Roots to Roofs Pilot Program: Verification Form for "Qualifying Community Development Organization" and "Equitable Development Use"

This form allows an applicant seeking to participate in the Roots to Roofs Pilot Program to verify itself as a "qualifying community development organization" and, if applicable, to verify that a proposed use qualifies as an "equitable development use," as defined in Seattle Municipal Code (SMC) Section 23.40.091. This verification form implements the process established in Director's Rule OPCD 03-2026 / SDCI 04-2026. The process is open and ongoing, and there is no deadline for responses. This is not a formal procurement and does not constitute an RFP.

Background

In September 2025, the City Council adopted Ordinance 127308, establishing a term-limited Roots to Roofs Pilot Program to encourage development with low- to moderate-income housing and community-serving equitable development uses. The pilot provides alternative development standards for eligible projects proposed by a qualifying community development organization that fulfill certain criteria.

The legislation establishes several new definitions for the purposes of the pilot program, including “qualifying community development organization” and “equitable development use.”  Section 3 directs City departments to promulgate a Director’s Rule for administering the program by creating processes and criteria for verifying a pilot project’s alignment with these two definitions. Section 23.40.091 of the Land Use Code defines these terms as follows:

“Qualifying community development organization” means a nonprofit organization registered with the Washington Secretary of State, a public development authority created pursuant to RCW 35.21.730, or a public housing authority created pursuant to RCW 35.82.030, that has as its purpose the creation or preservation of affordable housing, affordable commercial space, affordable arts space, community gathering spaces, or equitable development uses. A qualifying community development organization may consist of a partnership among one or more qualifying community development organizations, one or more qualifying community development organizations and a partnering for-profit development entity, or a partnership or limited liability company of which at least one qualifying community development organization serves as the controlling general partner or managing member.

As part of review of an application for a project participating in the Roots to Roofs Pilot Program, an applicant must submit materials for review and verification with the definition of a qualifying community development organization.

Project Details

• Reference ID: 2025-049
• Department: Office of Planning and Community Development
• Department Head: Rico Quirindongo (Director)

Evaluation Criteria

• Consultant/Team Experience (60 pts)
• Proposed Delivery of Service (30 pts)
• Inclusion Plan (10 pts)
• Interviews (if conducted) (100 pts)
• Pricing and Cost Proposal

Submission Requirements

• Minimum Qualifications (required) —

  This response is mandatory. The determination you have achieved all minimum qualifications is made from this section alone, and therefore, the Evaluation Committee is not obligated to check references or search other materials in your proposal to make this decision.

  For each Minimum Qualification listed below, please describe how you meet the minimum qualification.

  Minimum Qualification #1
  Provide Minimum Qualification

  Minimum Qualification #2
  Provide Minimum Qualification

  Minimum Qualification #3
  Provide Minimum Qualification

• Consultant Inclusion Plan (required) —

  Please download the below documents, complete, and upload.

• Contract Modifications —

  Make requested changes to the Contract language using track changes and upload here.

• Organization Information
• Organization name (required)
• Organization type and legal status (required)
• Organization type (other) —

  Please explain why your organization is not one of the options provided. 

• Role in Proposed Development —

  To be eligible for the alternative standards provided in the Roots to Roofs Pilot Program, a project must be a qualifying development, which is a development located on a site in which a qualifying community development organization, alone or in combination with other qualifying community development organizations, has at least a 51 percent ownership interest.

• Site address and location (required)
• Governing document —

  Upload a document showing the organization's mission statement, charter, or other foundational document. 

  Alternatively, you can enter a written description in question 2.3 below. 

• Governing document (required) —

  If you do not upload a document in question 2.2, provide a response to this question indicating the organization mission statement, charter, or other foundational documentation to demonstrate that its purpose is the creation or preservation of affordable housing, affordable commercial space, affordable arts space, community gathering spaces, or equitable development uses.

  If you uploaded a document in the previous question, enter "N/A" in this response. 

• General description of proposed project and program (required) —

  Provide a short description of the proposed project and program (e.g., proposed uses in the development). 

• Role in project (required) —

  Description of the organization’s role in the project (sole applicant, partnership with one or more other qualifying community development organization, or partnership with a for-profit development entity, partnership or limited liability company) and evidence that the organization serves as the controlling general partner or managing member

• Equitable Development Use —

  Respond to the following questions if your development includes a proposed equitable development use, as defined in SMC Section 23.40.091. 

• Equitable Development Use (required) —

  Does the development include a proposed equitable development use, as defined in SMC Section 23.40.091? 

  If responding "yes," continue and respond to the following questions. 

• Size of proposed equitable development use (square feet)
• Location within project
• Description of intended uses and activities
• Short narrative explaining how this use mitigates displacement pressure for a community at risk of displacement —

  Your response should indicate: 

  • Description of how the proposed use and/or activities mitigate displacement pressure
  • Identification of community at risk of displacement
  • Data describing or quantifying displacement risk, as applicable
• Attachment (optional) —

  If applicable, you may upload an attachment that provides information related to the proposed equitable development use. 

• Will there be minimum qualifications? (required) —

  Are there qualifications the Consultants must have to even be considered?  Minimum qualifications should ONLY be those that the Consultant must meet to have their proposal considered, meaning you will toss the proposal out in full if the Consultant cannot meet the minimum qualifications. 

  Minimum qualifications can sometimes be important, such as a professional license.  If you require a Minimum Qualification, ensure it is fair, appropriate and reasonable. Consultants can protest these if they seem exclusionary and unnecessary.  In addition, some federal requirements may restrict or prohibit the use of such qualifications. Review the terms of the grant to ensure compliance with all such requirements. Minimum Qualifications are only for factual yes/no items which can be easily proven as a matter of fact and on the face of the RFQ response.  These are NOT subjective such as “Company needs to be experienced” or “needs to have good references.”  These are instead hard and fast criteria we check off “yes or no,” and we will toss them out without further consideration if they say no.

• Will a Consultant Inclusion Plan be needed? (required) —

  Note to department – All non-federally funded contracts above $395,000 require an Inclusion Plan. If potential work, including all phases, is above $395,000, retain the Inclusion Plan as a required submittal. The Mayor’s 2010 policy requires you to score the WMBE response, for no less than 10% of total points.

  Departments are encouraged to list the core Scope of Work items that the department has determined to be available for subcontracting.

  Contracts with FEDERAL FUNDING may require different or additional social equity requirements, such as federal Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) requirements, which are required for US DOT funded projects, such as FTA projects.  

  Exceptions: Exceptions to the Inclusion Plan requirement are rare. Departments must notify their WMBE IDT representative and PC for a review and written approval of an exception. An exception does not relieve the Consultant of its responsibilities to seek WMBE inclusion if changes to the contract provides opportunities for WMBE inclusion.

  For assistance, contact Miguel Beltran at Miguel.Beltran@Seattle.gov or 206-684-4525.

• Are you open to negotiating the standard contract terms and conditions? (required)
• Is this RFQ for architecture or engineering services per RCW 39.80? (required) —

  State law requires the City to select the firm deemed to be the most highly qualified to provide A&E services. The City cannot ask for pricing before selecting the most highly qualified vendor. 

  Per RCW 18.08.320, Architecture includes: the rendering of any service or related work requiring architectural education, training, and experience, in connection with the art and science of building design for construction of any structure or grouping of structures and the use of space within and surrounding the structures or the design for construction of alterations or additions to the structures, including but not specifically limited to predesign services, schematic design, design development, preparation of construction contract documents, and administration of the construction contract. 

  Per RCW 18.43.020, Engineering is any professional service or creative work requiring engineering education, training, and experience and the application of special knowledge of the mathematical, physical, and engineering sciences to such professional services or creative work as consultation, investigation, evaluation, planning, design, and supervision of construction for the purpose of assuring compliance with specifications and design, in connection with any public or private utilities, structures, buildings, machines, equipment, processes, works, or projects. 

  Per RCW 18.96, Landscape Architecture is the rendering of professional services in connection with consultations, investigations, reconnaissance, research, planning, design, construction document preparation, construction administration, or teaching supervision in connection with the development of land areas where, and to the extent that, the dominant purpose of such services is the preservation, enhancement, or determination of proper land uses, natural land features, ground cover and planting, naturalistic and aesthetic values, the settings and approaches to structures or other improvements, or natural drainage and erosion control. This practice includes the location, design, and arrangement of such tangible objects as pools, walls, steps, trellises, canopies, and such features as are incidental and necessary to the purposes in this chapter. Landscape architecture involves the design and arrangement of land forms and the development of outdoor space including, but not limited to, the design of public parks, trails, playgrounds, cemeteries, home and school grounds, and the development of industrial and recreational sites.