Title
Authorization to Create an Application Process for Development Assistance
Description
Request to authorize the City Manager, or his designee, to create an application process to request City assistance for real estate development. There is no expense impact to the General Fund with this action.
Report
Summary
In response to City Council direction to expedite City processes and provide improved customer service, the Community and Economic Development Department (CEDD) has developed an application to replace the Downtown Request for Proposals (RFP), further streamlining the process to request City assistance for real estate development. The Downtown RFP, which was first authorized by City Council on Nov. 2, 2011, was originally intended to reduce the time needed for private development to request City assistance on high density projects within the City's core. The first Downtown RFP was issued in September 2012 and, with City Council approval, has been reauthorized three times. The geographic boundary for the Downtown Development RFP is the Downtown Redevelopment Area (RDA), which is generally described as between 7th Street and 7th Avenue and McDowell Road to Lincoln Street.
At its Nov. 6, 2018 meeting, the Planning and Economic Development (PED) Subcommittee requested opportunities to reduce the time required to process requests submitted through the Downtown RFP. On Jan. 8, 2019, CEDD staff returned to the PED Subcommittee to seek recommendation of other modifications to the RFP including updating the workforce housing requirements and evaluation criteria. On Dec. 3, 2019, CEDD staff provided an update to the Workforce and Economic Development Subcommittee on an application developed with the Law Department, as an alternative to the RFP. The application is designed to comply with all City and state statutory requirements applicable to redevelopment areas while reducing the time necessary to process the requests.
The application will be an administrative process inviting requests for economic development assistance from private property owners within any City of Phoenix redevelopment area. Crucial elements of the process will remain unchanged, including a panel review by community members and professionals, the community outreach process, workforce housing requirement, and application criteria. The application removes the process from the confines of procurement policy, a set of requirements designed for situations where the City expects multiple interested parties for a single business opportunity. Staff anticipates the process improvement will save several weeks from the current timeline and make the process easier for applicants to navigate.
Financial Impact
There is no expense impact to the General Fund with this action.
Concurrence/Previous Council Action
This item is a follow up to the request for information discussed at the Nov. 6, 2018 Planning and Economic Development Subcommittee meeting and the update provided at the Dec. 3, 2019 Workforce and Economic Development Subcommittee.
Location
Council District(s): Citywide.
Department
Responsible Department
This item is submitted by Assistant City Manager Deanna Jonovich and the Community and Economic Development Department.