Explanation
BACKGROUND: This legislation authorizes the Director of the Department of Development to enter into a grant agreement with the Community Shelter Board, Inc. (CSB) in order to assist in the purchase of a vacant warehouse which will be renovated and converted into a new emergency shelter serving homeless individuals and families. CSB is implementing a community endorsed crisis response system that includes the purchase of a 63,476 square foot vacant warehouse (“Project”). A total of 32,095 square feet is converted into a single adults shelter, a 276 bed homeless shelter serving single adults (men and women) experiencing homelessness. The remaining 31,381 square feet is reserved for a new emergency shelter for families, with a capacity to serve up to 85 homeless families. Services such as a medical clinic, on-site job training, employment assistance and case management will be available in the building. The City is committing these funds from the 2015 Bond Sale ($350,000) to the Project. Additional funding of $5 million for the acquisition and renovation of the building is coming from the Ohio Housing Finance Agency and private corporations. Construction is scheduled to be completed in the fall 2015. Operating support for the project will come in the form of grants and fundraising conducted by CSB.
The shelter will be owned and operated by the Community Shelter Board with support from CSB’s partner agencies, the YMCA of Central Ohio and VOAGO. Other on-site resident services will be provided by a variety of providers, such as Access Ohio, OhioHealth and Southeast Inc.
Emergency action is in order to implement crisis response initiatives and comply with project development timelines.
FISCAL IMPACT: Funds for this project are included in the 2015 Capital Improvements Budget under Housing Preservation, Emergency Shelter Repair. This final payment brings the total investment of City Bond funds in the purchase of the Van Buren emergency shelter to $1,400,000.
Title
To authorize the Director of the Department of Development to enter into a grant agreement with the Community Shelter Board for the purpose of assisting in the purchase of a vacant warehouse which will be renovated and converted into the Van Buren single adult shelter serving homeless individuals and families; to authorize the expenditure of $350,000.00 from the Housing Preservation Fund; and to declare an emergency. ($350,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, the Director of the Department of Development desires to enter into a grant agreement with the Community Shelter Board to assist in the purchase of a vacant warehouse which will be renovated and converted into the Van Buren single adult shelter, a 276 bed homeless shelter serving single adults (men and women) experiencing homelessness and the Van Buren family shelter with a capacity to serve up to 85 families experiencing homelessness; and
WHEREAS, the Emergency Shelter Repair Program will provide funds to assist in the purchase of an emergency shelter facility; and
WHEREAS, the Community Shelter Board is non-profit organization that is implementing a community endorsed crisis response system, that includes the Van Buren Shelter, in order to improve services to homeless individuals and families; 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 enter into a grant agreement with the Community Shelter Board in order to implement crisis response initiatives and comply with project development timelines, all for the preservation of the public health, peace, property, safety and welfare; and 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 enter into a grant agreement with the Community Shelter Board to assist in the purchase of a vacant warehouse which will be renovated and converted into the Van Buren Shelter serving homeless individuals and families.
SECTION 2. That for the purpose of paying the cost of this agreement the sum of up to $350,000.00 or so much thereof as may be needed, is hereby authorized to be expended from the Housing Preservation Bond Fund as follows:
Fund / Project / Project Name / O.L. 01-03 Codes / OCA / Amount
782 / 782003-100000 / Emergency Shelter Repair / 06-6615 / 782003 / $350,000.00
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 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 administering said project that the project has been completed and the monies are no longer required for said project.
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 passage and approval by the Mayor or ten days after passage if the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same.