Town of Edson - Request for Proposal - Housing Needs Assessment Report and Housing Strategy - RFP CS 2024 007

The Town of Edson is seeking proposals from qualified consultants to conduct a Housing Needs Assessment Report and Housing Strategy. It is intended that both the Housing Needs Assessment and the Housing Strategy will assist the Town in its strategic direction, updates to existing policy and bylaws, and future related policy development. There are existing social housing developments and non-profit and non-government organizations that are integral to the success of affordable/attainable housing in the Town. We value their involvement and actions and want to see housing groups form and inform and help implement our Strategy. We also value our construction and development community and want to also see them be a part of this process and Strategy in some way. We see the spectrum of housing options and affordable/attainable housing as an integral part of living up to our vision and our citizens’ quality of life. And we see the housing needs assessment report providing invaluable data that will inform the Housing Strategy. We also want the Housing Strategy to address key needs for those most in need and provide approaches that will address our housing gaps in the community. The work for Housing Needs Assessment Report will complete data collection, analysis and reporting, and set up a data collection system or method for future reporting and analysis, and will be used to inform the key areas of focus for the Town’s Housing Strategy. For the Housing Strategy Proponents are encouraged to be creative and respond to the range of needs identified through this project. The intent of the Housing Strategy is to give clear, appropriate, and attainable strategies and approaches for housing in Edson. The process must be inclusive and address the range and diversity of housing needs to reflect the diversity and most critical and largest needs of our community. The following are questions to illustrate the scope and suggested areas that the Housing Strategy could explore and recommend, and is not limited to: • What types of affordable/attainable housing is most needed based on the housing spectrum? • What types of affordable/attainable housing should be most actively pursued/is a priority given the Town’s market conditions, housing need, available funding, and land availability? • What are specific actions for key groups, for example the Town (local government), public, NGO/NPO, developers, and housing providers? • What are existing tools and mechanisms available to the Town, and that are appropriate and replicable in Edson? For example, leveraging real estate taxation tools (allocations, escrow interest) for funds and grants.