Explanation
BACKGROUND: This legislation authorizes the transfer between object classes in an amount up to $3,600.00 and expenditure in an amount up to $124,272.25 within the Healthy Homes Production Grant (G442200); requests that Columbus City Council waive the provisions in Columbus City Codes Sections 111.14, 329.18, and 329.09 pursuant to Columbus City Codes Section 329.15; and authorizes the Director of the Department of Development to enter into grant agreements with homeowners if the grant amount is greater than $5,000.00, to approve purchase orders with contractors for the Healthy Homes Program that may be greater than $50,000.00, and to modify a grant agreement with a homeowner or purchase order with a contractor to carry out the purpose of the grant program, all without having to return to City Council for each project for the Healthy Homes Program.
The Department of Development received the Healthy Homes Production Grant (HHPG Grant) from the Office of Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes within the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) in 2022 and this grant provides funding for the Lead Safe Columbus Program. The grant was authorized via ordinance 1115-2022 as a reimbursable grant in an amount up to $2,000,000.00.
The funds to be expended under this legislation are funds that have been previously transferred within the grant or cancelled from grant agreements/purchase orders from projects already completed under the Healthy Homes Production Grant. Since appropriation has been received under Ordinance 1115-2022, only approval to expend these cancelled funds is needed. That any future cancellation of funds from grant agreements/purchase orders can be re-established by the City Auditor to allow for a more expedient process of entering into grant agreements with homeowners without having to go back to City Council
In order to effectively and efficiently manage these remaining funds, the grant, the Healthy Homes Grant Program, and to expend the funds before the grant ends October 18, 2025, this legislation requests the waiver of the provisions in Columbus City Codes Sections 111.14, 329.18, and 329.09, pursuant to Columbus City Codes Section 329.15, and authorizes the Director of the Department of Development to enter into grant agreements with homeowners if the grant amount is greater than $5,000.00, to approve purchase orders with contractors that may be greater than $50,000.00, and to modify a grant agreement with a homeowner and purchase order with a contractor to carry out the purpose of the Healthy Homes Grant Program without having to return to City Council for each project.
Columbus City Codes (CCC) Section 111.14 states, that “All programs which award loans or grants of more than five thousand dollars ($5,000.00) must submit legislation for approval to city council”; CCC 329.18 states, “No contract greater than $50,000.00 awarded under this section shall be effective until approved by ordinance of city council”; and CCC 329.09 states, “After agreeing upon the terms of a modification, the city agency shall submit legislation to city council requesting approval of the modification….” Under this ordinance, these provisions would be waived.
The funds will allow the Healthy Homes Program to continue to provide property owners with grants for lead safe, healthier, affordable housing for families with low and moderate income under HUD guidelines. The program provides healthy homes activities in accordance with HUD guidelines, takes a comprehensive approach to addressing multiple childhood diseases and injuries within the home by focusing on housing-related hazards in a coordinated fashion rather than addressing a single hazard at a time. Safety hazards such as mold and moisture, poor indoor air quality, pests, carbon monoxide, injury and safety hazards in addition to lead-based paint are some of the items addressed within this grant funding.
Emergency action is requested to allow for the immediate approval to assure that the program has funding available as there are citizens waiting on the approval of funds to remediate the health and safety hazards within their homes and immediate approval is needed to assure so the funds can be expended before the expiration of the grant, October 18, 2025, as a delay may result in funds being returned to HUD and fewer homes served.
FISCAL IMPACT: Funding is available within the HHPG Grant G442200.
Title
To authorize the transfer between object classes in an amount up to $3,600.00 and the expenditure in an amount up to $124,272.25 within the Healthy Homes Production Grant; to waive the provisions in Columbus City Codes Sections 111.14, 329.18, and 329.09 pursuant to Columbus City Codes Section 329.15; to authorize the Director of the Department of Development, for the Healthy Homes Production Grant, to enter into grant agreements with homeowners if the grant amount is greater than $5,000.00, to approve purchase orders with contractors that may be greater than $50,000.00, and to modify a grant agreement with a homeowner or purchase order with a contractor to carry out the purpose of the grant program, to authorize the City Auditor to re-establish funds that have been canceled from grant agreements/purchase orders, all without having to return to City Council for each project for the Healthy Homes Production Grant Program; and to declare an emergency. ($124,272.25)
Body
WHEREAS, the Department of Development received a reimbursable grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes Grant (HHPG Grant) in the amount of $2,000,000.00 for health and safety hazard as well as lead remediation/abatement for families with low and moderate income under HUD Guidelines; and
WHEREAS, it is necessary to authorize the transfer between object classes in an amount up to $3,600.00 and the expenditure in an amount up to $124,272.25 from previously cancelled purchase orders within the HHPG Grant is needed to continue to fund health and safety remediations as well as lead abatement activities in accordance with HUD guidelines, including but not limited to, mold and moisture, poor indoor air quality, pests, carbon monoxide, injury and safety hazards, lead paint level testing, risk assessments, and lead hazard remediations; and
WHEREAS, in order to effectively and efficiently manage these remaining funds and to expend the funds before the grant ends October 18, 2025, this legislation requests the waiver of the provisions in Columbus City Codes Sections 111.14, 329.18, and 329.09 pursuant to Columbus City Codes Section 329.15 and then authorizes the Director of the Department of Development to enter into grant agreements with homeowners if the grant amount is greater than $5,000.00, to approve purchase orders with contractors that may be greater than $50,000.00, and to modify a grant agreement with a homeowner and purchase order with a contractor to carry out the purpose of the Healthy Homes Grant Program without having to return to City Council for each project; and
WHEREAS, it is also necessary to authorize the City Auditor to re-establish any funds that have been canceled from grant agreements/purchase orders for projects under the Healthy Homes Production Grant to allow for a more expedient process of entering into future grant agreements with homeowners to assure their health and safety is not impacted by delays in re-establishing the funding needed; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the City of Columbus, Department of Development in that it is immediately necessary to approve the expenditure of funds and authorizations for the Director of the Department of Development so the funds can be expended before the expiration of the grant, October 18. 2025, as a delay may result in funds being returned to HUD and less homes abated of lead and other health and safety hazards, all for the immediate preservation of the public health, property, safety and welfare; NOW, THEREFORE,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That the transfer in an amount up to $3,600.00 or so much thereof as may be needed, is hereby authorized within Fund 2220 (General Government Grant Fund), Dept-Div 4410 (Housing), G442200 (Healthy Homes Production Grant) (HHPG Grant), between object class 02 (Supplies) and object class 03 (professional services), per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 2. That the expenditure of $124,272.25 or so much thereof as may be needed, is hereby authorized within Fund 2220 (General Government Grant Fund), Dept-Div 4410 (Housing), G442200 (Healthy Homes Production Grant) (HHPG Grant), per the accounting 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 this Council finds that is in the best interest of the City to waive the provisions in Columbus City Codes Sections 111.14, 329.18, and 329.09 pursuant to Columbus City Codes Section 329.15.
SECTION 5. That the Director of the Department of Development is authorized, for the Lead Safe Columbus Program, to enter into grant agreements with homeowners if the grant amount is greater than $5,000.00, to approve purchase orders with contractors that may be greater than $50,000.00, and to modify a grant agreement with a homeowner or purchase order with a contractor to carry out the purpose of the grant program, all without having to return to City Council for each project.
SECTION 6. That the City Auditor can re-establish funds from canceled grant agreements/purchase orders from the Healthy Homes Production Grant per the request of the Department of Development without having to return to City Council to establish a new auditor’s certificate.
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 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 9. 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 passage and approval by the Mayor, or ten days after passage if the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same.