Explanation
BACKGROUND: This ordinance authorizes the Director of the Department of Development to enter into a Subaward Not-for Profit Service Contract with Licking County Coalition for Housing to provide community services related to the Housing Opportunities for People with AIDS (HOPWA) program in an amount of up to $325,070.00 utilizing 2023, 2024, and 2025 HOPWA entitlement grants from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development; authorizes the payment of eligible expenditures prior to the issuance of the purchase order from January 1, 2026 to December 31, 2026.
The HOPWA program provides for the implementation of long-term comprehensive strategies for meeting the housing needs of low-income persons with HIV/AIDS and their families. Eligible services/activities include providing housing information services; resource identification; acquisition, rehabilitation, conversion, lease, and repair of facilities to provide housing and services; new construction of housing units; project or tenant based rental assistance; short term rent, mortgage, and utility payments; supportive services; technical assistance and administrative support.
Licking County Coalition for Housing will provide housing assistance and services to low-income individuals and/or households living with HIV/AIDS. We are funding this program to help ensure that PLWHA (Persons Living with HIV/AIDS) have stable, safe, decent, affordable, and sanitary housing. As housing is also a social determinant of health, funding this program can help support physical, mental, and behavioral health for PLWHA and help the EHE (Ending HIV Epidemic) Initiative. Funding will be used for long term and short-term rental assistance, short term mortgage and utility assistance, non-housing supportive services, and administration of the program. This program is an existing program entering into its 4th full year with the Department of Development and these services cannot be provided by existing city employees.
This legislation represents portions of the 2023, 2024, and 2025 Action Plans per ordinance numbers 3353-2022, 2993-2023, and 2698-2024 respectively.
Emergency Designation: Emergency action is needed to ensure funding is in place to support those people living with HIV/AIDS without an interruption to services.
Contract Compliance: the vendor number is 030132 and the expiration date is 05/01/2027.
Fiscal Impact: $325,070.00 is available within the 2023 (G442203), 2024 (G442303), and 2025 (G442404) HOPWA Grants and is contingent upon the passage of Ordinance 0529-2026.
Title
To authorize the Director of the Department of Development to enter into a Subaward Not-for Profit Service Contract with Licking County Coalition for Housing in an amount up to $325,070.00; to authorize the expenditure in an amount up to $325,070.00 utilizing the 2023, 2024, and 2025 Housing Opportunities for People with Aids (HOPWA) entitlement grants from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development; to authorize the payment of eligible expenditures prior to the issue of the purchase order beginning January 1, 2026 through December 31, 2026; and declare an emergency. ($325,070.00)
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 the Housing Opportunities for People with AIDS (HOPWA) entitlement grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development; and
WHEREAS, the Columbus City Council has approved the 2023, 2024, and 2025 Action Plans per Ordinances 3353-2022, 2993-2023, and 2698-2024; and
WHEREAS, the expenditure in an amount up to $325,070.00 is necessary to provide support; and
WHEREAS, the payment of expenditures prior to the issuance of the purchase order beginning January 1, 2026 through December 31, 2026 is necessary to provide support without interruption; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Department of Development in that it is immediately necessary to provide uninterrupted housing services to an at risk population (persons living with HIV/AIDS) where the lack thereof would endanger the public health and safety of affected individuals thereby preserving the public, health, peace, property, safety, and welfare; and NOW, THEREFORE,
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 Subaward Not-for-Profit Service Contract with Licking County Coalition for Housing in an amount up to $325,070.00and authorizes the payment of expenditures prior to the issuance of the purchase order beginning January 1, 2026 through December 31, 2026.
SECTION 2. That the expenditure of $325,070.00 or so much thereof as may be needed, is hereby authorized within Fund 2220 (General Government Grant Fund), Dept-Div 44-10 (Housing), G442203 (2023 HOPWA), G442303 (2024 HOPWA), and G442404 (2025 HOPWA) object class 03 (Services) per the account codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 3. 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 make any accounting changes to revise the funding source for all contracts or contract modifications associated with this ordinance.
SECTION 5. 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 6. 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.