The City of Ottumwa is a community of 25 thousand along the Des Moines River in southeast Iowa. The City recently adopted the 2022 Ottumwa Housing Plan with a goal of creating 500 units of housing before 2030.

The Housing Plan found that the Ottumwa housing market experiences the so-called "missing middle" phenomenon where a lack of units affordable to middle income families forces higher earners to compete with lower earners for the same units, hurting both demographics. One approach proposed for addressing this missing middle is providing incentives and cutting red tape for middle-density infill development. This project would develop site plan prototypes to be approved by Council which could be constructed on any infill lot without variance or other approval. In addition to site plan prototypes, the City seeks to develop drawings, specifications and cost estimates for each site plan. As this would be a new product on the market, these materials would assist developers in taking on and financing projects. The prototype project was inspired by the Missing Middle Housing Types for Chattanooga report prepared in 2016.

Additionally, local builders have identified design costs as an opportunity for closing the gap between what it what it costs to create single-family housing and what that housing can fetch at market. The City seeks to develop a set of drawings, specifications and cost estimates for single-family houses. These designs would be made available to builders to reduce design costs. Further, as these designs would already be reviewed, building permit fees would also be reduced or eliminated to account for completed plan review.

The selected firm or team will work with City staff to develop architectural work product for two housing projects:

1. Missing Middle Housing Opportunity Medium Density Infill
   • The selected firm or team will develop site plan prototypes for middle-density infill housing. The City desires at least four prototypes. The selected firm or team should submit rough concepts to City staff for review before preparing final site plan prototypes.
   • Staff will bring site plan prototypes to the Council for approval by resolution. For each approved site plan, the City seeks drawings, specifications and cost estimates. Drawings should require minimal site specific adjustment, such as for utilities, but be otherwise ready for permit review.
2. Market Rate Single Family Housing
   • The selected firm or team will develop at least two concepts for single family housing. For each concept the City seeks drawings, specifications and cost estimates.

All design product shall meet all State and Federal requirements as well as all City of Ottumwa Building, Housing, Electrical, Plumbing and Mechanical codes requirements and conform to all applicable local codes, ordinances, regulations and standards including the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Iowa State Energy Code.

The full request and submission instructions are available on the City's website.