PRESS RELEASE

Long Beach, CA - The City of Long Beach is now seeking proposals from highly experienced vendors interested in serving as the administrator of its new First-Time Homebuyer Assistance Program (FTHAP), a new Recovery program that will provide closing cost grants to eligible first-time homebuyers as part of the City’s Long Beach Recovery Act.

Today the City launched a Request for Proposals (RFP) for administering and implementing the FTHAP. Eligible vendors who meet a specific set of criteria are encouraged to submit proposals through the City of Long Beach Vendor Portal, PlanetBids, by 11 a.m. (PST) on April 19, 2022.

Under the FTHAP, grant applicants will need to show their ability to obtain Federal Housing Administration (FHA) or other financing and the City will cover closing costs up to $20,000. Applicants will need to be first-time and first-generation homebuyers and will need to presently reside within a federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) designated census tract in Long Beach.

The FTHAP, which is not a loan or mortgage service, is designed to assist eligible low- and moderate-income families in achieving homeownership and building multigenerational wealth. The program is an outgrowth of the 29 housing policy recommendations adopted by the City in 2017 for workforce and affordable housing and fulfills Goal 4 of the City’s Racial Equity and Reconciliation Initiative, “to improve health and wellness in the City by eliminating social and economic disparities in communities most impacted by racism.”

The selected vendor will implement and administer the FTHAP, including applicant outreach, screening and other services specified in the RFP. Specific details related to the program scope areas, eligibility requirements for organizations and submission instructions are available on PlanetBids. The City also has developed an instructional video on the registration process.   

The FTHAP is made possible by the Long Beach Recovery Act, a plan to fund economic and public health initiatives for Long Beach residents, workers and businesses critically impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. A total of $5 million has been allocated to support housing assistance which includes prioritizing first-time homeownership assistance for income-qualified residents adversely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Additional information about the Long Beach Recovery Act is available at longbeach.gov/recovery. 

Media inquiries can be directed to Rick de la Torre, Community Information Officer, Long Beach Department of Development Services, 562.570.7174 or Richard.Delatorre@longbeach.gov.