Pioneering Affordable Housing Solutions Statewide - Call for Consultants

For over three decades, LISC Houston has been dedicated to addressing affordable housing challenges in the Greater Houston Area. As one of the country's largest community development financial institutions, our mission is to close systemic gaps in health, wealth, and opportunity, advancing racial equity to help people and places thrive. With an investment of over $563 million and leveraging an additional $1.5 billion, we have created more than 10,000 affordable homes and apartments, contributing to the vitality of our neighborhoods.

We are excited to share news of a significant milestone: LISC’s Houston and San Antonio offices received a grant from the Truist Community Catalyst Initiative—a three-year program supporting local initiatives with statewide impact funded by the Truist Charitable Fund, a donor-advised fund administered by The Winston-Salem Foundation. The $225,000 grant will help to create a standardized training program for emerging developers, which will build their skills and capacity in all stages of the development process.

State-Wide Capacity Building Training Program
This three-year initiative will unfold in three phases:

Year One (2024): Research and Planning

• Work with consultants over a nine-month period to research available housing development and finance-related training programs nationwide.
• Determine relevant training content for the Texas market, focusing on Houston and San Antonio.
• Establish optimal delivery processes and effective training structures.
• Implement related training programs locally to understand benefits and community demand.

Year Two (2025): Training Development & Implementation

• Based on learnings, create a standardized curriculum with local context considerations.
• Launch the training program in both cities, focusing on creating supportive cohorts for unique challenges.
• Consider issues like childcare and personal/professional responsibilities in session planning.
• Encourage networking and partnerships among mission-aligned developers.

Year Three (2026): Implementation, Evaluation, and Impact

• Evaluate the training program's effectiveness.
• Share insights with other Texas cities through conferences and state-wide organizations.
• Develop a sustainability plan and engage with other LISC markets through a Community of Practice.

Our hypothesis is that a design studio-style training program, blending curricula with practicum and real-life project application, supported by industry experts' review and evaluation, will yield the highest outcomes.

Call for Consultant: Shaping the Future of Affordable Housing
To achieve the objectives of this initiative, LISC Houston is seeking a consultant to work collaboratively on the research and evaluation process in Year One. The consultant will:

• Identify specific needs, barriers, and opportunities for emerging developers in Houston and San Antonio.
• Assess existing programs and resources supporting emerging developers in affordable housing.
• Explore best practices for capacity building, mentorship, and technical assistance.
• Develop a comprehensive framework for program curriculum, implementation, and evaluation.

Click here to view the full RFP, timeline, and submission details. This groundbreaking initiative aims to empower emerging developers, create lasting impact, and build a sustainable future for affordable housing in our community. We invite qualified consultants to submit proposals by March 26th. For more information, contact Jason Grant at jgrant2@lisc.org.