Explanation
BACKGROUND:
This legislation authorizes the Director of Development to enter into contract with Guidehouse Inc., in an amount up to $569,000.00, to establish the Regional Housing Coalition and position the new regional entity for success. The contract includes establishing a work plan, stakeholder engagement, and delivering a business plan for the Coalition to then implement. Laying the groundwork for the Coalition is critical for its success in acting as a champion for housing and serving as the regional steward to create partnerships, facilitate support, and continue to convene partners to identify and implement solutions to our housing needs. Approval is also requested for reimbursement of expenses incurred prior to execution of the purchase order, starting September 1, 2024. The expenses are associated with the consultant working with City staff to prepare scheduled tasks as well as organize the workflow between themselves and the City staff to enable the work to begin as soon as possible to meet the deadline for the project.
The Central Ohio Region has enjoyed strong economic growth in the past decade with a rise in population and jobs, however our housing supply has not kept pace. Our region is experiencing housing scarcity; we do not have enough homes for the jobs that we have added to our region and this threatens our region’s affordability and economic opportunity. This scarcity is not rooted in a single cause, but is rather a systems-level failure that necessitates a systems-level response. Our region holds many outstanding experts, organizations, and jurisdictions focused on housing, but their good work is often siloed and not coordinated or supported at a regional level. Similar to how we have approached other critical infrastructure in our region, this regional problem merits a regional solution, which lies within the formation of the Regional Housing Coalition.
In late 2021 civic leadership met to set a new path for Central Ohio to maintain the region’s affordability as economic growth continues. Therefore, the first action undertaken by the civic leadership was to convene four task forces, each led by regional scale organizations which had led the growth impact planning efforts and asked them to identify actionable tasks that could be implemented to ensure that the housing infrastructure that the region needs gets built as the growth occurs. Each task force focused on specific challenges facing the region; supply, affordability, equity and advocacy and coordination.
The task forces engaged more than 150 community stakeholders and developed a comprehensive list of actions that at the regional scale would deliver the housing the region needs to support its growth and ensure prosperity for all families in the region. The task forces identified a number of opportunities for improving the communication, coordination and collaboration to develop a functional and affordable regional housing market.
Based on the outcomes of the task force work it is clear that there is not an existing organization that can undertake the implementation of the recommendations. The politically complex nature of Central Ohio which includes a diverse set of jurisdictions, employers and civic infrastructure requires a new entity to lead the critical work of developing the housing infrastructure needed for the Columbus region. Through contracting with Guidehouse, the City of Columbus can ensure that a solid foundation is built to establish and stand-up the Coalition for its long-term success in meeting central Ohio’s housing needs.
Emergency action is requested in order to immediately provide funding for the establishment of the Regional Housing Coalition and implementation of planning tasks.
Bid Waiver Request: A waiver of the competitive procurement requirements outlined in Columbus City Code Chapter 329.18 is being requested, as Guidehouse Inc. is currently working with Franklin County and the State of Ohio on housing issues and the urgency to create the Coalition and maintain the planning timeline.
FISCAL IMPACT: Funding for this agreement is included in the Department of Development’s 2024
General Fund Budget.
CONTRACT COMPLIANCE: Guidehouse Inc. vendor number is 023190 and vendor compliance is pending.
.
Title
To authorize the expenditure of up to $569,000.00 from the 2024 General Fund Operating Budget; to waive the competitive bidding requirements of Columbus City Codes; to authorize the Director of the Department of Development to enter into a contract with Guidehouse Inc. to establish the Regional Housing Coalition and position the new regional entity for success; to pay for consultant planning related expenses incurred before the purchase order was approved, and to declare an emergency. ($569,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, the central Ohio Region has enjoyed strong economic growth in the past decade with a rise in population and jobs, however our housing supply has not kept pace; and
WHEREAS, in late 2021 civic leadership met to set a new path for Central Ohio to maintain the region’s affordability as economic growth continues; and
WHEREAS, the task forces engaged more than 150 community stakeholders and developed a comprehensive list of actions that at the regional scale would deliver the housing the region needs to support its growth and ensure prosperity for all families in the region; and
WHEREAS, the task forces identified a number of opportunities for improving the communication, coordination and collaboration to develop a functional and affordable regional housing market; and
WHEREAS, through contracting with Guidehouse Inc., the City of Columbus can ensure that a solid foundation is built to establish and stand-up the Coalition for its long-term success in meeting central Ohio’s housing needs; and
WHEREAS; it is necessary for Council to authorize a waiver of the competitive bidding requirements outlined in Columbus City Code Chapter 329.18; 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 enter into contract to prevent interruption in services and to immediately provide funding for the establishment of the Regional Housing Coalition and implementation of planning tasks, 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 City Council finds that is in the best interest of the City to waive the competitive bidding provisions of Chapter 329 of Columbus City Code to enter into this contract.
SECTION 2. That the Director of the Department of Development is hereby authorized to enter into a
contract with Guidehouse Inc., in an amount up to $569,000.00, to establish the Regional Housing Coalition and position the new regional entity for success and to authorize the reimbursement of consultant planning related expense incurred prior to the execution of a purchase order, starting September 1, 2024.
SECTION 3. That for the purpose stated in Section 1, the expenditure of $569,000.00, or so much thereof as may be needed, is hereby authorized in Fund 1000 (General Fund), Dept-Div 4401 (Administrative Division), in Object Class 03 (Services) per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 4. That this agreement is awarded in accordance with the relevant provisions of Columbus City Code related to grant agreements.
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 agreements or agreement modifications associated with this ordinance.
SECTION 7. 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.