Explanation
BACKGROUND: In late 2011, the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD) reinvented its Emergency Shelter Grant program. The new Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) expands the original purpose of preventing homelessness and providing emergency shelter to include and encourage initiatives of rapid re-housing and stabilization for individuals and families experiencing homelessness. Additionally the grant can now also be used to support the community's Homeless Management Information System to guarantee that the community's plan to end homelessness is based on the most applicable and current homeless data available.
The City of Columbus has been awarded an additional allocation of $506,123 from HUD for 2012. This legislation authorizes an appropriation from the General Government Grant Fund of ESG funds and authorizes the Director of the Department of Development to enter into a contract with the Community Shelter Board, Inc. (CSB) for the administration of the City's Emergency Solutions Grant monies. Funds will be used to meet the housing needs identified in the Consolidated Plan submitted to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
The contract will provide $506,123 from the Emergency Solutions Grant for the purpose of effectively and efficiently enabling our community to help individuals and families who are homeless resolve their housing crisis. The CSB has been selected because of their history with the city and the homeless service community in the funding and coordination of services to homeless individuals and families, as well as, their established administrative procedures to effectively and efficiently implement such services.
Emergency action is necessary in order to continue housing crisis response initiatives without interruption.
FISCAL IMPACT: The Emergency Solutions Grant allocation is for $506,123. Funds for the contract are allocated from the General Government Grant Fund in the amount of $506,123 for the Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) Program.
Title
To authorize the appropriation of $506,123.00 from the General Government Grant Fund to the Department of Development; to authorize the Director of the Department of Development to enter into a contract with the Community Shelter Board for the administration of the Emergency Solutions Grant for the provision of support services to the homeless; to authorize the expenditure of $506,123.00 from the General Government Grant Fund; and to declare an emergency ($506,123.00)
Body
WHEREAS, the City has received an additional allocation of $506,123 in Emergency Solutions Grant funds from HUD under the Emergency Solutions Grant Program for the provision of support services to the homeless; and
WHEREAS, the Director of the Department of Development desires to enter into a contract with the Community Shelter Board for the administration of the City's Emergency Solutions Grant monies; and
WHEREAS, these programs have effectively and efficiently enabled our community to help individuals and families who are homeless resolve their housing crisis; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the City in that it is immediately necessary to enter into contract with Community Shelter Board so that necessary services will not be interrupted, 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 from the unappropriated balance of the General Government Grant Fund, Fund 220, Grant 458084 and from all monies estimated to come into said fund from any and all sources and unappropriated for any other purpose during the year ending December 31, 2012, the sum of $506,123 is hereby appropriated to the Department of Development, Department 44-10, Object Level One 03, Object Level Three 3337, OCA Code 458089.
Section 2. That the Director of the Department of Development is hereby authorized to contract with the Community Shelter Board, Inc. for the purpose of effectively and efficiently enabling our community to help individuals and families who are homeless resolve their housing crisis.
Section 3. That this contract is awarded pursuant to Section 329.15 of the Columbus City Codes, 1959, as amended.
Section 4. That for the purpose as stated in Section 2, the expenditure of $506,123.00 or so much thereof as may be necessary is hereby authorized to be expended from the General Government Grant Fund, Department of Development, Department 44-10, Fund 220, Grant 458084, Object Level One 03, Object Level Three 3337, OCA Code 458089.
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.