MLR RFI FINAL_10_26_2020.pdf

FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY (FEMA)

Hurricane Laura - DR-4559-LA

MULTI-FAMILY LEASE AND REPAIR (MLR) REQUEST

FOR INFORMATION (RFI) 70FBR621I00000001

THIS REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) is issued in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) 15.201(d) & (e). This RFI does not constitute a Request for Proposal (RFP), Invitation for Bid (IFB), or Request for Quotation (RFQ), and it is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government to enter into a contract, nor will the Government pay for the information submitted in response to this request. All information contained in this RFI is preliminary and is subject to change if, and when, a solicitation is issued. Responses to this notice are not offers and cannot be accepted by the U.S. Government to form a binding contract. If a competitive solicitation is released, it will be synopsized on the System for Award Management (Beta.SAM.gov) website. It is the responsibility of the interested parties to monitor this site for additional information pertaining to this RFI, or future solicitations.

BACKGROUND

Multi-Family Lease and Repair (MLR) is a form of Direct Temporary Housing Assistance that allows The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to repair or make improvements to existing multi-family rental property for the purpose of providing temporary housing to eligible applicants who are displaced due to Hurricane Laura under DR-4559-LA. FEMA may utilize this form of temporary housing assistance for eligible applicants who are unable to use rental assistance due to lack of available resources. MLR is not intended to repair or improve individual rental properties to re-house existing tenants.

PROJECT SCOPE/DELIVERABLES

FEMA is seeking multi-family rental properties (two or more units) in the parishes of Allen, Beauregard, Calcasieu, Cameron, Jefferson Davis, Vernon, Sabine, Natchitoches, Grant, Rapides, Evangeline, Acadia, Lafayette and Vermilion, within reasonable commuting distance to the above parishes in the State of Louisiana. FEMA is seeking owners of rental properties (apartment complexes primarily) that could be potentially repaired to local, state and federal codes/standards and offered as temporary housing for FEMA applicants in a timely manner for up to 18-months from the date of declaration, unless extended.

PROPERTY REQUIREMENTS & PROPERTY IDENTIFICATION CRITERIA

Owners of multi-family properties meeting the criteria below who are interested in participating in the MLR program are encouraged to respond to this RFI:

• The property must have been previously used as multi-family housing;

• The property must contain two or more units;

• The property must be located in an area included in a major disaster declaration and located within reasonable commuting distance to disaster survivors.

• Each unit must provide complete and independent living facilities for one or more persons and contain permanent provisions for living, sleeping, cooking, and sanitation;

• The property must be located within reasonable commuting distance to community and wrap-around services, such as accessible public transportation, schools, fire and emergency services, grocery stores, etc.;

• The vacant units on the property must be available to be leased to FEMA allowing FEMA’s exclusive use as temporary housing for eligible applicants for a term of no less than 18 months with the possibility of contract extension;

• The property owner must provide all property management services, including building maintenance; and

• All contractors must be registered in System for Award Management (SAM) and Dun and Bradstreet (DUNS).

Interested property owners are advised of the following terms and conditions will apply to any agreement between FEMA and owners of property selected for the MLR program:

• A provision granting FEMA exclusive use of the units and sole discretion to identify and select occupants during the term of lease agreement;

• A provision granting FEMA the option to extend the lease if FEMA extends the period of assistance beyond 18 months;

• A provision granting FEMA the option of releasing the unit to the owner and ceasing all monthly payments for the unit at any time by providing thirty days’ notice.

• A provision allowing FEMA to make reasonable accommodation and/or modification repairs or improvements during the term of the lease agreement without requiring FEMA to remove the improvements at the end of lease agreement;

• A provision incorporating a lease addendum containing FEMA’s conditions of eligibility and termination of tenancy and eviction into any lease between the property owner and the occupant;

• A provision allowing FEMA to re-assign a vacated unit when eligible applicants need temporary housing assistance and a unit becomes available before the end of the period of assistance;

• Property owners must be current and in good standing with property mortgage payments.

Requested Information This RFI provides an opportunity for parties who own properties that potentially qualify for participation in MLR to express interest. Interested property owners are required to submit the following information for consideration:

a. Complex name (if applicable), location, property owner name, and phone number;

b. Status of the property’s mortgage payments;

c. Number of vacant units that contain a separate bathroom, kitchen, and living space. Of the vacant units:

i. Number of vacant units available for FEMA exclusive use;

ii. Number of units compliant with Uniform Federal Accessibility Standards and/or features in unit(s) that provide accessibility for individuals with disabilities;

d. Description of repairs and improvements required to make the units habitable;

e. Projected length of time required to make units habitable (from execution of lease agreement);

f. History of the building’s use;

i. Date of construction (if known);

ii. Dates the building was used for multi-family housing;

iii. Rental rates during the last year of operation (state whether utilities were included, and if so, which ones);

i. Any applicable pet restrictions, such as type, number, or size, and any applicable pet deposits; AND

j. Number of parking spaces (including accessible and van-accessible) available for each unit, if applicable

DEFINITIONS

Applicant: An individual or household who has applied for FEMA Assistance, and because of the disaster has a disaster-caused need for temporary housing.

Multi-Lease and Repair (MLR): MLR allows for the repair or improvement of existing multi-family housing which FEMA can utilize as temporary housing for eligible applicants. MLR is not intended to repair or improve individual units to re-house existing tenants.

Fair Market Rent (FMR): Housing market-wide estimates of rent values in which rental housing units are in competition. The FMR rates applied are those identified by HUD as being adequate for existing rental housing in a particular area. FEMA uses the applicable rate based upon the location of the housing unit, the number of bedrooms in the housing unit, and the fiscal year in which the major disaster declaration was issued.

Fair Housing Act: Protects people from discrimination when they are renting, buying, or securing financing for any housing. The prohibitions specifically cover discrimination because of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability, and the presence of children.

Habitable: Defined by FEMA as a home that is safe, sanitary, and functional. Safe means secure from disaster-related hazards or threats to occupants. Sanitary means free of disaster-related health hazards. Functional means an item or home capable of being used for its intended purpose.

Unit: A living quarter within a multi-family housing building that provides complete and independent living facilities for one or more persons and contain permanent provisions for living, sleeping, cooking, and sanitation.

Occupant: An applicant, co-applicant, or any household member over the age of 18 who is listed on the Temporary Housing Agreement, as being authorized to reside in the Temporary Housing Unit (THU).

Period of Assistance: Individuals and Households Program (IHP) assistance is limited to 18 months following the date of the disaster declaration. The period of assistance begins at the date of the Presidential declaration and not the date on which the disaster is designated for Individual Assistance (IA). The President may extend the period of assistance due to extraordinary circumstances that an extension would be in public interest. Through the delegation of authority, the Assistant Administrator (AA) for Recovery may, at the request of a state, territorial, and tribal government, extend the period of assistance for the IHP Financial Assistance, Direct Temporary Housing Assistance, or both.

Period of Performance (POP): The POP is for 18 months after the Presidentially-declared disaster from August 28, 2020 to February 18, 2022. This period can be extended beyond the period specified in the event direct temporary housing is extended by FEMA.

Reasonable Commuting Distance: A distance which does not place an undue hardship on an applicant. It also takes into consideration the traveling time due to road conditions; e.g., mountainous regions or bridges out and the normal commuting patterns of the area.

Repair: To restore a property or component of the property to a functional condition that will make the property safe and adequate for temporary housing

Utilities: Services such as water, gas, electricity, heating oil, and/or propane. Utilities do not include amenity services, e.g. cable, television, internet, telephone, etc.

RESPONSE DEADLINE: RFI responses and comments are due by 5pm Eastern Standard Time, 25 November 2020 via email to the POC listed below. The email subject line shall read: RFI 70FBR621I00000001 Response: Multi Lease and Repair

(MLR), DR-4559-LA

POINTS OF CONTACT: Marvin R. Jennings, email: Marvin.r.jennings@fema.dhs.gov.

Phone calls will not be accepted or returned.

All responses received and questions answered will be considered as part of the market research for this requirement in accordance with FAR 10.001(a)(3).

Please provide additional information you deem relevant to respond to the specifics of the RFI. The Government is not requesting any proprietary information to be submitted, nor shall it be liable for any consequential damages for proprietary information included.

Any information submitted to the RFI (e.g. capability statement) is subject to disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act, 5 USC 552 (a). All submissions submitted will not be returned.

The applicable NAICS code is 531110. The applicable PSC is X1FA.

mailto:Marvin.r.jennings@fema.dhs.gov