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Planning staff seeks council support to issue RFP for citywide housing plan and housing needs assessment
Summary
Planning and Development Services proposed an RFP for a consultant-led housing plan including a housing needs assessment, code review, and recommendations; staff estimates a base cost of about $75,000, expects the plan to be finished by next winter, and said it will support HUD consolidated-plan work and CDBG funding applications.
Planning and Development Services staff requested council support at a work session to issue a request for proposals (RFP) for a citywide housing plan, which would include a housing needs assessment, code- and development-standard recommendations, and outreach to local partners and developers.
Bridal McLean, Planning and Development Services director, said the plan would gather data on Pocatello’s housing stock (ownership versus rental, condition, cost, and type), recommend code and subdivision standard changes to streamline development, and produce developer-facing information describing what housing types would be viable in Pocatello. McLean said the City has among the oldest housing stock in the state and that the plan will provide “real information, and not just emotion” for council decisions on housing projects.
Staff said the plan would be useful to multiple city and community partners, including the Housing Alliance and agencies that administer Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds; planners said the work would support the five-year HUD consolidated plan. The plan would also include an optional fair housing component and neighborhood-specific strategies. Jim Anglesey (long-range senior planner) and Becky Babb (planning manager) were listed as project participants on the staff team.
Regarding cost and timing, staff estimated a base budget of about $75,000 for the consultant contract; the fair-housing component could increase costs. McLean said the department can cover the engagement from the professional services line in the current budget and aimed to have the plan completed by next winter, with periodic updates recommended every five years.
Council members expressed broad support and asked questions about scope and collaboration. Council Member Mangum asked whether the work would be done in-house or with a consultant; staff said the city will hire a consultant because the work is a “heavy lift” requiring specialized expertise. Council Member Nichols asked whether the plan will inventory the housing stock; staff confirmed the plan will include a housing inventory and a needs assessment. Council Member Cheatham urged the staff to consider innovations other Idaho cities have used and suggested outreach to other planners.
No formal council vote occurred; staff asked for and received general support to proceed with the RFP and will return with solicitation documents. Staff said the plan would open opportunities for state and federal funding by producing an adopted plan required for some grant competitions.
