The Department of Housing and Community Development told the committee it will issue a request for proposals (RFP) on Nov. 5, 2025 for development of two city-owned surplus parcels targeted for mixed-income affordable housing: 212 North 18th Street (Seventh District) and 911–913 Hull Street (Manchester, Councilwoman Robertson’s district).

Eric Malone, director of Housing and Community Development, said both parcels are paved surface lots: 212 North 18th Street is assessed at $2.1 million (staff will use appraised values in the RFP process) and sits near East Broad and recent multifamily development; 911–913 Hull Street is about a quarter-acre with an assessed value of $485,000. Malone said the RFP will accept proposals from nonprofit and for-profit developers, and that staff will run an outreach campaign to attract strong respondents.

Key RFP dates and process items Malone gave to the committee: RFP release Nov. 5; site visits (212 North 18th on Nov. 14; 911–913 Hull on Nov. 17); a prospective proposer Q&A on Dec. 4; a 75-day submittal window with proposals due Feb. 24, 2026; expert panel review beginning in March; interviews and best-and-final rounds in April; and a final recommendation to administration thereafter. The department said an expert panel will score proposals using criteria that include a minimum of 20% of units as affordable, development team qualifications, conceptual design, financial structure and schedule, community benefits and MBE/WBE participation.

Committee members pressed staff on deeper affordability goals and land-use options. Councilmembers noted 20% is the minimum threshold and urged flexibility in evaluation to reward proposals with deeper affordability, longer affordability covenants or land-lease scenarios that could drive lower resident rents. Malone said the RFP will be open to a range of financing structures (including possible ground leases and for-sale restricted units) and that staff will evaluate proposals for affordability depth as part of the scoring process. The committee discussed using proceeds or savings from dispositions to seed additional housing funds.

Staff said community engagement on final project designs and community benefits agreements would occur later in the selection and development process rather than at the RFP issuance stage. The RFP will be posted publicly and staff will hold open site visits and Q&A sessions as listed.