Explanation
BACKGROUND: This ordinance authorizes the appropriation and expenditure in an amount up to $502,585.15 of grant funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), through the HOME Investment Partnerships Program American Rescue Plan (HOME-ARP) and authorizes the Director of Development to enter into a Subrecipient Not For Profit Service Contract with Community Housing Network Inc (CHN) for the purpose of providing supportive services at the Touchstone Field Place II apartments. The supportive services will help those individuals that reside at Touchstone Field Place II that struggle with homelessness, mental illness, and substance abuse. The term of the contract will be from November 1, 2025 through July 31, 2030.
Touchstone Field Place II provides forty-four (44), one-bedroom units of permanent supportive housing prioritized for individuals who meet the State of Ohio’s Permanent Supportive Housing Policy Framework. Specifically, all forty-four units will prioritize individuals who meet the HUD definition of chronic homelessness. Supportive Services will be provided for all HOME ARP eligible residents of Touchstone Field Place II. The construction of this project was authorized by City Council on March 25, 2024 via Ordinance Number 0736-2024. This legislation is authorizing the supportive services that will be provided to those residents that meets HUD’s definition of chronic homelessness.
CHN has been providing affordable housing to individuals experiencing homelessness, mental illness, addiction, and trauma related issues since 1987. CHN will provide overall program management, tenant-centered property management and housing services (including program operations, administration of subsidies, community relations, maintenance and security) they will also facilitate partner meetings, take the lead in admissions, eviction prevention and training, as well as assist with outreach. CHN’s will contract on-site staff, who will provide case management and front desk services. Staff will orient tenants living in a supportive housing program; assist them with housing-related issues; and provide crisis intervention, conflict resolution, transportation assistance, and daily support. In addition, residents will also be referred to other agencies for medical and dental needs, material needs, and legal assistance. The target population for Touchstone Field Place II will be men and women who are homeless or at risk of homelessness and are disabled by mental illness, substance addition, dual diagnosis, and or a physical disability, and meet the qualified persons requirements of the HOME ARP funding.
CHN will also subcontract with YMCA to provide 24/7 front desk coverage. Front desk staff will orient tenants to live in a supportive housing program, by assisting tenants with housing-related issues and providing crisis intervention and conflict resolution as needed. Residents will also be referred to other agencies for medical/dental health needs, material needs, legal assistance and other needs.
YMCA will provide residents with services that include, but are not limited to, on-going assessments, case management, psychiatric services, medication monitoring, health services, employment services, individual counseling and substance abuse treatment. YMCA has a proven track record of successful Medicaid billing and utilization.
This legislation represents appropriation for a part of the HOME-ARP Allocation Plan portion of the City’s 2021 HUD Annual Action Plan which was amended, per Ordinance 0459-2023.
Contract Compliance: the vendor number is 004867 and expires on 03/14/2027
Fiscal Impact: $502,585.15 is available from and within the HOME-ARP grant (G442101).
Title
This ordinance authorizes the appropriation and expenditure in an amount up to $502,585.15 of HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME-ARP) funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development; authorizes the Director of the Department of Development to enter into a Subrecipient Not For Profit Service Contract with Community Housing Network Inc. in an amount up to $502,585.15 to provide supportive services for residents that are deemed eligible under the HOME-ARP guidelines at Touchstone Field Place II; and authorizes the expenditure prior to the purchase order within the contract term date of November 1, 2025 through July 31, 2030. ($502,585.15)
Body
WHEREAS, the City of Columbus is a participating jurisdiction of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development; and
WHEREAS, the City of Columbus is the recipient of a one-time grant of $16,433,138.00 from the U.S. Department of Housing Urban Development (HUD) through the American Rescue Plan Act and the HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME-ARP) ; and
WHEREAS, there is a need for supportive services at Touchstone Field Place II for those individuals that qualify for these services based on HUD’s definition of chronic homelessness.
WHEREAS, the appropriation and expenditure in an amount up to $502,585.15 is necessary to provide supportive services for the contract term of November 1, 2025 through July 31, 2030 and authorize the expenditures prior to the issuance of the purchase order; and
WHEREAS, the Director of the Department of Development wishes to enter into a Subrecipient Not For Profit Service contract with Community Housing Network Inc. to provide the supportive services that will assist this very vulnerable population utilizing HOME-ARP funding; and NOW, THEREFORE,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. 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 ending December 31, 2025, the sum of $502,585.15 is appropriated within Fund 2201 (HOME-ARP), from Dept-Div 44-10 (Housing), G442101 (HOME-ARP), object class 03 (Professional Services) per the account codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 2. That the expenditure of $502,585.15, or so much thereof as may be needed, is hereby authorized in Fund 2201 (HOME-ARP), Dept-Div 4410 (Housing), G442101 (HOME-ARP), object class 03 (Professional Services) per the account codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 3. That the Director of Development is hereby authorized to enter into a Subrecipient Not For Profit Service Contract with Community Housing Network Inc to provide supportive services for the eligible residents of Touchstone Field Place II in an amount up to $502,585.15.
SECTION 4. That the term of the agreement will be from November 1, 2025 through July 31, 2030, and that expenses are authorized and approved during this timeframe which may be prior to the execution of the purchase order.
SECTION 5. 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 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 ordinance.
SECTION 7. At the end of the grant period, any repayment of unencumbered balances required by the grantor is hereby authorized and any unused City match monies may be transferred back to the City fund from which they originated in accordance with all applicable grant agreements.
SECTION 8. That this ordinance shall take effect and be in force from and after the earliest date permitted by law.