Explanation
BACKGROUND: This ordinance authorizes the Director of the Department of Development to enter into a grant agreement with the Tony R. Wells Foundation dba The Wells Foundation in an amount up to $65,000.00 to provide assistance to individuals facing housing instability, emergency vacate orders, or potential homelessness with funding for temporary accommodations. This grant will cover expenditures incurred prior to the execution of a purchase order and the advancement of funds per a pre-determined schedule.
The Tony R Wells Foundation will partner with The Broad Street Presbyterian Church of Columbus, Ohio and act as their fiscal manager to dispense funding to enable temporary accommodations for households with an AMI at 80% or below. Assistance may include: rental fees for storage unit, moving expenses, application fees, hotel or motel for displaced families, and/or eviction related court costs.
Through their emergency vacate program, The Broad Street Presbyterian Church of Columbus, Ohio make program eligibility determinations to qualify residents of the local community for funding in order to ensure housing stability and they will, in turn, inform the Tony R. Wells Foundation which applications are approved for funding and how much.
Funding for this program will focus on assisting displaced tenants from unsafe, unsanitary or inhabitable housing conditions. The Tony R Wells Foundation will make the payments directly to the recipients or other entities on their behalf. As such, funds will be advanced to the Tony R. Wells Foundation.
Under this agreement, funding is included for recipients’ needs and a fee for the Tony R. Wells Foundation acting as the fiscal manager.
Emergency action is requested in order to have funding available as soon as possible to assist residents who are displaced and need immediate assistance for transitional housing to prevent homelessness.
FISCAL IMPACT: Funding is provided within the Department of Development’s 2024 General Fund budget.
CONTRACT COMPLIANCE: the vendor’s number is 038668 and expires on 06/22/2025.
Title
To authorize the Director of the Department of Development to enter into a grant agreement with the Tony R. Wells Foundation dba The Wells Foundation in an amount up to $65,000.00 to provide assistance to individuals facing housing instability; to authorize the transfer and expenditure of $65,000.00 within the General Fund; to authorize expenditures incurred prior to the execution of a purchase order; to authorize advance payments per a predetermined schedule; and to declare an emergency. ($65,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, the Director of the Department of Development to enter into a grant agreement with the Tony R. Wells Foundation dba The Wells Foundation in an amount up to $65,000.00 to provide assistance to individuals facing housing instability, emergency vacate orders, or potential homelessness with funding for temporary accommodations; and
WHEREAS, the Tony R. Wells Foundation will partner with The Broad Street Presbyterian Church of Columbus, Ohio to provide this assistance with The Broad Street Presbyterian Church of Columbus, Ohio making the eligibility determination and the Tony R. Wells Foundation providing aid directly; and
WHEREAS, through their emergency vacate program, The Broad Street Presbyterian Church of Columbus, Ohio make program eligibility determinations to qualify residents of the local community for funding in order to ensure housing stability and they will, in turn, inform the Tony R. Wells Foundation which applications are approved for funding and how much; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Department of Development in that is requested in order to have funding available as soon as possible to assist residents who are displaced and need immediate assistance for transitional housing to prevent homelessness, all for the immediate preservation of the public health, peace, 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 Development is authorized to enter into a grant agreement with Tony R. Wells Foundation dba The Wells Foundation in an amount up to $65,000.00, to allow reimbursement of expenses beginning March 1, 2024, and to authorize advance payments per a predetermined schedule.
SECTION 2. That the transfer of $65,000.00, or so much thereof as may be needed, is hereby authorized within Fund 1000 (General Fund), from Dept.-Div 44-01 (Administration), object class 03 (Services) to object class 05 (Other) per the account codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 3. That for the purpose as stated in Section 1, the expenditure of $65,000.00 or so much thereof as may be needed, is hereby authorized in Fund 1000 (General Fund), Dept-Div 44-01 (Administration), in Object Class 05 (Other) per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 4. That this agreement is awarded pursuant to the relevant provisions of Columbus City Code related to executing grant agreements.
SECTION 5. That funds are hereby deemed appropriated and expenditures and transfers authorized to carry out the purposes of this ordinance 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 legislation.
SECTION 7. That for reasons stated in the preamble hereto, which is hereby made a part hereof, this ordinance is 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.