RFP - 2026 NOFA and Application.pdf

NOTICE OF FUNDING AVAILABILITY (NOFA)

Community Development – Housing Division 701 Laurel St., Menlo Park, CA 94025 tel 650-330-6732

Background The City of Menlo Park announces the availability of funds for affordable housing projects in Menlo Park and seeks responsive proposals. Approximately $4 million in below market rate (BMR) housing funds are available under this NOFA to support the preservation and production of permanent affordable housing. The funding is intended to fill the financing gap between the projected total development costs and other available funding sources. The City is looking to assist a variety of organizations and reserves the right to determine the amount of funding distributed to each awarded applicant. The City also reserves the right to not fund any proposals during this NOFA cycle.

Qualified developers of affordable housing who meet the NOFA qualifications are encouraged to submit proposals. All proposals must be received no later than 5 p.m., Nov. 20, 2026. Interested parties may submit as an individual entity and/or may collaborate with other entities, so long as the collective group meets the NOFA requirements. Funding will be awarded by the City Council on a competitive basis to those projects that are most successful in addressing the City’s affordable housing needs.

The City is seeking proposals demonstrating the following: an understanding of the community; the unique attributes and opportunities of the neighborhood where the project will be located; successful experience in developing and managing affordable housing; ability to deliver the project in a timely manner, contributes to meeting the City’s overall housing goals, and a commitment to an inclusive and informative public engagement process.

Applicants must have successfully completed prior affordable housing projects. Joint venture partnerships are allowed assuming at least one member of the partnership meets the minimum experience requirement.

Eligible projects include the preservation of existing affordable housing and the acquisition or new construction of permanent affordable rental or ownership housing for extremely low, very low and low-income households. Projects that include extremely low-income units, units set aside for special needs populations and/or a focus on the preservation of existing housing may be viewed with additional desirability in the review process. Proposals from organizations that produce affordable housing through the administration of housing programs will also be considered, although BMR housing funds will be primarily limited to direct housing production (e.g., first-time homebuyer program, accessory dwelling unit loan program, acquisition and/or preservation of existing housing, etc.) The development of emergency shelters for the homeless and transitional housing is not eligible because they do not result in permanent affordable housing. Mixed-income projects containing both affordable and market-rate rental and ownership units are eligible, with only the affordable housing portion of the project eligible for assistance under this NOFA.

The City will evaluate proposals based on City Council-adopted housing goals and priorities. All proposals will be reviewed for consistency with the Housing Element and the City’s General Plan. There will not be a point system applied to these goals and priorities.

Funding priority will be given to applications received by the due date in this NOFA. If there are BMR funds available after the NOFA process, these funds will be available on an over-the-counter basis, subject to Housing Commission review and City Council approval.

Request for proposals schedule Application release NOFA release: Thursday, Oct. 15, 2026 NOFA questions due: 5 p.m., Friday, Nov. 6, 2026 Responses to questions provided by: Thursday, Nov. 12, 2026 NOFA applications due: 5 p.m., Friday, Nov. 20, 2026 Housing Commission presentations: TBD, Winter 2027 Housing Commission recommendations TBD, Winter/Spring 2027 City Council considerations: TBD, Spring 2027

Project priorities To be considered for funding under this NOFA, the project should attempt to meet the following project priorities:

• Housing units will remain affordable through deed restrictions for at least 55 years.

• The project is consistent with the goals and objectives of the City’s Housing Element policies and programs and

General Plan.

• The project has reasonable costs, the ability to compete well in securing competitive fund sources and is soundly underwritten.

• The project will allow the City to spend housing funds expeditiously, projects should be “ready to go.”

• The project site allows a development to achieve maximum density and is consistent with the applicable zoning.

• The project provides dual benefits by preserving/developing affordable housing and creating a substantial improvement to an underutilized site.

• The building incorporates green building practices and materials.

• The project incorporates appropriate community spaces, amenities, and services for the target population.

• The project site is within walking distance of transit, services, and amenities and is convenient for the target population.

• The project will implement a Local Hire program for Menlo Park residents (via construction and/or operations) when applicable.

• The development team has demonstrated experience with successful affordable housing projects and the capacity to work cooperatively with communities in the design and development of projects.

• The project provides housing targeting extremely low, very low and low-income households and/or units set aside for special needs populations needing on-site supportive services

• The project is in central or west Menlo Park.

• The project contains larger units (2+ bedroom units and larger) and generally targets families.

• The project’s management plan promotes a healthy living environment for tenants.

Review process Application review Staff will review all proposals to verify applicant eligibility. Proposals from developers that do not meet the City’s minimum required experience will not be considered. Incomplete proposals will not be considered.

Please note that the City aims to target BMR funds toward projects serving households at the lowest affordability levels.

The City also intends to maximize the impact of its investment by awarding funds to projects requesting reasonable levels of subsidy, leveraged by other fund sources. So, in instances where there are multiple projects applying for funds, affordability targeting and subsidy level per unit will be considered.

Environmental review and assessment Before the final funding commitment, projects must be assessed in accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). If Federal funding is involved, the project must also be assessed in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).

Communications and questions The City of Menlo Park reserves the right to request additional information from applicants, reject any and all submittals, waive any irregularities in the submittal requirements or cancel, suspend or amend the provisions of this NOFA. If such an action occurs, the City will notify all interested parties in advance.

Should discrepancies or omissions be found in this RFP or should there be a need to clarify this RFP, questions or comments regarding this RFP must be put in writing and received by the City no later than 5 p.m., Friday, Nov. 6, 2026. Written questions may be submitted electronically through the city bid portal at menlopark.gov/planetbids or via email to Management Analyst Arianna Milton at anmilton@menlopark.gov.

Responses from the City will be communicated in writing to all recipients of this RFP. All addenda shall become part of this RFP. The City shall not be responsible for nor be bound by any oral instructions, interpretations or explanations issued by the City.

mailto:anmilton@menlopark.gov

Application submittal requirements The NOFA application is completed entirely online and will close at 5 p.m., Nov. 20, 2026. Follow the steps below to create your vendor record, access all relevant NOFA information, and create and submit your online application and any attachments.

Step 1. Create a new vendor record, or access your existing record on PlanetBids, to initiate your NOFA application.

• Applicants who do not have a username password for the PlanetBids website may register for free by selecting

“New Vendor Registration” at menlopark.gov/planetbids.

Step 2. Access the following NOFA information in PlanetBids:

The NOFA solicitation packet with instructions for accessing, completing and submitting the online NOFA application.

• General NOFA information, including updates and NOFA closing timelines; and

• All addenda (question-and-answer responses), including responses to requests for clarification or interpretation during the application period, which are regularly updated until the NOFA closes. Applicants should regularly visit the Vendor Portal to view updates.

Applications must be submitted by 5 p.m., Friday, Nov. 20, 2026, using the online vendor portal. Please note - under the California Public Records Act, all documents submitted as part of this application are considered public records and will be made available to the public upon request.

Rev 20260928

2026-27 NOTICE OF FUNDING AVAILABILITY APPLICATION

Community Development – Housing Division 701 Laurel St., Menlo Park, CA 94025 tel 650-330-6702

Project applicant

Please provide a cover letter in addition to a complete application. This should include a brief summary of the proposed project, discuss your agency’s qualifications and why your proposal should be selected for funding.

Organization/Agency:

Primary contact person:

Phone: Email:

Address: City: State: Zip:

1. What is the role of the applicant in the project (check all that apply):

Ownership entity Managing partner or managing member Sponsoring organization Developer Other (describe):

2. Applicant legal status:

General partnership Joint venture Limited partnership corporation Nonprofit organization Other (please specify):

3. Organization status:

Currently exists To be formed (estimated date):

4. Name(s) of individuals who are/will be general partner(s) or principal owner(s):

If the applicant is a joint venture, a joint venture agreement is required that clearly describes the roles and responsibilities of each partner, who is the lead partner or if the responsibilities are approximately equally split between the partners.

Project detail

Project name:

Project address: City: State: Zip:

Assessor’s parcel number:

Project type (check all that apply):

Families Seniors Special needs Other (please describe):

Project activity (check all that apply):

Acquisition of units Rehabilitation New construction Preservation Mixed-income Mixed-use Other (please specify):

Land area: Number of residential buildings:

Number of units: Residential total floor area:

Number of stories: Number of elevators:

Number of community rooms: Community room(s) total floor area:

Commercial/office uses (please specify):

Commercial total floor area: Office total floor area:

Other uses (please specify):

Total parking spaces: Parking type(s):

Residential parking spaces: Residential parking ratio:

Guest parking spaces:

Commercial parking spaces: Commercial parking ratio:

Office parking spaces: Office parking ratio:

Income categories City BMR funds may only fund units serving extremely low, very low or low income households at or below 80% of the area median income (AMI). Provide the number of units by unit type and household income.

Category Number of units Percentage of units

Studio 1 bd 2 bd 3 bd 4 bd Studio 1 bd 2 bd 3 bd 4 bd

0 to 30% AMI – Extremely low

31 to 50% AMI – Very low

51 to 80% AMI – Low

81 to 120% AMI – Moderate

Unrestricted

Total

Inclusionary zoning requirement

What is the project's inclusionary zoning requirement by unit type and income category?

Category Number of units Percentage of units

Studio 1 bd 2 bd 3 bd 4 bd Studio 1 bd 2 bd 3 bd 4 bd

Inclusionary unit obligation

Unit amenities Provide a brief list of unit amenities (e.g., air conditioning, laundry in unit, balconies, etc.):

Project narrative (please attach any additional sheets to respond to the questions)

1. Project description: Provide a brief narrative summary of the proposed project including location, project type (e.g., new versus rehab), target population and any unique project characteristics.

2. Project design: Provide a description of the project’s architectural and site plan concepts and how these concepts address the opportunities and limitations of the site and location.

3. Green building features: Describe the green building features that will be incorporated into the project.

4. On-site amenities: Describe any on-site amenities including any project characteristics that address the special needs of the population you intend to serve.

5. Neighborhood off-site amenities: Describe the property location, neighborhood transportation options, and local services and amenities that are within 1/4 mile and 1/2 mile of the site.

6. Potential development obstacles: Are there any known issues or circumstances that may delay or create challenges for the project? If yes, list issues below including an outline of steps that will be taken and the time needed to resolve these issues.

7. Development schedule: Include a detailed project schedule identifying all major milestones. The schedule must include major milestones for the development approval process such as purchase of the property, community outreach process, financing, applications, approvals, closings, project construction and lease up. Projects with schedules projecting completion within three years will be given priority.

8. Community outreach plan: Include the plan for conducting community outreach to neighbors of the proposed development and interested community groups. The outreach plan should describe how the developer intends to build support for the project and address community concerns. The outreach plan should also discuss any anticipated community concerns and how they would be handled.

Site information (please attach any additional sheets to respond to the questions) Site control may be required. Please include the site control document as well as documentation demonstrating that the entity that has site control is the same entity applying for funds.

What type of site control does the applicant currently hold?

Will site acquisition be a purchase or long-term lease?

What is the purchase price of the land? For proposed leaseholds, indicate the amount of the annual lease payment and the basis for determining that amount:

What is the current County-assessed value of the site?

Who is the current property owner and what is their address and contact information?

Total square footage of site:

Existing uses on the site and the approximate square footage of all structures:

Planned use of on-site existing structures:

Demolish Rehabilitate Other (describe):

Provide the square footage, date built and number of stories for each on-site building to be retained as part of this project:

Provide a brief description of the condition of any buildings to be rehabilitated:

Please describe any unique site features (heritage trees, parcel shape, topography, etc.)

Please describe any potential site constraints (e.g. high noise levels, ingress/egress issues, etc).

Environmental review

Is the site in a floodplain? Yes No List any maps referenced:

Please describe the site’s environmental considerations (e.g. hazardous materials, sensitive habitat, historic resources, etc.):

Would the project be exempt under CEQA? If yes, please identify the exemption.

Describe adjoining land uses

West:

East:

North:

South:

Zoning

What is the current zoning of the project site?

Is the proposed project consistent with the existing zoning of the site? Yes No Explain:

Indicate any discretionary review permits required for the project (e.g., use permit, design review, rezoning, subdivision, heritage tree removal, etc.)

If rezoning is required identify the requested zoning district for the project:

Community priorities (please attach any additional sheets to respond to the questions ) Explain how this project meets the objectives of the project priorities identified in this NOFA and the specific goals and objectives of the City’s Housing Element, General Plan, and/or other City Council policies/goals:

Project funding (please attach any additional sheets to respond to the questions)

City funds requested: Funds per assisted unit:

Total project cost: Cost per assisted unit:

How will the requested City funding be used?

Describe the sources of funds for the proposed project. Assess the chances of the project securing required funding and steps that will be taken to make the project competitive. Please provide detailed financial information for the proposed project including permanent and construction fund sources, detailed permanent development budget, unit affordability mix/rent schedule, operating budget and 30-year cash flow. If the project will use tax credits, please provide the tax credit calculations.

OPTIONAL: What is the self-scored 9% tax credit tiebreaker score for the project? (Please note that you may be required to provide this during the application review)

Developer experience (please attach any additional sheets to respond to the questions) Applicants may be nonprofit or for-profit affordable housing developers or owners who have affordable housing experience in the nine Bay Area counties. Applicants must demonstrate a successful track record of implementing a project similar to the one proposed and have at least two years of ownership of at least two affordable, deed-restricted housing projects within the nine-county Bay Area in which 100% of the units are targeted to those at or below 80% AMI. Joint venture partnerships are allowed assuming at least one member of the partnership meets the minimum experience requirement. Previous development/ownership experience must include projects that contain at least 10 units. Projects with market rate/mixed-income units that satisfy these requirements are allowed.

Years of experience:

Number of projects:

Number of projects in San Mateo County:

Average size of projects:

Number of units placed in service:

Please describe two projects completed in the last 10 years that are similar to the proposed project and provide photographs of each project:

Project 1 – Project name:

Location:

Number of units:

Type of development (senior, family, etc.):

Name of project manager:

Number of stories:

Unit types (studio, 1 bedroom, etc.):

Type of construction:

Project amenities:

Entitlement date:

Occupancy date:

Funding sources:

Project 2 – Project name:

Location:

Number of units:

Type of development (senior, family, etc.):

Name of project manager:

Number of stories:

Unit types (studio, 1 bedroom, etc.):

Type of construction:

Project amenities:

Entitlement date:

Occupancy date:

Funding sources:

Personnel List the names of key members of the applicant’s development team, their titles, responsibilities and years of experience in affordable housing. Additionally, please include the following:

• Attach resumes for the owner/developer and property manager. The resume should include a list of affordable housing projects owned/developed and managed. Include the following: name of project, address, number of units, target population, project PIS date and years under ownership/management.

• Provide resumes and project experience for all key staff working on the project including but not limited to:

principals, project manager, project staff and financial officer. Indicate the level of experience of the project manager with projects similar to the proposal. Provide at least three references from City or County staff involved with projects completed in the last six years.

Project Staff

Name

Role in proposed project

Years of housing development experience

Years with this developer

Project manager

Director of real estate development

Executive director

Chief financial officer

Other

Other

Indicate which of the following development team members have been selected and identify them if different from applicant.

Developer: Architect(s):

Engineer(s): General contractor:

Attorney(s) and/or tax professionals:

Board of directors; city of residence:

Property management agent:

Financial and other consultant(s):

Investor(s):

List all other participants and affiliates (people, businesses and organizations) proposing to participate in the project.

Name Address

Describe how the property will be managed including the number of staff, locations and management office hours.

If the project will be managed by an agency other than the project applicant describe the project applicant’s role in the ongoing management of the project and resolution of management issues.

Applicant certification I, as the applicant representing this organization, certify that the information submitted in this application and all supporting materials is true, accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge. I acknowledge that if facts and/or information herein are found to be misrepresented it shall constitute grounds for disqualification of my proposal. I further certify that the following statements are true except if I have indicated otherwise on this certification:

The organization has not sold any of the projects listed on the 10 Year Projects list.

No mortgage on a project listed by this organization has ever been in default.

This organization has not experienced defaults or noncompliance under any contract or regulatory agreement nor issued IRS Form 8823 on any Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) project on the 10 Year Projects list To the best of my knowledge there are no unresolved findings raised as a result of Agencies’ audits, management reviews or other investigations concerning this organization nor its projects for the past 10 years This organization has not been suspended, been barred or otherwise restricted by any state agency from participating in the LIHTC program or other affordable housing programs This organization has not failed to use state funds or LIHTC allocated to me in any state

I have checked each checkbox above and have attached a true and accurate signed statement, if applicable; to explain the facts and circumstances that I think help to qualify me as a responsible principal for participation in this

NOFA.

Signature Date

Printed name Title

This application and all supporting material are regarded as public records under the California Public Records Act.