Jefferson City council members on Monday referred a proposed $90,000 contract to hire a housing strategy consultant to the administration committee after extended public discussion and council questions about implementation and funding. The proposal would use leftover Community Development Block Grant — Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) planning funds allocated after the 2019 tornado to pay for a consultant to develop a detailed housing strategy and implementation plan.

The referral followed a 30-minute presentation by Susan Cook, chair of the Capital City Housing Task Force and director of River City Habitat for Humanity, who said the strategy would translate the city’s 2040 comprehensive plan into a set of actionable housing goals, responsibilities, timelines and metrics. “We need a housing strategy for Jeff City,” Cook said, describing the consultant selection process and recommending Housing Innovations Group, a firm selected from a competitive RFP process.

Cook and city staff told the council the contract would be paid from $250,000 in CDBG-DR resiliency planning funds that the city may use only for planning or administrative activities tied to disaster recovery. City staff said about $90,000 of that allocation would cover the consultant cost if approved; council members asked how much of the CDBG-DR balance would remain after the contract and whether the money could be used for streets or other infrastructure.

Council members pressed for specifics about who would implement the strategy once it is completed. Councilman Thomas and others said they wanted clarity on whether the plan would create new enforcement or implementation authorities or simply coordinate existing groups. Susan Cook and staff repeatedly said the product would not itself create a new enforcement power; rather, the consultant’s work would identify a lead organization or steering committee to carry out the strategy in coordination with the city and existing stakeholders.

After public discussion and questions about timing and scope, the council voted to pull the item from the consent agenda and referred the authorization of the contract with Housing Innovations Group to the administration committee for further review and questions about the contract terms.

The referral pauses final approval of the consultant agreement; staff said there is no immediate deadline that would force a rapid decision but that one of the proposers may be awaiting award. Council members and staff said any contract approved by the committee would return to the council for final action.