Explanation
BACKGROUND
This ordinance authorizes the Director of the Department of Development modify a subrecipient agreement with Community Mediation Services to add additional funds in an amount up to $175,000.00 and to extend the end date of the agreement from December 31, 2024 to September 30, 2025.
Original Agreement $ 300,000.00 Ord. 1569-2022 PO336988
Modification No. 1 $ 100,000.00 Ord. 2790-2023 PO418736
Modification No. 2 $ 175,000.00 Ord. 3231-2024
Total $ 575,000.00
Ordinance No. 1569-2022 which was approved on June 13, 2022 by council authorized the Director of the Department of Development to enter into a subrecipient agreement with Community Mediation Services in an amount up to $300,000.00 of U.S. Department of Treasury Emergency Rental Assistance 2 (ERA2) funds. This authorization allowed Community Mediation Services to provide housing stability services for qualified residents starting January 1, 2021.
Ordinance No. 2275-2023 authorized the City of Columbus to accept and appropriate up to $90,537,806.23 of Federal Emergency Rental Assistance (ERA2) program funds, as passed by the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021.
Columbus received additional Rental Assistance funding from the U.S. Department of Treasury and continues to have a need to provide services and support at eviction court. Community Mediation Services will continue to work on site at eviction court and its office to help address the many needs of tenants experiencing multiple barriers to achieving housing stability.
Ordinance No. 2790-2023 authorized the Director of Development to increase the funding for this contract as well as extend the date of the agreement to December 31, 2024.
Emergency Designation:
An emergency exists as there is an increased need for mediation services at eviction court to help prevent eviction and homelessness of tenants.
Contract Compliance: the vendor number is 004914 and expires 04/11/2025.
Fiscal Impact: $175,000.00 is available from Emergency Rental Assistance 2 (ERA2) funds.
Title
To authorize the Director of the Department of Development to modify a subrecipient agreement with Community Mediation Services to add additional funds in an amount up to $175,000.00 and to extend the end date of the agreement from December 31, 2024 to September 30, 2025 to continue to provide housing stability services to qualified residents as well as provide mediation services to tenants and landlords for tenants facing eviction; and to declare an emergency. ($175,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, the Director of the Department of Development entered into a subrecipient agreement with Community Mediation Services; and
WHEREAS, Community Mediation Services is providing mediation services to tenants facing eviction as part of the department’s ERA2 Investment Strategy; and
WHEREAS, there is a need to extend the end date of the agreement from December 31, 2024 to September 30, 2025; 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 to modify a subrecipient agreement with Community Mediation Services to add additional funds and extend the agreement to assure that assistance is provided to those tenants facing housing instability, eviction, or potential homelessness, 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 subrecipient agreement with Community Mediation Services to add additional funds, in an amount up to $175,000.00, to pay for emergency rental assistance and to extend the end date of the agreement from December 31, 2024 to September 30, 2025.
SECTION 2. That the expenditure of $175,000.00 or so much thereof as may be needed, is hereby authorized in Fund 2208 (Emergency Rental Assistance Fund), from Dept-Div 44-10 (Housing), object class 05 (Other Expenditures) per the account codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 3. 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 ordinance.
SECTION 4. 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.