Master Leasing for Support Unhoused Households

The New Haven Department of Community Resilience's Office of Housing and Homeless Services (OHHS) is soliciting proposals for a master leasing program designed to support unhoused households in Connecticut. The Request for Proposal (RFP #2025-RFP-160) seeks qualified for-profit or nonprofit organizations to enter master lease agreements with homeowners of rental housing units, specifically targeting individuals and families transitioning from homelessness with housing choice vouchers or rapid rehousing funds. Proposing organizations must ensure at least 80% of leased units are occupied by households with housing choice vouchers and must adhere to HUD-published fair market rent rates for the New Haven region. The procurement requires a mandatory three-month planning phase and emphasizes coordination with the Greater New Haven Coordinated Access Network. Key dates include a non-mandatory pre-proposal Zoom meeting on April 30, 2025 at 11:00 am, with proposal responses due by May 27, 2025 at 11:00 am. The project aims to create flexible housing solutions while maintaining strict compliance with occupancy and rental subsidy guidelines.

The RFP is open to both for-profit and nonprofit organizations, with no specific set-aside designations for disadvantaged enterprises mentioned in the documentation. Organizations must be capable of establishing master lease agreements exclusively with property owners within Connecticut. The contract has a total funding allocation of $400,000 for a 15-month period from April 1, 2025 to June 30, 2026, with potential renewal options. Notably, 90% of revenue generated through rental subsidies must be returned to the City of New Haven to fund programs benefiting unhoused individuals, while the selected organization can retain up to 10% for contract-related expenses. The solicitation includes a list of desired responders from local social service agencies, including Community Action Agency of New Haven, Columbus House, Fellowship Place, and other local nonprofit organizations. The contract is explicitly not intended to fund permanent supportive housing projects, but rather to provide transitional housing support through strategic leasing arrangements.