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Fair Housing Analysis Consultant Contract , , . e e e ... . . RESOLUTION 576-00 A RESOLUTION APPROVING THE SELECTION OF A CONSULTANT TO PREPARE A FAIR HOUSING ANALYSIS OF THE CITY OF DUBUQUE AND AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE AN APPROPRIATE CONTRACT FOR SAID ANALYSIS. Whereas, the City of Dubuque, Iowa is required by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to complete a Fair Housing Analysis~ and Whereas, the City of Dubuque, Iowa, as part of the overall Community Development Block Grant program, is interested in identifying impediments or barriers to fair housing in our community~ and Whereas, a Request for Proposals solicited consultant services to prepare the Fair Housing Analysis~ and Whereas, The John Marshall Law School Fair Housing Legal Support Center is recommended to complete the Fair Housing Analysis. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF DUBUQUE, IOWA: Section 1. That the selection of The John Marshall Law School Fair Housing Legal Support Center as the consultant to prepare a Fair Housing Analysis of the city of Dubuque is hereby approved. Section 2. That the City Manager is hereby authorized to execute, on behalf of the City Council of the City of Dubuque, Iowa, a contract with The John Marshall Law School Fair Housing Legal Support Center for consultant services not to exceed $15,000.00. Passed, approved and adopted this ~th day of December, 2000. Terrance M. Duggan, Mayor Attest: Jeanne Schneider City Clerk ~ . CITY OF DUBUQUE, IOWA MEMORANDUM October 26, 2000 TO: David Harris, Janet Walker, Pam Myhre, Kathy Sturm FROM: Kelly Larson SUBJECT: Consultant Selection for Analysis ofImpediments to Fair Housing As you recall, we requested proposals to perform an update to the City's Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing 'earlier this summer. When we did not receive any bids, we re-submitted the request with a second bid deadline of October 20. We have received one bid, from the John Marshall Fair Housing Legal Support Center. A copy of that bid is attached. Please take a moment to review the bid and call me with your comments by November 3. If anyone has concerns about awarding the contract to this bidder, I will schedule a meeting so we can discuss the issue as a group. Thanks for your time. e - It e e THE JOHN MARSHALL LAW SCHOOL@ 315 South Plymouth Court Chicago, Illinois 60604 www.jrnls.edu ,f..;) F~.:--'1 " (l.i"",>! ......~ ..~ L'Sf 'Vs'D OtiJ ., 100c? " 'm -'. l,'1i') t:;'. r/{l/JI." "'0 &Ct. II CENTENNIAL 1899-1999 October 2, 2000 FAIR HOUSING LEGAL SUPPORT CENTER TEL: 312.987.2397 FAX: 312.427. 9438 T1rY:312.427.3066 http://fairhousing.jrnls.edu Ms. Kelly Larson Human Rights Department City of Dubuque, City Hall Annex 1300 Main Street Dubuque, Iowa 52001 Dear Ms. Larson: I am transmitting to you a copy of our proposal to do an analysis of impediments of fair housing in the City of Dubuque. This analysis will look at both private and public housing markets and the legal, social, political, and economic factors that affect the selection of housing in Dubuque. The analysis will include a brief history of fair housing practices in Dubuque and an examination of the demographics of the community. Barriers and impediments to fair housing in Dubuque will be identified and remedies proposed. Census information, HMDA data, and state and local laws and ordinances will be analyzed; key players in the housing market will be identified; statutes, ordinances, and regulations that impact on fair housing will be cataloged; and community leaders and residents will be interviewed in person or by telephone. The final report will set forth the work undertaken and a summary of findings and recommendations. The final report will provide a blueprint for the City of Dubuque and its residents to move into the Twenty First Century as a community without barriers to housing choice because of sex, religion, race, creed, color, national origin, age disability, or familial status. The project will be completed by May 2001. Professors Michael P. Seng and F. Willis Caruso, co-executive directors of The John Marshall Law School Fair Housing Legal Support Center, will supervise the project. Law students will be utilized to do the interviewing and analysis, and experts from other disciplines will be consulted as needed. Dean e e e PROPOSAL TO DO A FAIR HOUSING IMPEDIMENTS ANALYSIS OF THE CITY OF DUBUQUE, IOWA Submitted by The John Marshall Law School Fair Housing Legal Support Center Chicago, Illinois Title of Proposal: AN ANALYSIS OF FAIR HOUSING IMPEDIMENTS IN THE CITY OF DUBUQUE, IOWA Name and address of Applicant: The John Marshall Law School Fair Housing Legal Support Center 315 South Plymouth Court Chicago, Illinois 60604 Telephone: Fax: (312) 987-2397 (312) 427-2397 Name of Authorized Contact Person: Michael P. Seng, Professor of Law Date: October 5, 2000 Cost: $15,000 SUMMARY OF PROJECT The John Marshall Law School Fair Housing Legal Support Center proposes to do an analysis of fair housing barriers and impediments in the City of Dubuque, Iowa. This analysis will look at both private and public housing markets and the legal, social, political, and economic factors that affect the selection of housing in Dubuque. The analysis will include a brief history of fair housing practices in Dubuque and an examination of the demographics ofthe community. Barriers and impediments to fair housing in Dubuque will be identified and remedies proposed. Census information, HMDA data, and state and local laws and ordinances will be analyzed; key players in the housing market will be identified; statutes, ordinances, and regulations that impact on fair e housing will be cataloged; and community leaders and residents will be interviewed in person or by telephone. The final report will set forth the work undertaken and a summary of findings and recommendations. The final report will provide a blueprint for the City of Dubuque and its residents to move into the Twenty First Century as a community without barriers to housing choice because of sex, religion, race, creed, color, national origin, age disability, or familial status. The project will be completed by May 2001. Professors Michael P. Seng and F. Willis Caruso, co-executive directors of The John Marshall Law School Fair Housing Legal Support Center, will supervise the project. Law students will be utilized to do the interviewing and analysis, and experts from other disciplines will be consulted as needed. PROFILE OF THE CONTRACTOR e The John Marshall Law School was founded in 1899. It has an emollment of approximately 1,300 students. It offers a general J.D. program, as well as LL.M. programs in Intellectual Property, Tax, Real Estate, Computers and Privacy, International Trade, and American Law for Foreign Lawyers. It is located in the South Loop of Chicago. The John Marshall Law School Fair Housing Legal Support Center was established in 1992. It carries on a variety of activities to educate the public and to assist in fair housing enforcement. The Center has received HUD FHIP grants and grants from the Fannie Mae Foundation, the Chicago Community Trust, and the Woods Fund, among others, to carry on its educational programs. The Center conducts three conferences each year to educate fair housing practitioners about the law. It prepares booklets, pamphlets, and videos on fair housing issues. Center staff is available to lecture throughout the country on fair housing legal issues. They have successfully participated in fair housing programs in all areas of the country, including California, Oregon, Nevada, Arizona, Louisiana, Texas, Arkansas, Nebraska, Iowa, Washington, the District of Columbia, Kansas, South Carolina, Massachusetts, Ohio, Indiana, Montana, Tennessee, Connecticut, Florida, Alabama, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Missouri, and Colorado. The Center has also established a computerized research program that is accessible to attorneys and advocates throughout the country. In addition, the Center staff is available to answer questions on strategy and the law for persons and groups supporting fair housing efforts. e The Center completed a Fair Housing Impediments Study for the City of Dubuque in 1996 and for the City of Davenport in 2000. It has also written a zoning ordinance concerning the establishment of group homes for the City of Hammond, Indiana and regularly consults with personnel from state and local human rights agencies on questions e of fair housing enforcement. This past year the Center has conducted an extensive training for all investigators employed by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development. It conducted these one-week training programs in Kansas City, Atlanta, and Chicago. This July it organized and presented a program for the National HUD FHIPIFHAP Training Conference in San Antonio, Texas. Over 800 federal, state, and private fair housing workers attended this training. It had previously presented a similar training for HUD in Birmingham, Alabama in 1997. The Center also staffs a fair housing clinic to teach students the law and to assist persons who claim violations of their fair housing rights. Students take a two-hour class in Fair Housing Law and Practice and can earn up to ten hours of academic credit by working in the clinic. The clinic also has a testing program to monitor and disclose practices that violate the fair housing laws. Students work under the supervision of an attorney and represent clients in HUD, state, and local administrative proceedings and in federal and state court. The clinic maintains an active caseload of approximately 50 cases. The project will be coordinated through The John Marshall Law School Fair Housing Legal Support Center by Professor Michael P. Seng and Adjunct Professor F. Willis Caruso, Co-Executive Directors ofthe Center. e Professor Seng has extensive experience litigating civil rights cases, including housing cases. He teaches in the areas of constitutional law, civil rights, national security law, federal courts, and comparative law. He has written extensively about civil rights and housing discrimination. He headed a civil rights and legal services proj ect in the 1970s in Cairo, Illinois. He is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame and the Notre Dame Law School. Adjunct Professor F. Willis Caruso teaches Fair Housing Law and Practice and supervises the Fair Housing Clinic. He has litigated over a thousand fair housing cases, including several landmark cases in the United States Supreme Court. He is the former general counsel of the Leadership Council for Metropolitan Open Communities in Chicago and of the Chicago Housing Authority. He is the author of many articles on fair housing law and the only published casebook on Fair Housing and Fair Lending Laws. He is a graduate of Northwestern University and the Northwestern Law School. The Fair Housing Legal Support Center will consult with a demographer and other land use planning experts to complete portions of the analysis, if that becomes necessary. Second and third year law students will work under the supervision of Professors Seng and Caruso in devising the interviewing questionnaires, in writing the final report, and in doing the interviews. Many of these students will have completed the fair housing course and have worked in the clinic. It is envisioned that many of the interviews will be able to be conducted by telephone from Chicago. The resumes of Professors Seng and Caruso are attached hereto. e e SCOPE OF SERVICES The Fair Housing Impediments Study ofthe City of Dubuque will follow the format recommended in the Fair Housing Planning Guide, vol. 1, published by HUD. It will include the following: a. A description of the methodology used in the study; b. Relevant data on the availability of housing in the City; c. An analysis of how discrimination against the classes protected by the Fair Housing Act affects the sale and rental of housing in the City; d. An analysis of insurance and mortgage lending discrimination in the City and its affect on the availability of housing in the City; e. Public policies and laws that affect sites and buildings that are available for low income housing in the City; f. Administrative policies that affect community development and housing for protected classes under the fair housing laws in the City; g. An analysis of the effectiveness of existing laws and procedures to fight discrimination in housing in the City; h. Proposals for eliminating any impediments found that limit fair housing choices by protected classes in the City. e In the course of the study, the Center will examine relevant data and information from both the private and public sectors regarding the availability of equal housing on the basis of sex, religion, race, creed, color, national origin, age, disability, and familial status. This will include information concerning zoning and site selection, neighborhood revitalization, low-income housing, property taxes, lending and insurance, transportation, municipal services and other conditions that affect housing availability for protected classes under the fair housing laws. The Center will identify key players in the community as well as city residents and interview them for their views on impediments to fair housing that may exist in the community and their recommendations for their elimination. The Center will hold at least one open meeting in the City so that residents and officials can comment and make recommendations about what should be included in the report. TIME TABLE First Month: Identify tasks and assemble needed personnel to perform these tasks. Second Month: Begin work on assembling demographic data. Begin work on identifying historical sources. Identify leaders and persons in the community that should be interviewed. e e e e Third Month: Fourth Month: Fifth Month: Sixth Month: Continue to work on assembling demographic data. Continue to work on assembling historical data. Assemble questionnaire forms to aid in the interviewing process. Begin work on assembling statutes, ordinances, and regulations that may impact on fair housing in Dubuque. Begin interviews of community leaders and residents. Write report on demographics. Write history section of the report. Analyze statutes, ordinances, and regulations that affect fair housing in the City. Continue interviews of community leaders and residents. Make final revisions in historical and demographic sections of the report. Analyze information obtained through interviews. Identify barriers or impediments to fair housing in the City and recommend solutions to these problems. Complete final report. e City of Dubuque~ Iowa Budget Analysis of Impediments Study Proposal Project Director: Michael Seng 125 hrs. @ $45 hr. $ 5~625 Fair Housing Director: F. Willis Caruso 35 hrs. @ $45 hr. 1~575 Consultant : Land Use Expert 10 hrs. @ $45 hr. 450 Contractual Service: Lending Practices Report with findings and Recommendations 2~500 e Law Students: 120 hrs. @ $10 hr. 1,200 Transportation and Lodging In Dubuque Four (4) trips @ $336 1 ,344 T elephone Calls~ supplies~ Photo copy ~ and postage 806 Indirect Costs: 1.500 TOTAL COST: $ 15,000 e e MICHAEL P. SENG e Michael P. Seng is a professor of law at The John Marshall Law School. He teaches, among other courses, Constitutional Law, Federal Jurisdiction, and Public Law Litigation. He is the Co-Executive Director of The John Marshall Law School Fair Housing Legal Support Center and The John Marshall Law School Fair Housing Legal Clinic. He formerly practiced law at Jenner & Block and was the directing attorney of the Land of Lincoln Legal Assistance Foundation in Cairo, Illinois from 1972 to 1976. He is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame and the Notre Dame Law School. He has litigated a number of civil rights and public interest cases, including Kirby v. Illinois, O'Shea v. Littleton, Spomer v. Littleton, and Carey v. Brown in the United States Supreme Court. He has taught law as a Fulbright professor in Nigeria, and in 1996, he was a visiting professor at Masaryk University in the Czech Republic. He has co-authored a book on Eyewitness Testimony as well as many articles on civil rights and fair housing law. He is a member of the Illinois Residential Mortgage Board, an appointed body to advise the State of Illinois Office of Banks and Real Estate. e e F. WILLIS CARUSO e F. Willis Caruso is co-executive director of The John Marshall Law School Fair Housing Legal Support Center, the clinical director of The John Marshall Law School Fair Housing Legal Clinic, and adjunct professor of law at The John Marshall Law School. Mr. Caruso is a graduate of Northwestern University and the Northwestern Law School. He formerly practiced law with Sidley & Austin; Caruso & Caruso; Isham Lincoln & Beale, and Keck, Mahin & Cate. He served as the General Counsel of the Chicago Housing Authority from 1991 to 1994 and the General Counsel of the Leadership Council for Metropolitan Open Communities from 1970 to 1991. He has litigated over 1,000 fair housing cases, including the Village of Arlington Heights v. Metropolitan Housing Development Corporation, and Gladstone Realtors v. Village of Bel/wood. He has also authored many articles and a textbook on fair housing law. e e Contact List for Analysis of Impediments RFP Matt Lorenz and Associates Michael Seng, John Marshall Law School Dr. Richard Anderson, Chair, Department of Sociology, Loras Ms. Emily Kearns, Chair, Department of Sociology, Clarke Department of Sociology, University of Dubuque Iowa Social Science Institute 123 N. Linn St. Suite 130 Iowa City, IA 52242 UI Center for Human Rights 236 International Center University ofIowa Iowa City, IA 52242 e Institute for Social and Economic Development 1901 Broadway, Suite 313 Iowa City, IA 52240 Dr. Gene Lutz Director Center for Social and Behavioral Research 221 Sabin Hall University of Northern Iowa Cedar Falls, IA 50614-0402 Department of Sociology Iowa State University 107 East Hall Ames, IA 50011 e e CITY OF DUBUQUE, IOWA SECOND REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL ANALYSIS OF IMPEDIMENTS TO FAIR HOUSING L INTRODUCTION The City of Dubuque, Iowa, is conducting a repeat solicitation of proposals from contractors to conduct an Analysis ofImpediments to Fair Housing. Attached is information relating to minimum specifications of services, data to be included in the proposal, evaluation criteria, and selected information relating to the City of Dubuque. ll. BACKGROUND The City of Dubuque is located on the Mississippi River in eastern Iowa, adjacent to Illinois and Wisconsin. It is approximately 25 square miles in area, with a population of approximately 60,000. As a recipient of Community Development Block Grant funds, the City is required to regularly analyze impedi,ments to fair housing in the City. The most recent Analysis of Impediments (AI) was completed in February 1996. The City is now soliciting proposals to conduct a new analysis. ID. OBJECTIVES e The Fair Housing Law of the City of Dubuque protects equal housing opportunities on the basis of sex, religion, race, creed, color, national origin, age, disability or familial status. The purpose of the Analysis is to identify the impediments and barriers to fair Housing in the City of Dubuque. The Analysis will then be utilized to establish an action plan for the elimination of said barriers and impediments. IV. INFORMATION TO BE INCLUDED IN PROPOSAL In order to simplify the review process and to obtain the maximum degree of comparability, the proposals shall include the following items and be organized in the manner specified below. Letter of Transmittal A letter of transmittal briefly outlining the contractor's understanding of the work and the name, address, telephone number and fax number of the contractor's primary and secondary contact persons for this project. Profile of the Contractor Contractors are required to present material that demonstrates their experience and expertise in completing this type of study. - e Provide abbreviated resumes (1 to 2 pages each) of the key personnel who will be working on the study, describing their education, specialized and technical competence, and experience in relation to the type of work required for this study. Scope of Services Include a detailed scope of services addressing Section V, Scope of Services, below. Although the City attempted to identify the work and services required, this should not constrain the scope the contractor believes to be necessary to meet the City's objectives. Include any ideas to improve the study and recommend any scope of work not identified in this RFP considered essential. The Fair Housing Planning Guide, Vol. I, published by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity, is a useful reference. Copies can be obtained from the Fair Housing Information Clearinghouse by calling 1-800-767-7468. Proposed Proiect Schedule Request for proposals distributed on September 5,2000. Proposals due by 4:00 p.m. on October 20,2000. Contract anticipated to be awarded in November 2000. Study completed and submitted to selection committee by May 2001. e v. SCOPE OF SERVICES 1. Analyze the availability of fair housing in Dubuque, as it regards: a) The sale or rental of housing; b) The financing of housing; c) The provision of brokerage services; d) Public policies and actions that affect the approval of building sites for publicly assisted housing and any other building requirements that affect the construction; e) Administrative policies concerning community development and housing activities that affect opportunities for minority households to select housing inside or outside areas of minority concentration; t) The provision of renter' slhomeowner' s insurance; and g) Actions which could be taken to help remedy any discriminatory condition where there has been a determination of unlawful segregation or other housing discrimination by a court or a finding of noncompliance by HUD regarding assisted housing. 2. Examine the existing conditions as regards housing and housing choice in Dubuque and answer questions regarding the availability of equal housing on the basis of sex, religion, race, creed, color, national origin, age, disability and familial status. This will e include census information about demographic characteristics, income, employment, 2 e transportation, ethnic or racial concentrations, housing characteristics, public policies and current city laws/ordinances/programs regarding fair housing/equal opportunity, and human rights cases involving housing. 3. Identify key players in the local housing arena and investigate the role they play including, but not limited to: Tenants Non-profit housing providers Realtors Legal Services Community Development Advisory Commission Human Rights Staff/Commission City Council Insurers Landlords Banks Developers Neighborhood Associations Housing Staff/Commission Planning/Zoning Staff/Commission Other Community Institutions 4. Select key player interviews to elicit information and/or perceptions regarding housing, housing choice, access to housing, etc. in Dubuque that would help provide answers to the seven required areas of analysis identified in 1. above. 5. Discuss and analyze issues identified from research/interviews, which may include: a) e b) c) d) e) t) g) h) i) j) k) 1) What housing development patters have occurred historically? Is there segregation by class? Is there discrimination against protected classes? What housing choices are available? Does every citizen have equal access to housing? How much mobility exists? What limits mobility from one neighborhood to another? Where are the "poor" neighborhoods? Are there "minority" neighborhoods? What interracial issues are involved? Do neighborhoods have a perceived image by outsiders? What public attitudes exist? Have public policies or institutional practices influenced housing and neighborhood development? Does assisted housing development face NIMBY - Not in My Back Yard - resistance? How have banks responded to Community Reinvestment Act requirements? Does redlining exist locally? What lending patterns exist? 6. Identify barriers/impediments to fair housing in Dubuque. 7. Recommend actions/strategies (both public and private) to overcome and/or eliminate the identified barriers or impediments. e 3 e e e VI. EV ALUA nON CRITERIA Proposals will be screened to ensure that they meet the minimum requirements of the proposal format. A review of the qualifying proposals will identify potential contractors that most closely meet the needs of the City of Dubuque. Proposals will be evaluated by the selection committee based upon: Qualifications and experience of the contractors - achievements and completion of similar studies with characteristics similar to Dubuque's. Study team - qualifications and experience of the principal consulting staff proposed to work on the study. Grasp of the study requirements - the contractor's analysis, preparation and level of interest. Design approach/methodology in completing the scope of work and services - technical alternatives, creativity and problem solving ability. Responsiveness - compatibility between contractors and the City of Dubuque, general attitude, ability to communicate. Local economic impact - ability to incorporate local contractors Schedule evaluation - time required to complete the project. Cost evaluation - cost of each task as a percentage of the total project cost. The RFP committee will rank the responsive contractors according to the above criteria. Negotiations with the highest ranking contractor will commence until a satisfactory scope of work and cost proposal are agreed upon. However, the City of Dubuque reserves the right to reject any and all proposals, reserving the right to negotiate with more than one contractor simultaneously. Further, the "scope of services" of the actual study contract may be adjusted to include or exclude tasks if the tasks are deemed essential or unessential, whichever the case may be. The City of Dubuque is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Vll. FEES AND COMPENSATION Provide a proposed compensation structure for the completion of the proposed scope of services, with cost breakdowns for each component of the study. Quotation offees and compensation shall remain firm for a period of ninety (90) days from the proposed submission deadline. Separate the portion of the Fees and Compensation proposal (separate enclosure) from the other portion of the RFP submittal. Initial screening will be done by the selection committee without the benefit of knowing the contractor's proposed 4 e fee schedule. A contract will be negotiated after the selection process has been completed. The City reserves the right to terminate the contract for convenience. vm. SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS An original plus five (5) copies of the proposal shall be received in the office of the City of Dubuque's Human Rights Department, City Hall Annex, 1300 Main Street, Dubuque, Iowa 52001 by 4:00 p.m. CDT on October 20,2000. Each contractor assumes full responsibility for delivery and deposit of the completed proposal package on or before the deadline. The City of Dubuque is not responsible for any loss or delay with respect to the delivery of the proposals. The City of Dubuque is not liable for any cost incurred during the preparation and presentation of proposals by any contractors prior to the execution of an agreement or contract, nor shall the City of Dubuque be liable for any costs incurred by the contractors that are not specified in any contract. e All questions and correspondence regarding this RFP should be directed to Kelly Larson, (319) 589-4190, City of Dubuque Human Rights Department, City Hall Annex, 1300 Main Street, Dubuque, Iowa 52001, or by fax at (319) 589-4299. e 5 . . . CITY OF DUBUQUE, IOWA MEMORANDUM November 30, 2000 TO: The Honorable Mayor and City Council Members FROM: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager SUBJECT: Fair Housing Analysis Consultant Contract Human Rights Director Kelly Larson is recommending approval of a contract with the John Marshall Law School Fair Housing Legal Support Center to conduct a Fair Housing Analysis of the City, as required by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. I concur with the recommendation and respectfully request Mayor and City Council approval. Michael C. Van Milligen MCVM/jh Attachment cc: Barry Lindahl, Corporation Counsel Tim Moerman, Assistant City Manager Kelly Larson, Human Rights Director CITY OF DUBUQUE, IOWA MEMORANDUM November 20, 2000 TO: Michael Van Milligen, City Manager Kelly Larson, Human Rights Director ~ FROM: SUBJECT: Fair Housing Analysis Consultant Contract Introduction This memorandum transmits for City Council consideration a resolution authorizing a contract for consultant services to perform a Fair Housing Analysis of the city. This analysis is required by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) as part ofthe Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program. e Background The City receives approximately $1.4 million annually as an entitlement community under the CDBG program. As part of the planning requirements for the program, the City was required to complete a local Fair Housing Analysis by February 6, 1996, and is expected to update the analysis at least once every 3 to 5 years. This analysis must identify any impediments or barriers to fair housing in Dubuque and make recommendations to eliminate such impediments or barriers. The primary elements of the analysis have been stipulated by HUD and must cover the following areas: the sale or rental of housing; the financing of housing; zoning and land use policies, tax assessment/abatement practices; administrative policies concerning community development and housing activities that affect opportunities for minority households to select housing inside or outside areas of minority concentration; the provision of renter'/homeowners' insurance; and patterns of occupancy in Section 8, Public and Assisted Housing, and private rental housing. Ten (10) organizations or individuals, including four locals, were sent a Request for Proposals to complete the required Fair Housing Analysis. Initially, no proposals were received. The request was sent a second time to the same organizations, with an extended deadline, and one proposal was received. Given the limited timeline for completion of an updated Analysis, the Selection Committee, which consisted of staff from the Human Rights, Housing, Community and Economic e e e e Development and Finance, was satisfied with the response. A copy of the Request for Proposals is attached. Discussion The Committee feels that the proposal from The John Marshall Law School Fair Housing Legal Support Center provides the necessary experience, meets the project requirements, and quotes an appropriate fee for services. The proposal is attached for your review. The John Marshall Law School Fair Housing Legal Support Center, has a proven track record in the field of fair housing, offering coursework for law students and operating an education and research center dealing with fair housing. The project leaders are well-known in the field offair housing and bring a level of expertise and available research staff to the project that staff could not provide in-house. A task force composed of staff and several members from the Human Rights Commission, Housing Commission and Community Development Commission are expected to oversee the consultants' work during the course of the Analysis and review final recommendations. Recommendation The Selection Committee recommends that The John Marshall Law School Fair Housing Legal Support Center be hired to perform the Fair Housing Analysis. The consultants' fee is quoted at $15,000. An amount sufficient to cover the cost of this consultant contract has been allocated in the Community Development Activity within the City budget. Action Step The action step for the City Council is to adopt the attached resolution approving the selection of a consultant to perform the Fair Housing Analysis and authorizing the City Manager to execute a contract for consultant services not to exceed $15,000 on behalf of the City Council. attachments