Explanation
BACKGROUND
The purpose of this ordinance is to authorize Columbus City Council to enter into a grant agreement with Elements of Change in support of the Driving Park-End the Violence neighborhood development initiative.
The Elements of Change (EOC) Project is a grass roots effort designed to build a safer, healthier, and thriving Driving Park neighborhood on Columbus’ near eastside. By partnering with local influencers through 'End The Violence,’ EOC works through trusted gatekeepers to increase community engagement, promote neighborhood beautification, create jobs and instill hope in the neighborhood.
Funding from Columbus City Council will support EOC's property redevelopment, skills training, and community collaboration. Through this program, long-time blighted and abandoned properties within the neighborhood are purchased and rehabilitated to create safe, affordable housing and/or commercial units. Properties acquired are used to provide local residents with paid work alongside skilled tradesman to gain and practice renovation, time management and work etiquette skills. Eight to sixteen neighborhood residents will participate in EOC's redevelopment project. Recruitment will focus on at-risk young adults and adults with criminal backgrounds. Upon completion, the units will be rented out to enhance the viability of the neighborhood and to create revenue for future efforts. Rents will be kept at affordable rates to increase access to quality housing for low income residents.
The first property is a multi-unit townhouse in Driving Park, located at Livingston & Berkley. The property was secured through the Columbus Land Bank. City funding will help pay for materials and contractor expenses needed for education and renovation, as well as supporting stipends for program participants.
Columbus City Council is supporting this project with $100,000.00 $120,000.00 in funding from the Public Safety Initiative subfund.
EMERGENCY DESIGNATION: Emergency action is requested in order to immediately provide Elements of Change with the support necessary to begin the program.
FISCAL IMPACT: Total appropriation is $100,000.00 $120,000.00 and is available in the 2020 budget within the Public Safety Initiative subfund, Fund 1000-100016.
Title
To authorize Columbus City Council to enter into a grant agreement with Elements of Change in support of their Driving Park-End the Violence neighborhood development initiative; to authorize an appropriation and expenditure of $100,000.00 $120,000.00 within the Public Safety Initiative subfund, and to declare an emergency. ($100,000.00 $120,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, the Elements of Change (EOC) Project is a grass roots effort designed to build a safer, healthier, and thriving Driving Park neighborhood on Columbus’ near eastside; and
WHEREAS, the proposed Driving Park initiative will help to create safe, affordable housing, leverage job training for local residents, and collaborate with community partners and representatives of the skilled trades; and
WHEREAS, the City is supportive of efforts toward redevelopment, skills training for at-risk youth and restored citizens, and community collaboration; and
WHEREAS, $100,000.00 $120,000.00 is available in the Public Safety Initiative subfund for appropriation and expenditure to provide for this need; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of Columbus City Council, in that it is necessary to ensure that EOC has the ability to initiate the program for the immediate preservation of the public health, peace, property, safety, and welfare; now, therefore
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1: That Columbus City Council is hereby authorized to enter into a grant agreement with Elements of Change in support of the Driving Park-End the Violence initiative.
SECTION 2: That the City Auditor is hereby authorized and directed to appropriate $100,000.00 $120,000.00 in the Neighborhood Public Safety Initiatives subfund, fund 1000, subfund 100016, to Columbus City Council per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 3: That the expenditure of $100,000.00 $120,000.00 or so much thereof as may be needed pursuant to the action authorized in SECTION 1 of this ordinance, is hereby authorized in the Public Safety Initiative subfund, fund 1000, subfund 100016 per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 4: That for reasons stated in the preamble hereto, which is hereby made a part hereof, this ordinance is 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.