Explanation
BACKGROUND: The Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Entitlement Program provides annual grants on a formula basis to cities and counties to develop viable urban communities by providing decent housing and a suitable living environment, and by expanding economic opportunities, principally for low-and moderate-income persons. All City CDBG expenditures must be consistent with the community needs, priorities, and strategies stated in the City’s Draft 2025-2029 Consolidated Plan and Draft FY 2025 Annual Action Plan, which were adopted by City Council as Ordinance #2968-2024.
Ordinance #2969-2024 authorized funding appropriations and Subrecipient Agreements with several organizations in alignment with the Draft FY 2025 Annual Action Plan.
This ordinance is needed to authorize the Director of Finance and Management to execute modifications to those Subrecipient Agreements which have already been executed, in order to update Agreement language to give the City and Subrecipients flexibility to respond to quickly evolving federal laws and funding mechanisms.
Listed below are the Subrecipient Agreements that will be authorized for modification by this ordinance:
Charitable Pharmacy of Central Ohio - Rx to Breathe Program
Directions for Youth & Families, Inc. - Ohio Avenue Youth Center
Franklinton Development Association - Financial Life Skills Program
Habitat for Humanity MidOhio - Roof Replacement Program
Helping Hands Health and Wellness Center, Inc. - Free Care Program
Legal Aid of Southeast and Central Ohio - Fair Housing Services Program
Legal Aid of Southeast and Central Ohio - Housing Conditions Program
Ohio Domestic Violence Network - Relocation Assistance Program
FISCAL IMPACT: This ordinance only authorizes modifications to Subrecipient Agreements. No additional funding appropriation or expenditure is authorized by this ordinance.
EMERGENCY DESIGNATION: An emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Department of Finance and Management in that it is immediately necessary to authorize these Subrecipient Agreement modifications so that the Department of Finance and Management can execute the modifications to comply with federal laws, and for the immediate preservation of the public health, peace, property, and safety.
Title
To authorize the Director of Finance and Management to modify CDBG Subrecipient Agreements with community-based partners to undertake eligible activities; and to declare an emergency. ($0.00)
Body
WHEREAS, the City of Columbus is an entitlement community and a Participating Jurisdiction of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, and the City is a current recipient of Community Development Block Grant funds from HUD; and
WHEREAS, $7,500,000.00 in entitlement grant funds are anticipated from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for the Community Development Block Grant program for Fiscal Year 2025; and
WHEREAS, under 24 CFR §570.500(c), the City of Columbus may select organizations as Subrecipients to undertake eligible Community Development Block Grant activities; and
WHEREAS, the City wishes to use these funds to support local community-based organizations whose work advances HUD’s National Objectives, the City’s Consolidated Plan goals, and the City’s Opportunity Rising aspirations; and
WHEREAS, the City held a competitive process inviting organizations to apply for CDBG funding support and received 62 CDBG funding proposals representing requests totaling more than $31 million; and
WHEREAS, the City selected the following programs and organizations to carry out various eligible activities as described in the Draft FY 2025 Annual Action Plan as adopted by Ordinance #2968-2024 and executed Subrecipient Agreements as authorized by Ordinance #2969-2024: Charitable Pharmacy of Central Ohio - Rx to Breathe Program; Directions for Youth & Families, Inc. - Ohio Avenue Youth Center; Franklinton Development Association - Financial Life Skills Program; Habitat for Humanity MidOhio - Roof Replacement Program; Helping Hands Health and Wellness Center, Inc. - Free Care Program; Legal Aid of Southeast and Central Ohio - Fair Housing Services Program; Legal Aid of Southeast and Central Ohio - Housing Conditions Program; Ohio Domestic Violence Network - Relocation Assistance Program; and
WHEREAS, it has become necessary in the usual daily operation of the Department of Finance and Management to authorize the Director to modify Subrecipient Agreements with the organizations listed above; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Department of Finance and Management in that it is immediately necessary to authorize modifications to these Subrecipient Agreements so that the Department of Finance and Management can comply with federal laws, and for the immediate preservation of the public health, peace, property, and safety; Now, Therefore
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That the Director of Finance and Management is hereby authorized and directed to modify Subrecipient Agreements originally executed with the organizations listed below in accordance with Ordinance #2969-2024 to carry out the work described in the Draft FY 2025 Annual Action Plan as adopted by Ordinance #2968-2024:
Charitable Pharmacy of Central Ohio - Rx to Breathe Program
Directions for Youth & Families, Inc. - Ohio Avenue Youth Center
Franklinton Development Association - Financial Life Skills Program
Habitat for Humanity MidOhio - Roof Replacement Program
Helping Hands Health and Wellness Center, Inc. - Free Care Program
Legal Aid of Southeast and Central Ohio - Fair Housing Services Program
Legal Aid of Southeast and Central Ohio - Housing Conditions Program
Ohio Domestic Violence Network - Relocation Assistance Program
SECTION 2. That for the reasons stated in the preamble hereto, which is hereby made a part hereof, this ordinance is hereby declared to be an emergency measure and shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage and approval by the Mayor, or ten days after passage if the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same.