Explanation
BACKGROUND
This Ordinance authorizes the Director of the Department of Recreation and Parks, on behalf of the Central Ohio Area Agency on Aging (COAAA), to enter into contract with the Tony R. Wells Foundation to act as the fiscal administrator for COAAA’s Housing Assistance Program in 2025.
COAAA has been awarded funds from the Ohio Department of Aging to administer the Housing Assistance Program. The COAAA Housing Assistance Program includes preventative efforts to reduce eviction, displacement, and homelessness for older adults in the Central Ohio region, including Delaware, Fairfield, Fayette, Franklin, Licking, Madison, Pickaway, and Union counties. The focus of the program is diversion: keeping older adults out of the shelter, as well as prevention, to keep from reaching a housing crisis. COAAA has staff working daily on supporting older adults through housing crises. With staffing already in place, these funds address needs such as a missed rent or mortgage, rent or utility deposit, housing violation moving expenses, or other hardships related to maintaining safe housing that can lead to displacement.
As the fiscal administrator for this program, the Tony R. Wells Foundation will distribute rental assistance payments to landlords of older adults that have been screened and vetted by COAAA staff. This partnership allows COAAA to issue payments quickly and efficiently to residents in need of emergency assistance.
Approximately 200 individuals are expected to be served by this program.
FISCAL IMPACT: The contract between the Wells Foundation and the Central Ohio Area Agency on Aging will extend to December 31, 2025. This agreement has a defined budget of $366,360.00 in assistance payments plus the Wells Foundation Service Fee of $33,640.00 for a total of $400,000.00.
PRINCIPLE PARTY:
Tony R. Wells Foundation
445 Hutchinson Ave., Suite 140
Columbus, OH 43235
Phone: 614-335-5009
CONTRACT COMPLIANCE: the vendor number is 038668 and expires 06/22/2025.
EMERGENCY JUSTIFICATION: COAAA is requesting emergency justification to ensure emergency assistance payments are available as soon as possible to prevent eviction and displacement of older adult residents in the winter months.
Title
To authorize the Director of the Department of Recreation and Parks Department, on behalf of the Central Ohio Area Agency on Aging, to enter into a Not for Profit Services Contract with Tony R. Wells Foundation to act as the fiscal administrator for the COAAA Housing Assistance Program; to authorize the expenditure of $400,000.00 from the Recreation and Parks Grant Fund; and to declare an emergency. ($400,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, The Central Ohio Area on Aging (COAAA) has been awarded funds from the Ohio Department of Aging to support the Housing Assistance Program; and
WHEREAS, The COAAA Housing Assistance Program includes preventative efforts to reduce eviction, displacement, and homelessness for older adults in the Central Ohio region, including Delaware, Fairfield, Fayette, Franklin, Licking, Madison, Pickaway, and Union counties, and
WHEREAS, This ordinance authorizes the Director of the Department of Recreation and Parks, on behalf of the Central Ohio Area Agency on Aging (COAAA), to enter into contract with the Tony R. Wells Foundation to act as the fiscal administrator for the Housing Assistance Program in an amount up to $400,000.00 for the period of March 1, 2025 through December 31, 2025; and
WHEREAS, it is necessary to authorize the expenditure of $400,000 from the Recreation and Parks Grant Fund; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Department of Recreation and Parks in that this contract should be authorized immediately to prevent any delay of emergency rental payments to vulnerable older adults in Central Ohio, for the immediate preservation of the public health, peace, property, and safety; NOW, THEREFORE,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That the Director of the Department of Recreation and Parks, on behalf of the Central Ohio Area Agency on Aging (COAAA), be and is hereby authorized to enter into a not-for-profit services contract with the Tony R. Wells Foundation to act as the fiscal administrator for COAAA’s Housing Assistance Program.
SECTION 2. That for the purpose as stated in Section 1, the expenditure of $400,000.00 or so much thereof as may be needed is hereby authorized from and within the Recreation and Parks Grant Fund No. 2286, Dept-DV 51-5101 per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 3. That 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 4. That the City Auditor is authorized to establish such accounting codes as necessary, to make any accounting changes to revise the funding source for all agreements, contracts, or modifications associated with this Ordinance.
SECTION 5. 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 and shall take effect and be in force from and after its approval by the Mayor, or ten days after passage if the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same.