Explanation
Background: This ordinance authorizes the Director of the Department of Development to enter into a service contract with Benevate, LLC to configure the financial assistance application software for the Resilient Housing Initiative, a homelessness prevention and housing stability program that has already launched for the Division of Housing Stability, in an amount up to $19,000.00. Approval is also requested for reimbursement of expenses incurred prior to execution of the purchase order, starting September 1, 2025.
This legislation authorizes the development and configuration of the financial assistance application and the vendor portal for the Resilient Housing Initiative (RHI), the City of Columbus’s homelessness prevention and housing stabilization program. It is the priority of the City to increase housing stability by helping residents stay housed and prevent displacement. Housing Stability is vital to our lives, contributing to social connection, health, and prosperity. Lack thereof contributes to disconnection, poor health outcomes, economic distress and, in the most critical situations, homelessness. The region is experiencing a housing crisis; our residents face rising rents, record rates of eviction, a lack of affordable housing, and an overburdened homeless shelter system. With these current realities, investing in homelessness prevention can limit housing crisis damage and relieve the impacts of emergency shelter stays.
Federal Emergency Rental Assistance (ERA2) ended September 30, 2025, leaving infrastructure in place to continue providing eviction and homelessness prevention to vulnerable residents of Columbus. The Resilient Housing Initiative (RHI) will continue homelessness prevention services into 2026 using local City of Columbus funding. The program includes housing crisis coaching, financial assistance, and housing-focused case management.
The financial assistance application software Neighborly, hosted by Benevate LLC, must be tailored to the needs of the program to ensure good resident experience and efficient program delivery. This software was chosen so the new homelessness prevention program could be offered as quickly as possible, and because the Department of Development uses the software currently for other programs within the department.
Contract Compliance: The vendor number is 039660 and updated contract compliance is pending.
Waiver Request: A waiver of the competitive procurement requirements outlined in Columbus City Code Chapter 329.18 is requested, as Neighborly is the only hosted software currently available for purchase that can address all of the City of Columbus, Department of Development, and Housing Stability Division’s needs in one solution.
Emergency Designation: Emergency action is necessary to configure the financial assistance application and continue homelessness prevention services into 2026 without disruption in services.
Fiscal Impact: This ordinance authorizes the expenditure of $19,000.00 from the Department of Development’s 2026 Neighborhood Economic Development Fund.
Title
To authorize the Director of the Department of Development to enter into a service contract with Benevate, LLC in an amount up to $19,000.00 to configure the financial assistance application software for the Resilient Housing Initiative; to waive the competitive bidding requirements of Columbus City Codes Chapter 329; to authorize the appropriation and expenditure of $19,000.00; to authorize expenses incurred prior to purchase order execution; and to declare an emergency. ($19,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, the Resilient Housing Initiative (RHI) will provide homelessness prevention services, including housing crisis coaching, financial assistance, and housing-focused case management; and
WHEREAS, this legislation authorizes the Director of the Department of Development to enter into a service contract with Benevate, LLC in an amount up to $19,000.00 to configure the financial assistance application software for the Resilient Housing Initiative program; and
WHEREAS, it is necessary to authorize the appropriation and expenditure within the Neighborhood Economic Development Fund in an amount up to $19,000.00; and
WHEREAS, it is necessary to authorize reimbursement of expenses incurred prior to the execution of a purchase order, starting September 1, 2025; and
WHEREAS, the Director of the Department of Development request approval to waive the competitive bidding requirements outlined in Columbus City Code Chapter 329; and
WHEREAS, emergency action is necessary to authorize the Director of the Department of Development to enter into a service contract with Benevate, LLC to configure the financial assistance application software for the Resilient Housing Initiative, a homelessness prevention and housing stability program and to continue homelessness prevention services into 2026 without disruption in services, all for the immediate preservation of the public health, peace, property, and safety; and NOW, THEREFORE,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That the Director of Development is hereby authorized to enter into a service contract with Benevate, LLC in an amount up to $19,000.00 to configure the financial assistance application software for the Resilient Housing Initiative program and to authorize expenses incurred prior to purchase order execution, beginning September 1, 2025.
SECTION 2. That for the purpose stated in Section 1, the appropriation and expenditure of $19,000.00 or so much thereof as may be needed, is hereby authorized in Fund 2237 (Neighborhood Economic Development Fund), Dept-Div 44-12 (Housing Stability Division), object class 03 (Services) per the account codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 3. That City Council finds it in the best interest of the City to waive the competitive bidding provision of Chapter 329 of Columbus City Codes to enter into this agreement.
SECTION 4. That funds are hereby deemed appropriated and expenditures authorized to carry out the purposes of this ordinance and the City Auditor shall establish such accounting codes as necessary.
SECTION 5. 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 legislation.
SECTION 6. 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 approval by the Mayor, or ten days after passage if the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same.