It is recommended that the Mayor and City Commission of the City of Miami Beach, Florida, authorize the issuance of Request for Qualifications (RFQ) 2024-039-WG for project management services for the Homeowner Rehabilitation Services Program.

The City receives grant funds from various state and federal agencies to administer residential rehabilitation programs, such as the State of Florida’s State Housing Initiatives Partnership (SHIP) program. The SHIP program provides funds to local governments as an incentive to create partnerships that produce and preserve affordable homeownership and multifamily housing. The program was designed to serve very low, low, and moderate-income families.

SHIP funds may be used to fund emergency repairs, new construction, rehabilitation, down payment and closing cost assistance, impact fees, construction and gap financing, mortgage buy-downs, acquisition of property for affordable housing, matching dollars for federal housing grants and programs, and homeownership counseling. The Office of Housing and Community Services is charged with managing the SHIP funds for the City and, in doing so, identifies properties within Miami Beach that are eligible to receive funds for residential rehabilitation work.

The City’s Homeowner Rehabilitation Services Program provides income-eligible households with a forgivable loan to make necessary and appropriate repairs to their primary residence (assisted home). Eligible recipients must live in the assisted home and agree to use the assisted home as their primary residence for a period of fifteen (15) years. Repairs to the home may include those necessary to age in place, create energy efficiency, or address code violations.  Program funding is provided through SHIP and the HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME). Projects are not anticipated to exceed seventy thousand dollars ($70,000.00).

On February 5, 2015, the City entered into an Agreement with Gecko Group, Inc. for project management services relating to the General Building Contractor Rehabilitation Services Program. The term of the Agreement was for a three (3)-year initial term, with two (2) additional one (1)-year renewal terms. The Agreement expired on February 4, 2020. The Agreement expired before the COVID-19 pandemic, and the Homeowner Rehabilitation Services Program was paused until 2022. The program is now fully active, and project management services are required to address approved work to be awarded as stipulated herein.

Through this RFQ, the City is soliciting proposals for project management services for the Homeowner Rehabilitation Services Program. To assist the City and the awarded owners with completion of the repairs, the Office of Housing and Community Services requires one (1) or more project management firms to provide the services. The required scope of services consists of developing project specifications, conducting site inspections and preparing final inspection reports for program eligible homeowners identified by the Office of Housing and Community Services. The scope of work, including project specifications, will form the basis for the bid documents submitted to a list of pre-qualified General Contractors.

Project Manager/Consultant's duties include, but are not limited to:

• Attend pre-quote walk-through at the residential property to assess needed repairs;

• Make recommendations on work to be performed within the available funding limits;

• Once required work is determined, prepare a specifications report for bidding.

• The selected Contractor will participate with staff in pre-bid walk-throughs;

• Evaluate with staff the bids submitted by the pre-qualified General Contractors (GC);

• Conduct site visits during construction (1-3 times depending on work performed);

• Assist staff with problems/issues encountered during construction;

• Verify and evaluate work performed against the Contractor's payment requests; and

• Evaluate the finished project.

The City's Local Housing Assistance Plan stipulates that the costs associated with the Consultant fees cannot exceed a maximum of $5,000 per project.

Following the receipt of qualifications, an Evaluation Committee will review qualifications in accordance with the criteria established in the draft RFQ (attached).

LOBBYIST DISCLOSURE

In accordance with Resolution No. 2023-32857, adopted by the City Commission on December 13, 2023, the following information has been provided by the Administration.

1. Was the Agenda Item initially requested by a lobbyist which, as defined in Code Sec. 2-481, includes a principal engaged in lobbying?  No

2. If so, specify name of lobbyist(s) and principal(s):  Not Applicable

The Mayor and City Commission identified the need for workforce and affordable housing as a key objective in the City’s 2019 Strategic Plan Through the Lens of Resilience. The City’s 2040 Comprehensive Plan prioritizes affordable housing, with the express goal “to encourage redevelopment that provides workforce and affordable housing” within the City.

The project management services provided by this agreement are grant-funded via the Florida Housing Finance Corporation’s SHIP and HOME programs.

HOME-Homebuyer and Homeowner Rehabilitation: 180-0530-000346-23-404-534-00-00-00-53419

SHIP-Homeowner Rehabilitation and 1st Time Homebuyer: 152-0530-000349-00-404-534-00-00-00-57210

It is recommended that the Mayor and City Commission of the City of Miami Beach, Florida, authorize the issuance of Request for Qualifications (RFQ) 2024-039-WG for project management services for the Homeowner Rehabilitation Services Program.