The City of Long Beach Development Services Department is seeking to award up to $5 million to qualified housing developers for the production of affordable rental housing. Additionally, the Housing Authority of the City of Long Beach (HACLB) is making 200 project-based vouchers (PBVs) for rental assistance available to property owners and developers of affordable homes through a competitive request for proposals (RFP) process.
“Long Beach is ready to go ‘All In’ on addressing homelessness. We are committed to enhancing our stock of safe, quality affordable housing that meets the needs of our diverse community,” said Mayor Rex Richardson. “These funding opportunities reflect our City’s dedication to supporting our most vulnerable residents.”
The City is now accepting developer proposals that, if selected, can receive up to $5 million in residual receipt loans for the construction or rehabilitation of affordable rental units serving households earning less than 80% of the area median income. Funding may be awarded to more than one applicant. The project(s) determined to be the most competitive will be presented to The Long Beach Community Investment Company (LBCIC), the City’s nonprofit affiliate, for confirmation and loan approval.
All submittal criteria, including eligibility requirements and application instructions, are available in a Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) issued on the Development Services Department’s website. Eligible development companies are encouraged to submit proposal applications through 4 p.m. (PST) on March 21, 2023.
“We are proud to continue creating new opportunities to promote the development and rehabilitation of affordable housing options throughout the city,” said Director of Development Services Christopher Koontz. “We thank The LBCIC, Housing Authority and the state of California for their partnership in making Long Beach more livable and equitable for all.”
In addition to the funding availability, HACLB will be awarding qualified property owners and/or developers up to 200 PBVs for new, existing, or substantially rehabilitated affordable rental units located within eligible areas of the city. Administered by HACLB, vouchers are made available through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to provide rental assistance to very low-income households. HACLB intends to award vouchers to more than one applicant. Successful respondents will be offered a contract with an initial term of up to 20 years and an automatic renewal term of 20 years.
Submittal criteria for the PBVs, including eligibility and application requirements, is available in an RFP posted on HACLB’s website. Qualified respondents are encouraged to submit proposals through 4:30 p.m. (PST) on Jan. 9, 2023.
“PBVs allow the Housing Authority to provide a critical resource to lower barriers to housing for our voucher families to be able to secure long-term housing,” said HACLB Deputy Director Alison King. “This program supports our ongoing efforts to partner with property owners and developers to address the affordable housing needs of our families in need.”
The City of Long Beach remains committed to improving access to safe, quality housing for residents across all income levels, promoting a diversity of housing types and increasing the feasibility of development of underused sites throughout the city. Since 2020, more than 880 affordable units have been completed or are currently under construction or proposed citywide.
For more information on the City’s affordable housing and assistance programs, the community can visit longbeach.gov/lbds.