every development project needs to address every need, but the totality of the projects need to. 
4. COLLABORATE WITH A VARIETY OF STAKEHOLDERS The Affordable Housing Development Plan, and the creation of the Affordable Housing Development Plan, should include a variety of stakeholders. The Affordable Housing Development Plan should create synergy and partnerships between organizations such as City of Hudson, Hudson Community Development & Planning Agency, Hudson Housing Authority, Habitat for Humanity, Hudson Development Corporation, and Columbia County Economic Development Corporation.
5. IDENTIFY RIGHT FIT DEVELOPERS The Affordable Housing Development Plan, and the creation of the Affordable Housing Development Plan should help establish partnerships with developers in order to get effective outcomes. 
6. IDENTIFY FUNDING SOURCES The Affordable Housing Development Plan should recommend funding sources for each project and identify how projects can be economically feasible while also considering Hudson’s short and long-term interests. 
7. DEVELOPMENT TIMELINE The Affordable Housing Development Plan will include a project timeline. The timeline will consider ways to maximize productivity and funding options. Since New York State will only fund a limited number of Hudson projects in each grant cycle, the Affordable Housing Development Plan should map which projects will be applications for which funding cycles. The development timeline should include development approval steps such as public input as well as planning and regulatory boards. 
8. LONG-TERM VISION The Affordable Housing Development Plan should look beyond the two-year elected official term and establish a longer-term vision for the city and partners. 
9. APPROPRIATE FLEXIBILITY The Affordable Housing Development Plan should create a plan and framework with enough flexibility to account for future changes.   

In the past year, there has been much talk about needing to revise the city's comprehensive plan and its zoning regulations. This RFP makes it sound as if revisions to both will be driven not by the community's vision for itself but by the need to facilitate the development of affordable housing.  

Proposals from consultants interested in taking on the project are to be submitted electronically before 5:00 p.m. on Monday, August 3. The entire RFP can be seen here.