RFP Released: 5/13/2022
RFP Responses Due: 6/10/2022
In partnership with the City of Kansas City, Missouri’s Housing and Community Development Department, LISC will oversee the creation of Neighborhood Development and Resiliency Plans in three priority neighborhoods impacted by COVID-19. This work, funded by a U.S. Dept. Of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) COVID-19 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG-COVID-19), will build the resiliency of these communities and better equip residents to effectively respond to emergencies, disasters, and development interest. The project scope will include trainings in emergency preparedness/response and implementation of neighborhood action projects.
The COVID-19 pandemic represents one of the largest, most impactful events of our generation. Individuals, families, and communities that were already the most vulnerable and under-resourced have borne the brunt of this pandemic, in terms of infection rates, death rates, job loss or reductions, evictions and homelessness, hunger, and more. Resilience refers to a system’s ability to efficiently absorb shocks, but pandemics differ from most other disasters because they threaten people not infrastructure, have long durations, and have major economic impacts. As noted in a recent article on disaster resilience planning - to improve resilience, communities need effective responses including contagion control, safe access to and delivery of essential goods and services, adequate housing, physical and mental support for isolated people, and affordability.
The three neighborhoods identified for this work – Marlborough, Washington Wheatley, and South Round Top – will define how they wish to build resiliency in their community and shape future development. All three neighborhoods are located in the City’s urban core and have different strengths, opportunities, market conditions, and challenges.
This RFP seeks to identify two Consultants to complete Neighborhood Development and Resiliency Plans in the Washington Wheatley and South Round Top neighborhoods. (A third Plan in Marlborough is already underway, with a consultant selected through a separate competitive RFP process.) Consultants may submit a single proposal for one or both of neighborhoods and should identify in their proposal which neighborhood(s) they seek to work with. If necessary, the Consultant may engage Sub-Consultants to carry out aspects of the overall work.