Explanation
BACKGROUND: This legislation authorizes the Director of the Department of Development to enter into a contract with the Community Shelter Board, Inc. (CSB) in order to assist in the purchase of a vacant warehouse which will be renovated and converted into the Front Door Shelter serving homeless individuals.
Over the last three years, CSB's shelters have served 14% more single men and women. As a result, waitlists continue to grow - at times more than 125 people have been waiting for a shelter bed because they are all full. That means people are sleeping on the streets and in abandoned buildings. Shelter providers report that the increase in demand has also resulted in a 10-14 day wait for women seeking a shelter bed to receive one. Thanks to the City of Columbus, CSB expanded the shelter capacities in July to meet this shelter demand; however, emergency shelters are not able to sustain this increased level of need without additional capacity and funding for shelter beds and associated services. More shelter capacity is needed, especially during periods of extreme weather when usage spikes.
Over the last three years, CSB's family shelter has served 65% more families. On average last month, 111 families were served nightly at the YWCA Family Center - a facility that was built to shelter 50 families a night.
CSB is ready to implement the Front Door Shelter to add capacity by purchasing a 62,000 square foot vacant warehouse (Project) for $2.3 million. Approximately 40,000 square feet will be converted into the Front Door Shelter - a 250 bed homeless shelter serving single adults (men and women) experiencing homelessness, plus overflow space for 20-40 families experiencing homelessness. The remaining 22,000 square feet will be reserved for possible future development including a medical clinic to serve homeless individuals, on-site job training, and possibly CSB Offices. The City is committing these funds from the 2012 and 2013 Bond Sale ($700,000) to the Project. Additional funding of $5,000,000 for the acquisition and renovation of the building will be coming from the Ohio Housing Finance Agency and private corporations. The renovation of this building is estimated to be $3.6 million. Construction is scheduled to be completed in the spring of 2014. Operating support for the project will come in the form of grants and fundraising conducted by CSB.
The shelter will be owned by CSB and operated by CSB's partner agencies: The YMCA of Central Ohio, YWCA and Southeast. Resident services will be provided by these and other non-profit service providers.
EMERGENCY JUSTIFICATION: Emergency action is in order to implement crisis response initiative and comply with project development timelines.
FISCAL IMPACT: Funds for this project are included in the 2013 Capital Improvements Budget under Housing Preservation, Emergency Shelter Repair. These funds represent two years of Capital Improvement Funds that were previously set aside in 2012 and 2013 for this purpose. The 2014 allocation of $350,000 in Capital Improvement Funds is also safeguarded for this purpose and will be requested in 2014.
Title
To authorize the Director of the Department of Development to enter into a contract with the Community Shelter Board to assist in the purchase of a vacant warehouse which will be renovated and converted into the Front Door Shelter serving homeless individuals; to authorize the expenditure of $700,000.00 from the Housing Preservation Fund; and to declare an emergency. ($700,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, the Director of the Department of Development desires to enter into an agreement with Community Shelter Board to assist in the purchase of a vacant warehouse which will be renovated and converted into the Front Door Shelter: a 250 bed homeless shelter serving single adults (men and women) experiencing homelessness, plus overflow space for 20-40 families experiencing homelessness; and
WHEREAS, the Emergency Shelter Repair Program will provide funds to assist in the purchase of an emergency shelter facility; and
WHEREAS, the Community Shelter Board is non-profit organization that is implementing a community endorsed crisis response system, that includes the Front Door Shelter, in order to improve services to homeless individuals; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the City in that it is immediately necessary to enter into an agreement with the Community Shelter Board to implement the Emergency Shelter Repair Program in order to comply with the project development time lines, 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 hereby authorized to enter into a contract with Community Shelter Board, Inc. to assist in the purchase of a vacant warehouse which will be renovated and converted into the Front Door Shelter serving homeless individuals.
Section 2. That for the purpose as stated in Section 1, the sum of $700,000.00, or so much thereof as necessary, is hereby authorized to be expended from the Housing Preservation Fund, Fund 782, Project 782003-100000 Emergency Shelter Repair, Department of Development, Division 44-10, Object Level One 06, Object Level Three 6615, OCA Code 782003.
Section 3. 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 4. That the City Auditor is authorized to establish proper accounting project numbers and to make any accounting changes to revise the funding source for all contracts or contract modifications associated with this ordinance.
Section 5. That for the reasons stated in the preamble hereto, which 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.