Explanation
BACKGROUND: This legislation authorizes the Director of Development to modify a grant agreement with Young Women’s Christian Association (known as YWCA Columbus), in an amount up to $1,711,660.00 using federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds, and to amend the scope of services to be in alignment with the recently published federal guidance.
Original grant $ 957,337.00 Ordinance 2921-2021/0340-3022
Modification No. 1 $1,711,660.00
$2,668,997.00
Ordinance 1201-2021 authorized the City of Columbus to accept and appropriate approximately $187,030,138.00 of federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds as signed into law by the President of the United States on March 11, 2021.
YWCA of Columbus provides emergency shelter and wrap around services to homeless individuals. At the shelter, staff have worked directly, in person, with people experiencing a housing crisis throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. They have risked the health and well-being of themselves and their families to keep our neighbors experiencing homelessness safe. As an essential worker in the city’s critical infrastructure to address the housing crisis, front line staff are eligible for premium pay under the ARPA guidelines.
Funding for operational support to implement COVID-19 prevention and mitigation tactics include support for additional cleaning services, improvements to the HVAC system, remodeling of some spaces to improve infection control measures, and hiring additional temporary staff to cover staffing needs while permanent staff are unavailable due to COVID-19. Funding will support retaining employees because of a decline in revenue due the public health emergency.
Emergency action is requested to address the impacts of the COVID-19 health emergency.
FISCAL IMPACT: Funding is provided to the City of Columbus from the American Rescue Plan Act passed by Congress and signed into law March 11, 2021.
CONTRACT COMPLIANCE: the vendor number is 006086 and expires 4/29/2022
Title
To authorize the Director of the Department of Development to modify a grant agreement with Young Women’s Christian Association, in an amount up to $1,711,660.00 using federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds, and to modify the scope of services to be in alignment with the recently published federal guidance; to authorize the expenditure of up to $1,711,660.00 of ARPA funds; and to declare an emergency. ($1,711,660.00)
Body
WHEREAS, YWCA Columbus, provides emergency shelter and wrap around services to homeless individuals; and
WHEREAS, shelter staff have worked directly, in person, with people experiencing a housing crisis throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. As an essential worker in the city’s critical infrastructure to address the housing crisis, front line staff are eligible for premium pay under the ARPA guidelines; and
WHEREAS, funding for operational support to implement COVID-19 prevention and mitigation tactics include support for additional cleaning services, improvements to the HVAC system, remodeling of some spaces to improve infection control measures, and hiring additional temporary staff to cover staffing needs while permanent staff are unavailable due to COVID-19; and
WHEREAS, the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in negative impacts on the city’s shelter system, such as exposing front line workers to COVID and requiring additional cleaning and renovations of the congregate setting; and
WHEREAS, expenditure of ARPA funding to support organizations providing these services is necessary to alleviate the negative impacts caused by the COVID-19 public health emergency; and
WHEREAS, such expenditure of funds has not been previously accounted for in the 2022 Budget; 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 modify a grant agreement with Young Women’s Christian Association to address the impacts of the COVID-19 health emergency, for the 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 Director of the Department of Development is authorized to modify a grant agreement with Young Women’s Christian Association, in an amount up to $1,711,660.00 using federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds, and to modify the scope of services to be in alignment with the recently published federal guidance.
SECTION 2. That for the purpose stated in Section 1, the expenditure of $1,711,660.00 or so much thereof as may be needed, is hereby authorized in Fund 2209 (ARPA), Dept-Div 44-01 (Administration), in object class 03 (Services) per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 3. 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 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 passage and approval by the Mayor or ten days after passage if the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same.