General Legal Counsel Services

The vendor is required to provide general legal counsel services for the following categories: (1) general counsel; (2) complex real estate transactions; and (3) bond counsel. 
1. General counsel
•    Representation of the commission in all general litigation matters, both as plaintiff’s counsel and defendant’s counsel. 
•    Advising the executive director, board of commissioners, and staff, on a continuing basis, of their rights and obligations regarding current statutes, regulations, and court decisions at the federal, state, and local level, including general matters relating to public housing authorities in state. 
•    Preparation and review of legal documents in the course of commission business. 
•    Federal programmatic and regulatory compliance (primarily pertaining to the housing choice voucher program and public housing authorities). 
•    Attendance as requested of regular monthly and special meetings of the board of commissioners. this may be a monthly requirement. 
•    Attendance, as requested, of meetings with the commission’s partners, vendors, investors, etc. 
•    Real estate services related to the acquisition and disposition of individual residential units and more complex real estate matters. 
•    Assistance in the establishment of and provision of legal services to corporate affiliates created and controlled by the commission
•    Assistance with tax and other matters related to the regular business operations of the commission and its affiliates. 
•    Federal and state procurement law
•    State landlord and tenant law.
•    State open meetings act law. 
•    Administrative procedures law. 
•    Freedom of information act and state public information act requests. 
•    Bankruptcy, garnishment, and collections. 
•    Provision of other legal services normally required in the conduct of the commission business, including without limitation human resources, insurance, and banking matters.
2. Complex real estate transactions
•    Drafting and review of a range of legal documents related to category 2 matters, including without limitation agreements with consultants, investors, lenders, architects, contractors, and property management. 
•    Working closely with commission bond counsel on matters relating to commission bond issuance. 
•    Development finance and project expertise for both market rate and affordable housing. 
•    Low-income housing tax credit expertise. 
•    Federal housing development program expertise. 
•    State housing development financing program expertise. 
•    Construction and rehabilitation contract law. 
•    Zoning law and issues related to entitlement approval. 
•    Attendance, as requested, of meetings with the commission’s partners, vendors, investors, etc. 
•    Provision of other legal services normally required in the conduct of commission business related to category 2 matters.
3. Bond counsel
•    Prepare all enabling resolutions, agreements, certificates, closing documents, bond documents and related documents necessary or appropriate for the authorization, issuance, sale and delivery of the commission’s bonds. 
•    Prepare and develop preliminary and final official statements. 
•    Manage the printing of the bonds and certificates (if applicable) and the closing. 
•    Assemble and deliver, within 60 days of closing, transcripts of all proceedings in connection with the bonds and provide copies of each to the commission and to the other parties to the transaction. 
•    The transcripts must be delivered to the commission and the other parties in a bound hard copy and on compact disc (CD) formatted in microsoft word or portable document format (pdf) software. 
•    Assure project control jointly with the commission. this must include a detailed schedule of events leading up to the bond or note sale and delivery, as well as a definition of tasks and responsibilities necessary for a successful bond sale, facilitating advertising requirements and, if necessary, conduct the sale. 
•    File all applicable federal and state tax returns and certificates required for all bond issuances. 
•    assist in preparation and presentation of information to bond rating agencies and bond insurers. 
•    Assist in the establishment of a tax compliance monitoring program for tax-exempt bonds issued by the commission, and with continuing compliance requirements. 
•    Provide legal advice and opinions on public finance matters related to the commission as requested, including, but not limited to, applicability of particular provisions of federal and state securities laws, and other relevant federal, state and local laws and regulations, eligibility of bonds for investment by fiduciaries and other regulated investors, and status of bonds under laws relating to creditors’ rights. 
•    Render approving opinions to the effect that the bonds are duly authorized, validly issued, and are in compliance with applicable federal, state and local law. 
•    Render approving opinions that interest on the bonds is exempt from federal, state and local taxes when applicable. 
•    Advise the commission on all aspects of federal and state tax law with respect to both issuance of bonds and other debt and management of the commission’s bond portfolio. 
•    This includes (1) rendering opinions described in (2) providing current and expert advice on the application of the federal and state tax law to the commission’s outstanding bonds; (3) providing current and expert advice with respect to the tax-exempt status of the commission’s bonds where applicable. 
•    Advice is required at the time of issuance and also periodically between issuances with respect to portfolio management. 
•    In conjunction with the commission’s “category 2 counsel,” negotiate the terms of development of multi-family rental housing complex projects and review and draft complex partnership documents submitted by syndicator investors to the commission. 
•    This includes representing the commission in negotiations related to low-income housing tax credit pricing and syndicator issues, pursuant to federal, state and local law. 
•    Advise the commission on other legal issues related to low-income housing tax credit financing.

- Contract Period/Term: 1 year
- Questions/Inquires Deadline: September 3, 2025