Explanation
This ordinance authorizes an appropriation to the Central Ohio Area Agency on Aging (COAAA) in support of the organization’s senior housing stabilization efforts.
Earlier this year and in response to concerns shared by older adults in our community with regard to aging-in-place, Columbus City Council provided funding to COAAA to establish the Housing Assistance Program (HAP). The program includes preventative efforts to reduce eviction, displacement, and homelessness for Columbus older adults. The focus is diversion, which is keeping older adults out of the shelter, as well as prevention, to keep from reaching a housing crisis. The funding supports preventive measures for homelessness for Columbus residents 50 and older. The Central Ohio Area Agency on Aging (COAAA) has staff working daily on supporting older adults through housing crises. With staffing already in place, these funds address needs such as a missed rent or mortgage, rent or utility deposit, housing violation moving expenses, or other hardships related to maintaining safe housing that can lead to displacement. The experts working with these older adults utilize the funds only as needed, pairing it with other resources and supports in the community. An assessment determines that one-time assistance, limited to $600.00, stabilizes the housing situation.
As a result of high demand, and being demonstrative of the need to address these issues for senior residents, COAAA has exhausted the initial startup funds. Columbus City Council is providing supplemental funding in the amount of $50,000.00 to sustain the program.
Emergency Designation: Emergency action is requested in order to immediately provide COAAA with the resources necessary to continue senior housing stabilization efforts.
Fiscal Impact: Funding is available within the Neighborhood Initiatives subfund.
Title
To authorize an appropriation to the Central Ohio Area Agency on Aging for continued support of the Housing Assistance Program; to authorize an appropriation within the Neighborhood Initiatives subfund; and to authorize a cash transfer between the Neighborhood Initiatives subfund and the COAAA grant fund, and to declare an emergency ($50,000.00).
Body
WHEREAS, recent Housing Stabilization Roundtables have provided a forum for older adults in the community to voice their concerns regarding the challenges of aging-in-place; and
WHEREAS, Columbus City Council will designate funding to COAAA in order to provide for an additional support mechanism to assist those older residents who face displacement or homelessness due to financial hardship; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily business of the city in that it is immediately necessary to authorize a grant agreement with COAAA in order to avoid any delay in initiating senior housing supports; now, therefore,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That the City Auditor is hereby authorized and directed to appropriate $50,000.00 in the Neighborhood Initiatives subfund, fund 1000, subfund 100018, to Columbus City Council per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 2. That the City Auditor is hereby authorized to transfer cash in the amount of $50,000.00 from the Neighborhood Initiatives subfund, fund 1000, subfund 100018, to the COAAA Grants fund, fund 2286, per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 3. That the City Auditor is hereby authorized and directed to appropriate $50,000.00 in the COAAA Grants fund, fund 2286, to the Central Ohio Area Agency on Aging per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 4. That this ordinance shall take effect and be in force from and after the earliest period allowed by law.
SECTION 4. 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.