City Cancels Request for Proposals to Develop Hill East Boys and Girls Club

City Cancels Request for Proposals to Develop Hill East Boys and Girls Club

by Larry Janezich

Capitol Hill Corner has learned that the Department of General Services (DGS) has cancelled the Request for Proposals (RFP) to develop the Boys and Girls Club issued on September 17, 2014.  It’s possible the move was made in advance of issuing a new request for proposals, but CHC could not confirm that.

Brian Flahaven and Denise Krepp – ANC6B Hill East commissioners – led the effort to require DGS to get better responses for the development.

Asked for his reaction, Brian Flahaven, former chair of ANC6B’s Hill East Task Force, told CHC: “ANC6B asked DGS to reconsider the length of the lease on the property to get better responses.  I hope they do reissue RFP with less restrictive terms that make more sense for the site. If they cancel it for good – that would be the worst possible outcome.”  For ANC6B’s action on Krepp’s letter to DGS asking for reconsideration of the RFP terms, see here:  http://bit.ly/1AHzvhL

That letter came about owing to the considerable unhappiness in the Hill East community with the only bid for developing the property (the Dantes Partners/Menkiti proposal) which seemed  to be feasible given DGS’ refusal to lengthen the 25 year lease for the property – a restriction that precluded private financing, making viable only bids which rely on public financing.  Dantes Partners/Menkiti proposed building a 100% senior housing project financed by the Low Income Housing Tax Credit program.  The surrounding community overwhelmingly favored a mixed income residential project.  For previous posts on the controversy surrounding the Boys and Girls Club, see here:  http://bit.ly/1DzFGp8

For more on the city’s push for 100% affordable housing at the Boys and Girls Club, see here:  http://bit.ly/1DvMw1W

For more on how LIHLTC works, see here:  http://bit.ly/1FT5TCb