RFP: Policy and Data Research on Temporary and Emergency Housing for New York Land Bank Association

The New York Land Bank Association (NYLBA) is seeking a professional consultant to gather data and to draft a report on temporary and emergency housing in New York State and opportunities for land banks to partner with local governments in addressing issues.  

The goal for this whitepaper is to summarize local governments’ protocols for dealing with temporary and/or emergency housing, including level of need, shortfalls and successes of current municipal temporary/emergency housing efforts, and provide recommendations for creating strong partnerships between land banks, local governments, and stakeholders.

BACKGROUND 

The New York Land Bank Association (NYLBA) and its Rural Land Bank Committee recognize statewide challenges in temporary/emergency housing programs administered by their partner Counties’ Social Services Departments. NYLBA is seeking a consultant(s) to assist the NYLBA with drafting a whitepaper outlining the issues and opportunities in temporary/emergency housing. In addition, the report should offer brief recommendations for land banks and counties to consider while initiating conversations at the local level. Eligible respondents include professional consultants, graduate program students and professors, technical assistance nonprofits, or other qualified individuals or entities. 

County Social or Human Services Departments traditionally house individuals and families needing temporary or emergency assistance in area motels or hotels. In context with the statewide and national housing crisis, worsened by the Covid-19 pandemic, many of these Social Services Departments are experiencing rapidly growing need and escalating costs. Many counties, especially in rural areas, have a limited inventory of available rental units available to families to transition into permanent housing. The limited supply of permanent housing solutions is increasing the durations of stay at motels and contributing to the growing costs experienced by local governments. Social Service providers and local officials facing increased need, and the associated rising costs, would benefit from alternative models for temporary/emergency housing. 

Land banks can be impactful resources for local governments and service providers addressing temporary/emergency housing needs by repurposing tax-foreclosed, vacant and abandoned properties into safe, clean, and cost-effective housing. Land bank properties utilized by partnering counties for emergency placement can also serve other needs associated with temporary housing or related programs. The intent for this whitepaper is to assist statewide land banks, local and county governments, and non-profit stakeholders in an assessment of policy options, strategic planning efforts, and partnership agreements that can meet the needs and overcome challenges. The selected consultant shall provide broad recommendations from a state-wide perspective, not individual recommendations for each subject municipal jurisdiction being studied. Rather, the selected consultant will focus on current and relevant data to highlight how communities are addressing temporary/emergency housing challenges and possible ways that collaborative partnerships with land banks could be a resource. 

EXPECTED WORK PRODUCT

The NYLBA believes that land banks can play a valuable role in addressing these issues. The whitepaper will further research and summarize the problem in identified rural counties including, but not limited to: 

·         Number of individuals and families served

·         Average duration of stay

·         Average cost per night 

·         Emergency units available

·         Total costs to local governments relying on publicly available data and administered surveys.  

·         Consultant and participating land banks will work to identify and refine parameters. 

Participating Land Banks to be Surveyed: 

·         Allegany County Land Bank Corporation 

·         Wayne County Regional Land Bank Corporation 

·         Finger Lakes Regional Land Bank Corporation (Seneca County)

·         Chautauqua County Land Bank Corporation 

·         Sullivan County Land Bank Corporation 

·         Chemung County Land Bank Corporation 

·         Livingston County Land Bank Corporation

Potentially Participating:

·         Tioga County Property Development Corporation

The whitepaper will also present case studies from Wayne and Livingston Counties to showcase existing programs and partnerships between local governments and land banks. The paper should conclude with policy recommendations that will target partnerships between land banks, local social service providers, and county governments to utilize formerly tax-foreclosed, vacant, and abandoned land bank properties to create temporary/emergency housing. 

Consultant Scope: 

·         Identify and compile publicly available county level data for the identified counties on emergency housing including annual spending, households served, duration of stay, etc. 

·         Survey participating counties and land banks on emergency or transitional housing issues and opportunities. Survey would include both quantitative and qualitative questions and incorporate the various terminology used from county to county for similar programs. 

·         Work with participating land banks on administering surveys in partnership with local county Social Services Departments. 

·         Identify how counties are funding current programing for transitional or emergency housing (eg. general fund, state, or federal grants etc.).

·         Research and incorporate relevant census data including population, households, median income, etc., as necessary. 

·         Compile and present results of the research above including a brief list of known funding sources, eligibility information, requirements, restrictions, etc. that could potentially be leveraged in a county-land bank partnership model. 

·         Conduct at least one remote teleconference with stakeholders from both Wayne and Livingston County case studies. Budget for at least one additional teleconference. 

·         Summarize and analyze the nascent programs and partnerships forming in Wayne and Livingston Counties utilizing land bank resources to address emergency/temporary housing in partnership with local governments. 

·         Identify at least one other example of a creative solution for emergency housing development at the county or local level with project components that could be adapted to land banks. 

·         Summarize issues of temporary housing in rural NYS. The opportunities for partnership based on survey results and case studies, and policy recommendations and/or next steps. 

·         Organize and attend bi-weekly check-in teleconferences with the NYLBA project team. 

·         Compile, draft, and format whitepaper.

Proposal Submission Requirements:

·         Three page written response

·         Resume(s) (not included in page limit)

·         Relevant example of previous work product (not included in page limit)

·         References

Expected Project Duration: 3 Months 

Questions will be accepted via email by Wednesday, May 22, 2024. Responses will be distributed within one week.

Proposal submissions due by email by 4:00 PM on Friday, June 1, 2024.

Jonathan Link Logan

Senior Manager of Neighborhood Development

CenterState Corporation for Economic Opportunity

jlinklogan@centerstateceo.com

Note: Jonathan Link Logan is facilitating the RFP process on behalf of the NYLBA but not managing it. Jonathan will work with NYLBA members to gather and share responses as quickly and efficiently as possible but will not be available for direct questions or phone calls regarding this opportunity.