Specifications include, but are not limited to: Collect data and information related to housing affordability in Hot Springs to inform and strengthen recommendations and strategies in the plan. Prepare an equitable outreach plan to solicit inclusive, diverse perspectives of residents on the state of housing affordability within the City. Conduct interviews with low-to-moderate-income individuals in the City with a significant housing cost burden. Conduct interviews and consultations with existing community-based housing nonprofits to better understand the needs and issues related to housing affordability in the City. Conduct interviews and consultations with the City staff to better understand the existing programming and capacity of City departments that address the affordable housing problem. Identify specific challenges facing residents in securing affordable housing including any barriers to entry, fair housing compliance issues, or other inequitable factors. Examine City of Hot Springs zoning codes, ordinances, and other policies that may affect the ability of the City or other entities to address the housing affordability problem. Identify potential members of a public-private partnership consisting of City staff, private entities, nonprofits, and other community leaders in a Housing Affordability Coalition that will work to implement the recommendations and strategies of the study. Develop a strategy evaluation framework that evaluates recommended strategies in Phase II on equity, inclusion, feasibility, accessibility, and alignment with existing City of Hot Springs priorities and plans.
