Explanation
BACKGROUND: This legislation authorizes the Director of Development to enter into a Subrecipient Agreement Not-for-Profit Service Contract with Community Shelter Board (CSB) in an amount up to $1,200,000.00 of which $600,000.00 will be utilizing federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) dollars and the remaining $600,000.00 will be from the Neighborhood Initiatives Subfund of the General Fund to support winter warming services that will help keep unhoused individuals safe during dangerous weather. Services and plans will include but not be limited to the following three components:
Daytime Warming Centers
Unhoused residents will be able to utilize libraries, recreation centers, and a handful of churches to stay warm during the day this winter. Homeless outreach teams will focus their engagement high traffic locations, working to enroll unhoused residents in street outreach if they are interested and help develop a housing plan with them.
Overnight Shelter
Each year, Community Shelter Board develops a plan to handle winter overflow within its crisis response system. Due to a tight housing market and reduced outflow from the shelters, it is worthwhile to provide residents additional choices during the winter months.
Extreme Cold Events
During level 3 snow emergencies, shelters keep individuals inside and remain open all day. Additionally, homeless outreach teams conduct specific, concentrated engagement in an attempt to get individuals inside ahead of extreme weather events. CRPD Community Recreation Centers will open five regional Community Recreation Centers and will extend operating hours, 9:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m. to accommodate those who need a warm place in extreme cold (below 0 degrees).
Expenses to support the three components include but are not limited to staff salaries and benefits, facility rentals and security, food for individuals at the facilities, COTA passes, and administrative costs.
Ordinance 1201-2021 authorized the City of Columbus to accept and appropriate approximately $187,030,138.00 of federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds as signed into law by the President of the United States on March 11, 2021.
Emergency action is requested to allow Community Shelter Board to provide warming services to unhoused individuals as the temperatures are dropping in the winter months.
FISCAL IMPACT: Funding of $600,000.00 is available within the Neighborhood Initiatives Subfund and funding of $600,000.00 is available within the American Rescue Plan Act.
CONTRACT COMPLIANCE: The vendor number is 004795 and expires on 01/09/25.
Title
To authorize the Director of the Department of Development to enter into a Subrecipient Agreement Not-for-Profit Service Contract with Community Shelter Board (CSB) in an amount not to exceed $1,200,000.00 for the purpose of supporting winter warming services; to authorize an appropriation and expenditure of $600,000.00 within the Neighborhood Initiatives Subfund; to authorize the expenditure of $600,000.00 from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds; to authorize the reimbursement of non-food and non-beverage expenditures incurred prior the approval of the purchase order; and to declare an emergency. ($1,200,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, there is a need in the community to provide winter warming services to unhoused individuals to protect them from dangerous winter weather; and
WHEREAS, Community Shelter Board will coordinate the effort with other nonprofit partners such as Community Development for All People and the Coalition for the Homeless; and
WHEREAS, there will be at minimum three components to the program: Daytime Warming Centers, Overnight Shelter, and Extreme Cold Events; and
WHEREAS, expenses to support the three components include but are not limited to staff salaries and benefits, facility rentals and security, food for clients at the facilities, COTA passes, and administrative costs; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Department of Development, in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the Director of the Department of Development to enter into a not for profit service contract with Community Shelter Board to allow for the execution of the contract by the Director immediately to implement programming prior to winter, for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, property, and safety; NOW, THEREFORE,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That the Director of the Department of Development is hereby authorized to enter into a Subrecipient Agreement Not-for-Profit Service Contract with Community Shelter Board (CSB) in an amount up to $1,200,000.00 to support warming center programs for the unhoused population during the winter months, including food provided to clients, and to approve non-food and non-beverage purchases incurred prior to the establishment of the purchase order.
SECTION 2. That the expenditure of $600,000.00, or so much there of as may be needed for the purpose stated in Section 1, is hereby authorized within fund 2209 (ARPA), Dept-Div 44-01 object class 03 (Services), per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 3. That for the purpose as stated in Section 1, the appropriation and expenditure of $600,000.00, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is hereby authorized within fund 1000 (General Fund), subfund 100018 (Neighborhood Initiatives Subfund), Dept-Div 44-01 (Administration), in Object Class 03 (Services) per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 4. That Columbus City Council deems this expenditure and the distribution of food and non-alcoholic beverages to be a proper public purpose, in that it helps to feed residents in underserved neighborhoods and who disproportionately experience food insecurity. Food and beverage related expenditures will only be allowable from the execution date of the contract and shall not exceed $20.00 per served individual.
SECTION 5. This Not-for-Profit Service Contract is entered into under the authority of Columbus City Code Chapter 329.29 as City staff do not have the resources to perform the services provided.
SECTION 6. That the funds necessary to carry out the purpose of this ordinance are hereby deemed appropriated, and the City Auditor shall establish such accounting codes as necessary.
SECTION 7. That the City Auditor is authorized to make any accounting changes to revise the funding source for all contract modifications associated with this ordinance.
SECTION 8. 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.