The City of Eureka, California is seeking qualified consultants to prepare its 2027–2035 Housing Element, update its Safety Element, and complete associated environmental review in compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).

The selected consultant (or team) will assist the City in developing a legally compliant and certifiable Housing Element that meets all requirements of California Housing and Community Development (HCD) and is adopted and submitted for certification by July 15, 2027. The project also includes a targeted update to the Safety Element to incorporate current data and recent planning efforts, as well as preparation of CEQA documentation, anticipated to be a Supplemental Environmental Impact Report (EIR).

The scope of work is comprehensive and modular. The City may contract for all or selected components depending on resources and consultant expertise. A central component of the work is preparation of a defensible Housing Element site inventory capable of accommodating the City's Regional Housing Needs Allocation of 1,740 units across income levels. This will require detailed analysis of constrained conditions, including reliance on non-vacant and mixed-use sites, evaluation of development feasibility, incorporation of accessory dwelling unit capacity, and early and ongoing coordination with HCD to ensure compliance.

The Safety Element update will focus on integrating updated hazard mapping (e.g., fire, tsunami, sea level rise); aligning with recent plans such as the Local Hazard Mitigation Plan, City Emergency Operations Plan, and draft Local Coastal Program update Coastal Hazards chapter; and incorporating targeted new analysis related to housing sites, equity, and tsunami risk and evacuation.

The CEQA component is anticipated to include preparation of a Supplemental EIR to the City's 2040 General Plan EIR (2018), focused on increased residential capacity within the existing City footprint and structured to maximize CEQA streamlining for future housing development.

The City places a strong emphasis on efficiency, strategic use of limited resources, and clear, actionable deliverables. Consultants are encouraged to propose innovative approaches that streamline work while maintaining full legal compliance and technical rigor.

Full RFP documents (Bid No. 2026-6) are available at: https://www.eurekaca.gov/bids.aspx. Proposals are due by May 11, 2026 at 4:00 PM.