Explanation
BACKGROUND: This legislation authorizes the Director of the Department of Development to modify a grant agreement with The Tony R. Wells Foundation, which was authorized by Ordinance 2012-2025 passed by Columbus City Council on July 28, 2025 and amended via ordinance 2449-2025 passed by Columbus City Council on September 15, 2025. This modification is to extend the agreement termination date from March 31, 2026 through March 31, 2027. This part was not a planned modification, as it was anticipated that the provider would have exhausted the funding by March 31, 2026. This modification is needed to ensure that there is not an interruption in providing emergency assistance to prevent eviction, homelessness, and help at-risk residents find new housing.
Original Agreement $2,761,076.15 PO534332 Ordinance 2012-2025 Amended 2449-2025
Modification No. 1 $ 00.00
Total $2,761,076.15
In accordance with C.C. 329.09(a):
1. The time extension is needed to provide uninterrupted emergency assistance to prevent eviction, homelessness, and help at-risk residents find new housing.
2. No additional funding is needed to provide services at this time it was anticipated that the vendor would have fully expended the dollars within the contract period the spenddown of funds did not happen as quickly so the balance of the existing funding is needed and will be utilized as this is still an ongoing crisis for our residents. This program is ongoing and is a priority of the Mayor as well as Council in the assistance of at risk residents facing eviction, homelessness, and helping our residents find new housing.
3. It is in the City’s best interest to continue with The Tony R. Wells Foundation as the public need continues and this time extension will allow the City to help those in need without interruption, which cannot be completed by existing City employees.
It is the priority of the City to increase housing stability by assisting residents by helping them stay housed and prevent displacement. Housing Stability is vital to everyone’s lives, it contributes to social connection, health, and prosperity. The lack of housing stability contributes to disconnection, poor health outcomes, economic distress and in most critical situations homelessness. The region is experiencing a housing crisis in which our residents face rising rents, record rates of eviction, a severe lack of affordable housing and an overburdened homeless shelter system. With these current realities, investing in homelessness prevention can limit housing crisis damage and relive the impacts of emergency shelter stays.
The Resilient Housing Initiative (RHI) provides homelessness prevention services to residents of Columbus. The program includes housing crisis coaching, financial assistance, and housing-focused management. The Tony R. Wells Foundation currently acts as fiscal manager for the RHI program to provide financial assistance to eligible residents. Disbursement of payments are made directly to landlords, utility companies, and other service providers on behalf of eligible residents. There is a continued need for this service, and this modification will allow this to happen without interruption and not cause any further distress upon our residents.
Emergency Designation: An emergency exists in that the program needs to provide uninterrupted emergency assistance to prevent eviction, homelessness, and help at-risk residents find new housing.
Contract Compliance: the vendor number is 038668 and expires 05/22/2027
Fiscal Impact: No additional funding is needed.
Title
To authorize the Director of the Department of Development to enter into an unplanned modification of a grant agreement with The Tony R. Wells Foundation, to extend the agreement termination date from March 31, 2026 to March 31, 2027 and to continue to act as fiscal manager for the RHI program in providing financial assistance to eligible residents facing eviction, homelessness, and helping them find new housing; and declare an emergency. ($0.00)
Body
WHEREAS, Ordinance 2012-2025 authorized the Director of the Department of Development to enter into a grant agreement with the Tony R. Wells Foundation dba The Wells Foundation to act as a fiscal manager for the disbursement of funds to eligible recipients of the Columbus Resilient Housing Initiative (RHI); and
WHEREAS, ordinance 2449-2025 authorized the amendment of ordinance 2012-2025 by reducing the total authorized contract amount as well as added the provision for reasonable food and non-alcoholic beverages; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Department of Development to authorize the Director to modify a grant agreement with The Tony R. Wells Foundation to extend the termination date from March 31, 2026 to March 31, 2027 to continue to act as fiscal manager for the RHI program and in providing uninterrupted emergency assistance to prevent eviction, homelessness, and help at risk residents find new housing prior to the current contracts expiration date of March 31, 2026, all for the immediate preservation of the public health, peace, property, safety and welfare; and 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 modify a grant agreement with The Tony R. Wells Foundation dba The Tony Wells Foundation to extend the termination date from March 31, 2026 to March 31, 2027.
SECTION 2. That all other aspects of the existing agreement authorized by ordinance 2012-2025 and subsequently amended by ordinance 2449-2025 are still in effect.
SECTION 3. That this agreement and modification is awarded pursuant to the relevant provisions of Columbus City Code related to awarding grants.
SECTION 4. That for reasons stated in the preamble hereto, which is hereby made a part hereof, this ordinance is 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.