This is a service / maintenance or supply contract in Othello, Washington. Contact the soliciting agency for additional information.

The City of Othello is soliciting proposals from qualified consulting firms to implement a portion of an adopted Housing Action Plan by exploring adopting a multifamily tax exemption program. Othello is a growing city of 8,725 anticipating additional residential, commercial, and industrial development in the coming years. Agriculture comprises the backbone of the economy, in the form of several large food processing facilities. Othello is also a regional center, as the largest city between Moses Lake and the Tri-Cities going north-south, and Yakima and Pullman going east-west. The population is about 80% Hispanic. City outreach materials such as newsletters are typically provided in English and Spanish in order to be available to most residents. Housing availability and affordability have been concerns in Othello for some time. As the population grows and new employment opportunities become available, such as the recent addition by a local food processor of a new line with 180 new jobs, the existing housing stock isn't sufficient, and local developers and home builders can't keep pace. As a result, homes (rental or owned) are difficult to find and out of reach of many families, so there is significant crowding in existing units. There are essentially no vacant lots in existing neighborhoods, and concerns about changing the character of existing neighborhoods by allowing higher-density development. In addition, there is very little vacant residential land remaining inside city limits. To start to address these issues, the City received a grant from the Washington State Department of Commerce that was used to create a Housing Action Plan which was adopted in June 2021. Othello has now received a $25,000 grant from Commerce to start implementing strategies the Housing Action Plan. The proposal in the grant application was to explore the use of the Multifamily Tax Exemption (MFTE) program for increasing the supply and affordability of housing. The grant application and contract with Commerce are available on request. The Method of Contractor Selection has not been determined at this time.