State Avenue Affordable Housing Proposals Available For Public Review In Ames

Press release from the City of Ames:

October 19, 2020

The City’s Planning and Housing Department has received seven proposals for multi-family affordable housing at the former Ames Middle School site on State Avenue. Those documents are available for viewing on the City’s website (www.CityOfAmes.org/Housing) under “What’s New.” The proposals, which include a staff analysis and recommendations, will be discussed at the next regular Ames City Council meeting scheduled via Zoom teleconference at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 27.

In July, the City Council asked staff to request proposals for a Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) housing project located at 321 State Ave. The City requested proposals that address the following objectives:

1) Providing family-based affordable housing

2) Creating 15-50 housing units

3) Featuring compatible design elements with the surrounding residential homes

4) Developing a competitive project per the Iowa Finance Authority’s (IFA) scoring system

The proposal criteria included the evaluation of proposals based upon developer experience and capacity, project design, property management experience, and requested financial incentives. The staff evaluation determined that three of the seven proposals best met the objectives for the project and, therefore, interviewed these three groups to review their proposals in greater detail. In addition, the City’s development review team completed an initial assessment of the design features related to zoning, building, and fire codes.

The City Council will discuss the proposals, the staff analysis and recommendations, and will allow public comment during the meeting. The agenda for the Tuesday, Oct. 27, meeting and details on how to participate will be released by 5 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 23, at: www.CityOfAmes.org/CCMeetings

This press release was produced by the City of Ames. The views expressed here are the author’s own.