CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM
ACTION REQUESTED:
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Approve the vision and goals to establish expectations for development of surplus City-owned property and direct staff to prepare an RFP/Q to support development of affordable senior housing and housing for Intellectual and Developmentally Disabled (IDD) individuals on property located near Route 59 and 103rd Street
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DEPARTMENT: Transportation, Engineering and Development
SUBMITTED BY: Amy Emery, AICP, TED Operations Manager
BOARD/COMMISSION REVIEW:
N/A
BACKGROUND:
The City Council has taken a variety of actions and continues to pursue opportunities to address affordable housing needs. Most recently, the City Council hosted a workshop on a potential Inclusionary Zoning Ordinance (IZO) in June 2021.
Further prioritizing affordable housing efforts, the Housing Needs Assessment/Housing Needs Report, approved by the Human Rights and Fair Housing Advisory Commission and endorsed by City Council in 2020, included an action item to develop a strategy to leverage publicly owned land to address housing challenges.
DISCUSSION:
The City has surplus public land assets that it may leverage to help address the issue of affordable housing. The Municipal Code permits the Council to authorize, upon determination that “continued ownership of any parcel of real estate is no longer necessary, appropriate, required for the use of, profitable to, or for the best interests of the City, the sale or conveyance of such real estate.”
This includes Surplus City lands that may be sold, leased or written down to support affordable housing development. This situation creates a tangible opportunity for the City Council to take leadership action to address this long-standing community challenge.
To efficiently pursue future development of affordable housing on surplus public property in accordance with City Council direction, a vision statement and supporting goals have been prepared for approval.
VISION
Enhance Naperville by creating and sustaining high-quality affordable housing on surplus publicly-owned land to help expand housing choices for residents with the greatest need.
GOALS
Surplus publicly-owned land identified for affordable housing shall:
1. Provide a variety of affordable housing styles and sizes to address needs identified within the Housing Needs Assessment/Housing Needs Report (2020).
2. Offer convenient access to shopping, transportation, health care and other support services and amenities, including open space.
3. Be well-suited, based on parcel location, size, utility access, and site features to support a thoughtful design with sustainable elements to offer residents a high-quality lifestyle.
4. Achieve the greatest impact on unmet housing need by restricting or excluding market rate units.
Next Steps
Staff is seeking City Council concurrence and approval of the vision and goals outlined in this memo. Together, they will serve as the foundation for preparation of future Request for Proposals/Statement of Qualification (RFP/Q) for sale and development of affordable housing on specific surplus City-owned property.
Upon approval, an initial RFP/Q for a portion of the city-owned property located near the intersection of IL 59 and 103rd Street will be drafted and presented to the City Council in September. Since the RFP/Q will be specific to a particular location, the City Council will be able to approve customized property development objectives which support the vision and goals detailed in this memo.
It is anticipated the RFP/Q will seek:
1. Housing designed to accommodate populations with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and senior residents.
2. Opportunities, where feasible, to benefit from state and federal grant programs to maintain affordable status over time.
3. To clarify zoning expectations, particularly related to setbacks, height, bulk and parking
4. To achieve environmentally-friendly and sustainable construction and design practices which may include a combination of:
o Utilization of renewable energy
o Electric vehicle charging capability (possibly installed at a future date depending on financing)
o Diversion of construction waste from landfills and incinerators
o Indoor environmental quality materials
o Stormwater management
Based on review of similar projects in communities across the country, within approximately three months of issuance of an RFP/Q, the City can expect to receive responses. This timeframe will provide respondents the ability to assemble qualified teams, prepare a design concept and supporting information. All submittals received in response to the RFP/Q will be carefully evaluated and a recommendation will be made to the Council for final action. The recommended candidate (or team) will be based on the weighted scoring criteria established within the approved RFP/Q document. Any selected proposal will require all entitlement approvals (e.g., zoning changes, variances, etc.) through a traditional public process before any land transfer is completed.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There are no fiscal impacts specifically associated with the requested action. The RFP/Q will be prepared by City staff; all expenses associated with responses shall be the sole responsibility of respondents.