Explanation
BACKGROUND: This legislation authorizes the Director of the Department of Development to execute a Grant Agreement, in an amount up to $400,000.00 of federal Emergency Rental Assistance 2 funds, with Columbus State Community College (CSCC) for the provision of funding housing-focused case management positions within its Success Bridge program for a period from August 1, 2023, to September 30, 2025.
Ordinance 2275-2021 authorizes the City of Columbus to accept and appropriate up to $90,537,806.23 of federal Emergency Rental Assistance (ERA 2) program funds, as passed by the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021. Federal guidelines allows for payment of eligible expenses starting March 3, 2021.
Funding of case management positions at CSCC is part of the department’s plan to expend the remaining ERA 2 funds. City Council recently approved Ordinance 1569-2023 to expend $25 million to assist eligible recipients with funding to pay for rent, utility companies, and other service providers so they can remain in their home. This agreement will compliment those funds by providing funding for case managers to support at-risk students at CSCC.
The Success Bridge program is in its second phase of programming and focuses on providing a pathway to long-term sustainability for at-risk college students. The Success Bridge Program provides housing instable students housing counseling, success coaching, and connections to emergency rental assistance. The program also supports Columbus State students by providing access to housing services so they can complete their degrees and expand economic mobility after graduation. The program will prioritize Columbus Promise students, within the criteria of the program, to assist them in having stable housing to completing their degree.
Emergency action is necessary as the eviction and housing instability rate has reached historic levels and access to these resources are needed by students before classes begin in the autumn so they can work to stabilize their housing situation so they can focus on their classes.
FISCAL IMPACT: Funding is available within Fund 2208, ERA 2 fund.
CONTRACT COMPLIANCE: Columbus State Community College vendor number 004263 expires 05/30/2025.
Title
To authorize the Director of Development to execute a Grant Agreement with Columbus State Community College for the provision of funding housing-focused case management positions within the Success Bridge program, in an amount up to $400,000.00 of U.S. Department of Treasury Emergency Rental Assistance 2 (ERA 2) funds; to authorize an agreement start date of August 1, 2023; to authorized the expenditure of up to $400,000.00 from the Emergency Rental Assistance 2 Fund; and to declare an emergency. ($400,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, the city has disbursed approximately $23 million, and encumbered another $25 million for disbursement, of the $90.5 million of ERA 2 funds received from the U.S. Department of Treasury and the remaining $62.5 million of ERA 2 funds will be disbursed under two programs; Investment Strategy and Innovations Strategy; and
WHEREAS, the department is building the Investment Strategy Program infrastructure to disburse over $25 million to eligible recipients before the grant ends in December 2025; and
WHEREAS, the Grant Agreement will be funded with Emergency Rental Assistance 2 Funds; and
WHEREAS, the Grant Agreement will allow for expenses starting August 1, 2023; 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 the grant agreement as the eviction and housing instability rate has reached historic levels and access to these resources are needed by students before classes begin in the autumn so they can work to stabilize their housing situation so they can focus on their classes, 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 the Director of Development is authorized to a execute Grant Agreement with Columbus State Community College, in an amount up to $400,000.00 of federal Emergency Rental Assistance 2 funds, for the provision of funding housing-focused case management positions within its Success Bridge program for a period from August 1, 2023, to September 30, 2025
SECTION 2. That the expenditure of $400,000.00 or so much thereof as may be needed is hereby authorized in Fund 2208 (ERA Fund), Dept-Div 44-10 (Housing Division), in object class 05 (Other) per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 3. That this agreement is awarded pursuant to the relevant provisions of Columbus City Code related to executing grant agreements.
SECTION 4. 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 5. 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 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.