20-028 - Consultant: Regional Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing and Strategic Planning

PROJECT SUMMARY

PURPOSE
The cities of Springfield, Chicopee, Holyoke and Westfield (hereinafter referred to as the “Fair Housing Consortium” are seeking a consultant to assist in undertaking regional analysis of impediments to fair housing and creation of strategies to overcome those impediments in advance of the cities undertaking comprehensive community development planning for the period 2020-2024.

FUNDS AVAILABLE
The cost of this consulting project is not to exceed $70,000.

TIMELINE
The project will begin October 1, 2019 and must be complete by March 31, 2020.

SCOPE OF SERVICES

Consultant Services –
Regional Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing
and Strategic Plan to Affirmatively Further Fair Housing


Task 1.0 Create a full work plan/planning process which incorporates significant public engagement, collection/updating and analysis of data, prioritization of issues, setting of goals, and

recommendations for actions

Task 2.0 Support the CoC in integrating public engagement in the AI analysis and planning

Task 3.0 Assist the Fair Housing Consortium in identifying and engaging stakeholders

Task 4.0 Gather/update and analyze existing data and assist the Consortium in collection of qualitative data

Task 5.0 Facilitate key partner and public meetings

Task 6.0 Research/introduce strategies to address segregation, racially/ethnically concentrated areas of poverty, disparities in access to opportunity, and disproportionate housing needs.

Task 7.0 Communicate on a regular basis with the Consortium point-of-contact and leadership team, including attendance at monthly meetings (in person or by phone)

Task 8.0 Produce the AI, in the format required by HUD, incorporating additional AFH factors as described in the RFP, and including measurable goals and objectives.

Task 9.0 Provide recommendations to each of the Consortium cities on strategies and action steps to address the fair housing issues identified

PROJECT REQUIREMENTS

The project will produce a regional AI that identifies fair housing issues in Hampden County, impediments to fair housing, and recommended actions and strategies for each of the Fair Housing Consortium cities.

The AI must be prepared in accordance with HUD’s Fair Housing Planning Guide Volume 1, which can be found at https://www.hud.gov/sites/documents/FHPG.PDF. As described below, the AI must also incorporate components required in the AFH—particularly an analysis of data regarding integration/segregation, areas of racial/ethnic concentrations of poverty, disparities in access to opportunity, and disproportionate housing needs. More details in bid specifications

RELEVANT MATERIALS
Using funds from a HUD Sustainable Communities grant, the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission created a regional Fair Housing Equity Assessment in 2014, which is available at:
http://www.pvpc.org/sites/default/files/FHEA%2010-30-14%20Final%20Report%20with%20cover.pdf

In addition, the City of Springfield’s 2013 AI included discussion of regional fair housing issues:
https://www.springfield-ma.gov/housing/fileadmin/housing/Springfield_Analysis_of_Impediments_to_Fair_Housing_2013.pdf