Explanation
This ordinance appropriates $250,000 within the General Permanent Improvement Fund, and appropriates and transfers $50,000 within the General Permanent Improvement Fund, and authorizes and directs the Direct of Development to enter into a grant agreement with the STAR House in order to provide a renovation and improvement grant for infrastructure improvements.
The STAR House is a welcoming drop-in center for youth experiencing homelessness between the ages of 14 and 24 and serves as a safe and accepting place where they can connect with a concerned community. STAR House enables the youth to do their laundry, eat, rest, bathe and receive clothing. It also acts as a place to connect to the services available through other agencies that provide educational, health, financial and food subsidies along with job-seeking skills.
There is a void of services available for homeless street-living youth between the ages of 14-24 years in Columbus, Ohio. It is estimated that over 1,500 youth in Columbus are homeless on the streets in any given night. STAR House offers a gateway from the streets to the mainstream.
Founded in 2006, STAR House began as an outgrowth of a federally-funded research program. During the course of the research, it was determined that a drop-in center is necessary in order to engage youth into more intensive services including housing, education, employment and mental/physical health treatment. STAR House uniquely integrates research and community service. Effective engagement, linkage, and treatment strategies are tested and put into practice without the myriad barriers in many other research-to-practice efforts. In this way, STAR House is always testing and implementing state of the art, evidence-based practices.
Due to extreme space constraints in its current location it is critical that STAR House move locations in order to serve the growing population of homeless youth. To that end the STAR House has secured private funding in order to purchase a larger property. The new location will offer offices for partnering agencies, including a health services room for onsite medical care. In addition clients will have the opportunity to take advantage of a large kitchen and dining area, a washing facility and clothing closet, shower facilities and training programs all with the express intent of ending youth homelessness. The funding set forth in this ordinance will authorize and direct the Director of Development to enter into a grant agreement with STAR House for crucial renovations and infrastructure needs necessary to serve this population.
FISCAL IMPACT: Funds of $250,000 are currently available within the General Permanent Improvement Fund, and additional funds of $50,000 are available for transfer within the unallocated balance of the general permanent improvement fund.
Title
To appropriate $250,000.00 within the General Permanent Improvement Fund; to appropriate and transfer $50,000.00 within the General Permanent Improvement Fund; to amend the 2014 Capital Improvement Budget; to authorize and direct the Director of Development to enter into a grant agreement with the STAR House for crucial renovations and infrastructure needs; to authorize the expenditure of $300,000.00 from the General Permanent Improvement Fund; and to declare an emergency. ($300,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, The STAR House is a welcoming drop-in center for youth experiencing homelessness between the ages of 14 and 24 and serves as a safe and accepting place where they can connect with a concerned community. STAR House enables the youth to do their laundry, eat, rest, bathe and receive clothing. It also acts as a place to connect to the services available through other agencies that provide educational, health, financial and food subsidies along with job-seeking skills ; and
WHEREAS, there is a void of services available for homeless street-living youth between the ages of 14-24 years in Columbus, Ohio. It is estimated that over 1,500 youth in Columbus are homeless on the streets in any given night. STAR House offers a gateway from the streets to the mainstream; and
WHEREAS, due to extreme space constraints in its current location it is critical that STAR House move locations in order to serve the growing population of homeless youth. To that end the STAR House has secured private funding in order to purchase a larger property. The new location will offer offices for partnering agencies, including a health services room for onsite medical care. In addition clients will have the opportunity to take advantage of a large kitchen and dining area, a washing facility and clothing closet, shower facilities and training programs all with the express intent of ending youth homelessness; and
WHEREAS, this ordinance appropriates $250,000 within the General Permanent Improvement Fund; and
WHEREAS, this ordinance appropriates and transfers $50,000 within the General Permanent Improvement Fund; and
WHEREAS, the funding set forth in this ordinance will authorize and direct that Director of Development to enter into a grant agreement with STAR House for crucial renovations and infrastructure needs necessary to serve this population; and
WHEREAS, funds for the aforementioned application are available within the unallocated balance of the General Permanent Improvement Fund; and
WHEREAS, it is necessary to amend the 2014 Capital Improvement Budget and to transfer cash between projects within the General Permanent Improvement Fund to ensure sufficient funds are available for the expenditure and in the updated project numbers; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the City of Columbus in that it is immediately necessary to effect the appropriation, transfer and expenditure of said funds within the General Permanent Improvement Fund for the renovation and infrastructure needs of the STAR House, all 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 the City Auditor is hereby authorized to appropriate $250,000.00 within the General Permanent Improvement Fund ,748, Dept. No 44-01, Project 748411-100000, OCA 748411, OL3 6639 and reduce appropriation within the General Permanent Improvement Fund, 748, Dept. No 44-01, Project 748411-100000, OCA 748411, OL3 3000 $125,000.
SECTION 2. That the City Auditor is hereby authorized to appropriate $50,000 within the unallocated balance of the General Permanent Improvement Fund, 748, in Dept/Div. 45-01, Project 748999-100000, OCA 643114, OL3 6639
SECTION 3. That the City Auditor is hereby authorized to transfer cash and appropriation within the General Permanent Improvement Fund as follows:
From:
Dept 45-01: Project 748999-100000: OCA 643114: OL3 6639: Amount $50,000.00
To:
Dept 44-01: Project 748411-100000: OCA 748411: OL3 6639, Amount $50,000.00
SECTION 4: That the 2014 Capital Improvement Budget be amended as follows:
Project Name| Project No.|Current Authority|Revised Authority|Difference
45-01 Unallocated Balance Fd. 748|748999 - 100000|$500,883|$450,883|($50,000) [General Perm Imp Carryover]
Development Projects|748411-100000|$250,000|$300,000|$50,000 [General Perm Imp Carryover]
SECTION 5. That the Director of the Department of Development be and is hereby authorized to enter into a grant agreement with the STAR House for crucial renovations and infrastructure needs.
SECTION 6. For the purpose as stated in Section 5, the expenditure of $300,000.00, or so much thereof as may be needed for the crucial renovations and infrastructure needs is hereby authorized from Dept/Div: 44-01, Fund 748, OCA 748411, Project 748411-100000, Object Level One- 06, Object Level Three- 6639.
SECTION 7. That the City Auditor is authorized to make the necessary transfer between funds, and such funds are hereby appropriated, to carry out the purposes of this ordinance.
SECTION 8. That the City Auditor is hereby authorized to transfer the unencumbered balance in a project account to the unallocated balance account within the same fund upon receipt of certification by the Director of the Department administering said project that the project has been completed and the monies are no longer required for said project.
SECTION 9. 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 10. That the funds necessary to carry out the purpose of this ordinance are hereby deemed appropriated, and the City Auditor shall establish such accounting codes as necessary.
SECTION 11. 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.