Explanation
BACKGROUND: This ordinance authorizes the Director of the Department of Development to modify a grant agreement (Modification No. 2) with The Tony R Wells Foundation dba The Wells Foundation, a non-profit corporation, to add additional funding in an amount up to $50,000.00 to assist individuals facing housing instability, emergency vacate orders, or potential homelessness with funding for temporary accommodations. As it was authorized with the original agreement, this grant modification will include advancement of funds per a pre-determined schedule.
Original $ 65,000.00 Ord. 1686-2023 PO467735
Mod 1 $ 150,000.00 Ord. 3360-2024 PO485707
Mod 2 $ 50,000.00
Total $ 215,000.00
The Tony R Wells Foundation will partner with The Broad Street Presbyterian Church of Columbus, Ohio and act as their fiscal manager to dispense funding to enable temporary accommodations for households with an AMI at 80% or below. Assistance may include temporary accommodations for displaced families.
Through The Displaced Tenants Program, The Broad Street Presbyterian Church’s program COMPASS makes program eligibility determinations to qualify residents for funding to ensure housing stability and they will, in turn, inform the Tony R Wells Foundation which temporary accommodations are approved for funding and how much.
Funding for this program focuses on assisting displaced tenants from unsafe, unsanitary or inhabitable housing conditions. The Tony R Wells Foundation will make the payments directly to the recipients or other entities on their behalf. As such, funds will be advanced to the Tony R Wells Foundation.
Under this agreement, funding is included for recipients’ needs and a fee for the Tony R Wells Foundation acting as the fiscal manager.
In accordance with C.C. 329.09(a):
1. The amount of the additional funds to be expended is $50,000.00.
2. The Department of Development could not predict the rate at which the initial funds would be expended to meet the needs of the community’s most vulnerable residents.
3. It is in the City’s best interest to continue with the Tony R Wells Foundation’s current contract as they are the acting fiscal manager partnered with The Broad Street Presbyterian Church of Columbus, Ohio for The Displaced Tenants Program.
4. The amount of this modification is based on the availability of funds and not a pricing strategy.
Emergency action is requested in order to have funding available as soon as possible to assist residents who are displaced and need immediate assistance for transitional housing to prevent homelessness.
FISCAL IMPACT: Funding is provided by the Special Purpose Fund, Vacant Tenant Services Special Revenue Subfund.
CONTRACT COMPLIANCE: the vendor’s number is 038668 and expires on 05/22/2027.
Title
To authorize the Director of the Department of Development to modify a grant agreement with the Tony R Wells Foundation dba The Wells Foundation in an amount up to $50,000.00 to provide assistance to individuals facing housing instability; to authorize the appropriation and expenditure of up to $50,000.00 from the Special Purpose Fund, Vacant Tenant Services Special Revenue Subfund; to authorize advance payments per a predetermined schedule; and to declare an emergency. ($50,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, the Director of the Department of Development has a need to modify a grant agreement with the Tony R Wells Foundation dba The Wells Foundation and authorize the appropriation and expenditure in an amount up to $50,000.00 to provide assistance to individuals facing housing instability, emergency vacate orders, or potential homelessness with funding for temporary accommodations; and
WHEREAS, to authorize, per a predetermined schedule to the contract, advance payments; and
WHEREAS, the Tony R Wells Foundation will partner with The Broad Street Presbyterian Church of Columbus, Ohio (COMPASS) to provide this assistance COMPASS making the eligibility determination and the Tony R Wells Foundation providing financial assistance; and
WHEREAS, through their The Displaced Tenants Program, COMPASS makes program eligibility determinations to qualify residents of the local community for funding in order to ensure housing stability and they will, in turn, inform the Tony R Wells Foundation which residents are approved for funding and how much; 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 requested in order to have funding available as soon as possible to assist residents who are displaced and need immediate assistance for transitional housing to prevent homelessness, all for the 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 authorized to modify a grant agreement with Tony R Wells Foundation dba The Wells Foundation in an amount up to $50,000.00, and to authorize advance payments per a predetermined schedule.
SECTION 2. That from the unappropriated monies and from all monies estimated to come into said fund from any and all sources and unappropriated for any other purpose during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2025, the sum of $50,000.00 is appropriated in Fund 2223 (Special Purpose Fund), Subfund 222360 (Vacant Tenant Services Special Revenue), Dept-Div 44-01 (Administration), in object class 05 (Other) per the account codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 3. That for the purpose as stated in Section 1, the expenditure of $50,000.00 or so much thereof as may be needed, is hereby authorized in Fund 2223 (Special Purpose Fund), Subfund 222360 (Vacant Tenant Services Special Revenue), Dept-Div 44-01 (Administration), in object class 05 (Other) per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 4: Funds are hereby deemed appropriated and expenditures and transfers authorized to carry out the purposes of this ordinance and the City Auditor shall establish such accounting codes as necessary.
SECTION 5: 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 6: 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.