Explanation
BACKGROUND: This legislation authorizes the Director of the Department of Development to enter into a contract with Community Development for All People Corporation (CD4AP), a not-for-profit organization. This legislation authorizes up to $250,000 from the general capital improvement fund to CD4AP for targeted distribution through the South Side Renaissance Home Repair Program. The funds provided by the contract will be used to undertake the Better Municipal Care for Veterans - Home Fund (BMCV-HF), which provides financial assistance to eligible homeowners for home improvements.
The Better Municipal Care for Veterans - Home Program represents City Council's commitment to serving the housing needs of our nation's heroes. Eligible homeowners are those homeowners who are a veteran or those homeowners with an eligible veteran who permanently resides in the household. Eligible veterans are those veterans who have presented a government record denoting his or her other than dishonorable discharge or release from active military, naval, or air service.
Community Development for All People is a faith-based, non-profit community development organization dedicated to creating a community that welcomes and cares for all people. Located in Columbus Ohio, the CD4AP works to improve the economic, social and spiritual quality of life for residents of the South side. CD4AP renovates homes on the Southside and makes them available at a reduced cost to low-income buyers. This improves home-ownership and strengthens our community. The South Side Renaissance Home Repair Program assist homeowners with exterior repairs while facilitating pride and responsible ownership.
Emergency action is necessary to allow CD4AP to begin the immediate implementation of the Better Municipal Care for Veterans - Home Fund portion of the South Side Renaissance Home Repair Program.
FISCAL IMPACT: Funds are contingent upon the 2012 summer bond sale.
Title
To authorize the Director of the Department of Development to enter into a contract with Community Development for All People, a not-for-profit organization, to undertake the Better Municipal Care for Veterans - Home Fund program; to authorize the expenditure of up to $250,000.00 from the 2012 capital improvements budget; and to declare an emergency. ($250,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, City Council is committed to helping the veterans who protected the very freedoms we enjoy; and
WHEREAS, Veterans have sacrificed in service to our country and, in the process, have been out of the Columbus area for extended periods of time, creating unique challenges for veteran-owned homes; and
WHEREAS, Columbus is home to over 110,000 veterans, including men and women returning from ongoing missions overseas;
WHEREAS, As a result of its commitment to veterans, City Council established the Better Municipal Care for Veterans - Home Fund in the 2012 capital improvements budget; and
WHEREAS, Community Development for All People Corporation, through the South Side Renaissance Home Repair Program, is transforming the Southside through pride and responsible ownership; and
WHEREAS, The CD4AP program provides a unique opportunity to implement the Better Municipal Care for Veterans - Home Fund initiative in a targeted, impactful way; and
WHEREAS, An emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Department of Development, Housing Division, in that it is immediately necessary to enter into contract with Community Development for All People to allow the immediate implementation of the Better Municipal Care for Veterans - Home Fund initiative thereby avoiding causing delays in the South Side Renaissance Home Repair Program, thereby preserving the public health, peace, property, safety, and welfare; 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 contract with Community Development for All People, a not-for-profit organization, to implement a portion of the Better Municipal Care for Veterans - Home Fund to provide targeted financial assistance to eligible homeowners through the South Side Renaissance Home Repair Program. For this purposes of this Section, eligible homeowners are those homeowners who are a veteran or those homeowners with an eligible veteran who permanently resides in the household; and eligible veterans are those veterans who have presented a government record denoting his or her other than dishonorable discharge or release from active military, naval, or air service.
SECTION 2. That for the purpose as stated in Section 1, the expenditure of $250,000.00 or so much thereof as may be necessary, is hereby authorized from the Department of Development, Division 44-10, Fund 782, Project No. 782001-100007, OCA 782107, Object Level One 06, Object Level Three 6616.
SECTION 3. That the expenditure of capital improvements budget funds from this authorization will be used to provide home repair services to correct substandard and deteriorating conditions of houses where the homeowner is either a veteran or has a veteran residing permanently in the household; and CD4AP may, at its sole discretion, waive any otherwise-applicable income restrictions implementing the BMCV-HF initiative.
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. 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 passage and approval by the Mayor, or ten days after passage if the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same.