Explanation
BACKGROUND: This legislation authorizes up to $250,000.00 from the general capital improvement fund to the Department of Development, Housing Division for targeted distribution through the Better Municipal Care for Veterans Home Fund. The funds will be used to provide financial assistance to a homeowner who is an eligible veteran or a homeowner with an eligible veteran whose permanent address is the same as the homeowner's but is not a rental tenant of the homeowner for necessary and prioritized home improvements.
The Better Municipal Care for Veterans Home Fund represents City Council's commitment to serving the housing needs of our nation's heroes. Eligible participants are those homeowners who reside within the City of Columbus and are either an eligible veteran or a homeowner with an eligible veteran whose permanent address is the same as the homeowner's but is not a rental tenant of the homeowner. Eligible veterans are those individuals who have presented a government record denoting his or her other than dishonorable discharge or release from active military, naval, or air service.
Emergency action is necessary to allow the Housing Division to begin the immediate implementation of the Better Municipal Care for Veterans Home Fund.
FISCAL IMPACT: Funds are being transferred within the Housing Preservation Fund, Fund 782.
Title
To authorize the Director of the Department of Development to make financial assistance available through the Better Municipal Care for Veterans Home Fund administered by the Housing Division; to amend the 2013 Capital Improvement Budget; to authorize the transfer of cash between projects within the same fund; to authorize the expenditure of up to $250,000.00 from the Housing Preservation Fund to fund the Better Municipal Care for Veterans Home Fund; and to declare an emergency. ($250,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, City Council is committed to helping the veterans who protected the very freedoms we enjoy; and
WHEREAS, Columbus is home to over 110,000 veterans, including men and women returning from ongoing missions overseas; and
WHEREAS, as a result of its ongoing commitment to veterans, City Council established the Better Municipal Care for Veterans Home Fund ; and
WHEREAS, Through this Ordinance, the Better Municipal Care for Veterans Home Fund will be expanded to more veterans on a citywide basis in 2013; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Department of Development, Housing Division, in that it is immediately necessary to allow the immediate implementation of the Better Municipal Care for Veterans Home Fund initiative thereby avoiding causing delays in the availability of this important service; thereby preserving 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 hereby authorized to make financial assistance available through the Better Municipal Care for Veterans Home Fund administered by the Housing Division. For the purposes of this Section, eligible homeowners are those homeowners who are an eligible veteran or those homeowners with an eligible veteran who permanently resides in the household; and eligible veterans are those veterans who have presented a government record denoting his or her discharge other than dishonorable discharge or release from active military, naval, or air service.
Section 2. That the 2013 Capital Improvements Budget, authorized by ordinance 0645-2013, be amended to provide sufficient authority for this project as follows:
Fund / Project / Project Name / Current CIB / Amended Amount / Amended CIB
782 / 7821001-100001 / Rebuilding Lives (carryover) / $745,930.00 / ($250,000.00) / $495,530.00
782 / 782001-100007 / Home Again-Land Bank Property Renovations Veterans (carryover) / $0 / $250,000.00 / $250,000.00
782 / 782001-100007 / Home Again-Land Bank Property Renovations Veterans (new funding) / $250,000.00 / ($250,000.00) / $0
782 / 782001-100001 / Rebuilding Lives (new funding) / $250,000.00 / $250,000.00 / $500,000.00
Section 3. That the City Auditor is hereby authorized to transfer cash and appropriation within Fund 782, Housing Preservation as follows:
Transfer from:
Fund / Project / Project Name / O.L. 01-03 Codes / OCA / Amount
782 / 782001-100001 / Rebuilding Lives (carryover) / 06-6616 / 782101 / $250,000.00
Transfer to:
Fund / Project / Project Name / O.L. 01-03 Codes / OCA / Amount
782 / 782001-100007 / Home Again, Land Bank Property Renovations Veterans / 06-6616 / 782107 / $250,000.00
Section 4. That for the purpose stated in Section 1, the expenditure of $250,000.00, or so much thereof as may be necessary is hereby authorized from the Department of Development, Housing Division, Division 44-10, Housing Preservation Fund, Fund 782, Object Level One 06, Object Level Three 6616, OCA Code 782107, Project 782001-100007.
Section 5. That the expenditure of capital improvement budget funds from this authorization must be used to provide home repair services to correct substandard and deteriorating conditions of houses where the homeowner meets the requirements of Section 1 of the Ordinance; the Department of Development, Housing Division shall establish income limits for applicants within the program guidelines of the Better Municipal Care for Veterans Home Fund and financial assistance under this program shall not exceed $25,000 per homeowner.
Section 6. That, to the extent practicable, the Department of Development, Housing Division be and hereby is authorized and directed to partner with veteran service organizations in the City of Columbus to notify veterans of the aforementioned program.
Section 7. That the Department of Development, Housing Division be and hereby is authorized and directed to report to this Council no later than September 9, 2013, and from time to time thereafter, regarding the Division's progress in implementing the Better Municipal Care for Veterans Home Fund; and to make recommendations to enhance the effectiveness of this program.
Section 8. 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 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 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 administrating said project that the project has been completed and the monies are no longer required for said project.
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.