So, we are being told that can’t do an RFP (Request for Proposals) to find someone to develop 9 acres of land on Allied Drive because no one wants to develop the property. Or so they say. Tell me, can you believe that if we offered $300,000 in soft costs, $4.7M in free land, 47 Section 8 vouchers to help pay the rent for the units and a $3.5M loan from the Affordable Housing Trust Fund and not one single developer, for-profit or non-profit will step forward?
That’s what the City would be expected to provide to the CDA. Why not offer that in a request for proposals and see who might apply? I bet someone might come forward if that was all offered. And, I bet that the city tax payer could get a better deal.
