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Franklin County court authorizes RFP for workforce housing on county-owned lot
Summary
The fiscal court authorized issuance of an RFP to develop 30' 50 workforce rental units on a 2-acre county parcel at 501 Home Street, seeking mixed-unit proposals, wraparound services space, a 50-year nominal lease and proposals that may request up to $25,000 to offset permitting/tap fees; court discussed set-asides for veterans and neighbors' outreach.
Frankfort ' Franklin County authorized a request for proposals on April 30 to solicit development teams for workforce and mixed-income rental housing on county-owned property at 501 Home Street.
County staff said the RFP envisions 30 to 50 rental units targeted at workforce affordability (roughly 80/20 AMI suggestion), a mix of unit sizes and on-site space for wraparound services (classrooms, community space, child care and other supports). The county would offer the 2-acre parcel under a long-term, nominal lease (50-plus years) and is prepared to contribute up to $25,000 toward permitting or water/sewer tap fees to make projects financially feasible.
During the Q&A court members asked whether proposals could reserve a portion of units for veterans, survivors of domestic violence or people in recovery. County staff said the court could set a preference or set-aside (staff indicated 20' 25% set-asides are likely feasible) and that precise terms would be part of evaluation criteria and negotiation with bidders. Members also asked about timing: county staff explained the RFP timeline was tightened to match state funding windows (for example, the affordable-housing tax-credit cycle) and the court agreed to a 30- to 45-day submission window to balance speed with developer capacity.
Why it matters: The RFP intends to address gaps in middle-income and workforce rental housing identified by the county's 2023 housing study. Court members asked staff to coordinate with the city to avoid duplicative proposals and to communicate with neighborhood residents near the site.
What comes next: County staff will issue the RFP with clarifications requested by the court, accept proposals and return recommended bidders for a future court determination.
