Explanation
BACKGROUND: This legislation authorizes the Director of the Department of Development to enter into a planned modification of grant agreements to increase funding with the existing four not-for-profit social service agencies for the Resilient Housing Initiative (RHI). See attached Exhibit A for the list of not-for-profit social services agencies included in this ordinance and increase amounts. The total increase in award is in an amount up to $317,750.00. The term of each Grant Agreement shall be upon purchase order approval through March 31, 2027. This legislation also provides for a 15% administrative rate for each provider.
Original Agreement $ 965,250.00 Ordinance 1089-2026
Modification No. 1 $ 317,750.00
Total $ 1,283,000.00
In accordance with C.C. 329.09(a):
1. The increase in funding is needed to provide uninterrupted emergency assistance to prevent eviction, and homelessness.
2. The additional funding is needed to add capacity for financial assistance intake and Housing Focused Case Management to meet more of the need while providing a high-quality intervention.
3. It is in the City’s best interest to continue the Resilient Housing Initiative as public needs continue and this increase will allow the City to help those in need without interruption, which cannot be completed by existing City employees.
4. The additional funding is for each agency to hire a new employee, to provide additional services to the public with the new employee, and additional funding for administrative costs of hiring the new employee. The amount includes the new employee's salary for the remainder of the agreement term, 15% administration fee, and a prorated amount of funding (based on the original agreement) for the new employee to provide direct services.
It is the priority of the City to increase housing stability by helping residents stay housed and prevent their entry into literal homelessness. Housing Stability is vital to our lives, contributing to social connection, health, and prosperity. Lack thereof contributes to disconnection, poor health outcomes, economic distress and-in the most critical situations-homelessness. The region is experiencing a housing crisis: our residents face a severe lack of affordable housing, record rates of eviction, and an overburdened homeless shelter system. Prevention efforts are meaningfully less costly than emergency interventions and reduce overall traumatic effects of a housing crisis for the individual. With these current realities, investing in homelessness prevention can limit housing crisis damage and relieve 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 case management. These nonprofit agencies will act as the Direct Service Providers for the RHI program to provide case management and intake for financial assistance applications to eligible Columbus residents to prevent homelessness and promote housing stability.
Funding will be advanced to each agency on a predetermined schedule. Advancement of funds is needed because many of the organizations do not have funding available to be reimbursed for program expenses. The first advance will occur after confirmation of the Purchase Order. Before the second advance is made, the agency shall provide reports and documentation indicating how the funds were used to fulfill the scope of services in the grant agreement. Additionally, these programs/grant agreements may include reasonable food for participants of the programs which the expenditure is hereby deemed to be a valid public purpose in that such purchase will address the immediate needs of program participants.
Emergency Designation: Emergency action is necessary to ensure additional Direct Service Provider capacity to continue services that prevent homelessness and promote housing stability. Demand for the program is high: according to the program Screening Provider, the program is receiving approximately three times more inquiries for service than it can take with the current program capacity. To meet more of the need while providing a high-quality intervention, the program must add capacity for financial assistance intake and Housing Focused Case Management. It is imperative the additional funding occur as quickly as possible.
Contract Compliance: See attached Exhibit A for a list of social services agencies and the vendor registration and contract compliance data.
Fiscal Impact: $317,750.00 is available within the department’s General Fund Budget.
Title
To authorize the Director of the Department of Development to enter into a planned modification of a grant agreement with four existing RHI service providers, increase funding in an amount up to $317,750.00; to authorize an expenditure of up to $317,750.00 from the general fund; all other aspects of the existing grant agreements will remain in place; and to declare an emergency. ($317,750.00)
Body
WHEREAS, Ordinance 1089-2026 authorized the Director of the Department of Development to enter into a grant agreement with seven not-for-profit social services agencies for the Resilient Housing Initiative (RHI); and
WHEREAS, this modification is needed to increase funding for four of the seven not-for-profit social service agencies in an amount up to $317,750.00 all other aspects of the grant and the terms and conditions remain in effect; and
WHEREAS, the expenditure in an amount up to $317,750.00 is necessary; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual and daily operation of the Department of Development in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the Director to enter into a planned modification of four grant agreements with the existing not-for-profit social service agencies, as there is a need to increase funding to increase the capacity of the direct service providers which will allow these agencies to continue services that prevent homelessness and promote housing stability thereby preserving 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 enter into a planned modification to increase funding of grant agreements with four existing not-for-profit social service agencies for the Resilient Housing Initiative in an amount up to $317,750.00 and authorizes the advancement of funds on a predetermined schedule.
SECTION 2. That all other aspects of the existing agreement authorized by ordinance 1089-2026 are still in effect.
SECTION 3. That for the purpose stated in Section 1., the expenditure in an amount up to $317,750.00 or so much thereof as may be needed, is hereby authorized within the General Fund (100010), Dept-Div 44-12 (Housing Stability), in object class 05 (Other) per the account codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 4. That this modification is awarded pursuant to the relevant provisions of Columbus City Code related to awarding grants.
SECTION 5. 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 6. That the City Auditor is authorized to make any accounting changes to revise the funding source for all contracts or contract modifications associated with this legislation.
SECTION 7. 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 which 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 it.