Explanation
Background: This ordinance authorizes the Director of the Department of Neighborhoods to enter into an advance payment in full grant agreement with Families Flourish for $150,000.00 to assist with rental subsidies to program participants while providing wraparound services and coaching in the areas of health, job training, parenting, financial literacy, and coping mechanisms in a new environment. Families Flourish helps create affordable housing in higher-resource neighborhoods and promotes a better-educated workforce. Through the partial rent support, more Columbus resident who earn low wages have options to become part of safer, healthier neighborhoods that have often been off limits to them due to zoning hurdles.
Fiscal Impact: The funding of $150,000.00 for this agreement will be transferred from the General Fund Citywide Account to the Department of Neighborhoods General Fund Budget.
Contract Compliance: Families Flourish, CC 043645, exp. 10-24-26
Emergency action is requested to avoid any delay in providing critical assistance and support as it relates to affordable housing efforts.
Title
To authorize the Director of the Department of Neighborhoods to enter into an advance payment in full grant agreement with Families Flourish, Inc. to assist with rental subsidies for program participants; to authorize the transfer of $150,000.00 within the general fund Finance Department Citywide Account and the Department of Neighborhoods; to authorize an advance payment in full; to authorize the expenditure of $150,000.00 from General Fund; and to declare an emergency ($150,000.00).
Body
WHEREAS, there is a need for affordable housing in higher-resourced neighborhoods; and
WHEREAS, building safer and stronger neighborhoods, promoting workforce development and jobs, and furthering the construction and maintenance of affordable housing align with City priorities; and
WHEREAS, partial rent support for participants gives families the added support to choose housing based on their family’s needs and not based solely on where they can afford to live; and
WHEREAS, the grant agreement will provide advance payment in full; and
WHEREAS, along with rental support, wraparound services and coaching in the areas of health, job training, parenting, financial literacy, and coping mechanisms in a new environment are provided to participants and have shown marked improvements in mental and physical health, more educational attainment, higher paying jobs, and housing stability; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Department of Neighborhoods, in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the Director of the Department of Neighborhoods to enter into an advance payment in full grant agreement with Families Flourish to provide resources necessary to sustain human services programming within valuable Columbus communities, for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, property, and safety; NOW, THEREFORE,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That the Director of the Department of Neighborhoods is hereby authorized to enter into an advance payment in full grant agreement with Families Flourish, Inc.
SECTION 2. That the transfer of $150,000.00 or so much thereof as may be needed, is hereby authorized within Fund 1000 (General Fund) from Dept-Div 45-01 (Financial Management), Object Class 10 (Transfer Out Operating) to Dept-Div 48-01 (Neighborhoods), Object Class 05 (Other) per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 3. That the expenditure of $150,000.00, or so much thereof as may be needed in regard to the action authorized in Section 1, is hereby authorized in Fund 1000 (General Fund), Dept. 48-01 (Neighborhoods), in Object Class 05 (Other) per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 4. That the monies in the foregoing Sections shall be paid upon order of the Director of the Department of Neighborhoods, and that no order shall be drawn or money paid except by voucher, the form of which shall be approved by the City Auditor.
SECTION 5. That the funds are hereby deemed appropriated and transfers authorized to carry out the purpose of this ordinance are hereby deemed appropriated, and the City Auditor shall establish such accounting codes as necessary.
SECTION 6. 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 7. That for reasons stated in the preamble hereto, which is hereby made a part hereof, this ordinance is hereby declared an emergency measure and shall take effect and be enforced from and after its passage and approval by the Mayor, or ten days after passage if the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same.