BHA seeks proposals to revitalize the West Newton/Rutland public housing site in the South End

RFP next step in resident and community process regarding long-term preservation of BHA’s affordable housing.

Boston, MA – July 30, 2015 – (RealEstateRama) — The Boston Housing Authority (BHA) issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) inviting developers to submit revitalization proposals for the West Newton/Rutland Street public housing properties in Roxbury.

The BHA’s goal is to upgrade the West Newton/Rutland family public housing site while avoiding displacement of the current residents and to preserve affordability for extremely low-income households over the long term. The BHA is seeking plans that include the rehabilitation of the existing 146 units of federally subsidized housing in 24 historical brick townhouses on both West Newton and Rutland Streets in the South End Landmarks District. The issuance of the RFP comes as BHA is seeking ways to upgrade and make sustainable its affordable housing communities in the wake of historic federal budget cuts.

The BHA has selected West Newton/Rutland as the fourth candidate for which to issue an RFP due to current market conditions and the potential opportunity for the revitalization and modernization of the current buildings on the site.

“We look forward to receiving creative ideas that will preserve and protect West Newton/Rutland as an affordable housing community for many years,” said BHA Administrator Bill McGonagle.

BHA staff recently met with residents of the development before issuing the RFP. Also prior to this issuance, BHA issued a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) in November, 2014 asking the non-profit and for-profit development community for ideas about how to preserve public housing units with decreased reliance on federal subsidy, which has been shrinking for many years. There is a copy of the RFQ and more information on the BHA’s funding situation in our Five-Year Plan on the BHA’s website.

BHA expects to have responses back from developers by mid-October. A selection committee comprised of residents of the West Newton/Rutland public housing development and BHA staff will review the proposals and select a developer. BHA and the selected developer will hold a series of resident and community meetings, as well as design charrettes as part of an open, public, neighborhood planning process that is expected to begin this fall. It is the BHA’s intent to preserve its public housing portfolio and to protect existing residents.

An informational only copy of the RFP without supporting documents as well as the full RFP with all supporting documents is available for download from the BHA’s website under News.
Proposer submission copies of the RFP MUST be obtained directly from the BHA’s Procurement Department. The RFP is available to proposers for free via e-mail request to bids (at) bostonhousing (dot) org, or in hardcopy form for a $100 fee from the BHA Contract Unit at the 6th Floor, 52 Chauncy Street, Boston, MA 02111 starting July 29, 2015. The RFP Package shall be mailed to prospective respondents upon request for an additional $15.00 fee.

All proposals must be received by October 14, 2015 at 2:00 pm at the Boston Housing Authority, Procurement Dept., 6th Floor, 52 Chauncy Street, Boston, MA 02111. Interested developers may subscribe to the BHA’s electronic mailing list to receive future bid notices.