Explanation
BACKGROUND: The City of Columbus has been awarded $23,200,773 of Neighborhood Stabilization Program 2 (NSP2) grant funds under the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-005) (Recovery Act) from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The funds will provide for the acquisition, rehabilitation, redevelopment or demolition of foreclosed, abandoned and vacant properties in order to stabilize neighborhoods and stem the decline of housing values. This ordinance will authorize and direct the Director of the Department of Development to enter into consortium funding agreements with members of the NSP2 Consortium and will authorize the appropriation and expenditure of $12,083,000. Future ordinances will authorize the appropriation of the remainder of the funds.
The City of Columbus is the Lead Applicant of the NSP 2 Consortium which is an association of seven organizations and government entities formed for the purpose of applying for and implementing NSP2 funds, as well as, pooling their resources and services for achieving a common goal: Creating vital, healthy neighborhoods by implementing strategies that build a stronger housing real-estate market in weak-market areas of Columbus and Franklin County.
Members of the NSP2 Consortium include: The City of Columbus, Franklin County, Affordable Housing Trust of Columbus and Franklin County, Campus Partners, Columbus Housing Partnership, Community Development Collaborative of Greater Columbus, and Habitat for Humanity of Greater Columbus.
It is requested that this legislation be declared an emergency so that the consortium funding agreements can be executed by the HUD imposed January 29, 2009 deadline.
FISCAL IMPACT: This legislation totals $12,083,000 for the 2010 NSP2 Program. Costs will be reimbursed to the City by HUD as expended.
Title
To authorize and direct the Director of the Department of Development to enter into consortium funding agreements with members of the NSP2 Consortium; to authorize the appropriation and expenditure of $12,083,000 from the General Government Grant Fund; and to declare an emergency. ($12,083,000)
Body
WHEREAS, The City of Columbus has been awarded $23,200,773 of Neighborhood Stabilization Program 2 (NSP2) grant funds under the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-005) (Recovery Act) from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD); and
WHEREAS, these NSP2 grant funds are being expended to build a stronger housing real-estate market in weak-market areas of Columbus and Franklin County through the acquisition, demolition, rehabilitation or redevelopment of foreclosed, abandoned and vacant properties; and
WHEREAS, The City of Columbus is the Lead Applicant of the NSP 2 Consortium which is an association of seven organizations and government entities formed for the purpose of applying for and implementing NSP2 funds, as well as, pooling their resources and services; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the City of Columbus in that emergency action is necessary so that the Consortium Funding Agreements can be executed by HUD's January 29th, 2010 deadline, all for the preservation of public health, peace, property, safety and welfare; now therefore,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
Section 1. That Director of the Department of Development is hereby authorized and directed to enter into consortium funding agreements with members of the NSP2 Consortium including: Franklin County, Affordable Housing Trust for Columbus and Franklin County, Campus Partners, Columbus Housing Partnership, Community Development Collaborative of Greater Columbus, and Habitat for Humanity of Greater Columbus for implementing eligible activities of NSP2 including the acquisition, demolition, rehabilitation or redevelopment of foreclosed, abandoned and vacant properties.
Section 2. That the sum of $12,083,000 be and is hereby appropriated from the unappropriated balance for the General Government Grant Fund, Fund 220, and from all monies estimated to come into said fund form any and all sources appropriated and unappropriated for any other purpose during the fiscal year ending December 31, 2010 to the Department of Development Division No. 44-10, Object Level One 03, Object Level Three 3337 with OCA and grant codes to be issued by the City Auditor upon award of said grant.
Section 3. That for the purpose stated in Section 1, the expenditure of $12,083,000 is hereby authorized from the General Government Grant Fund, Fund 220, Department of Development, Division No. 44-10, Object Level One 03, Object Level Three 3337 as follows with OCA and grant codes to be issued by the City Auditor upon award of said grant:
Affordable Housing Trust for Columbus and Franklin County $1,100,000
Campus Partners $2,500,000
Columbus Housing Partnership $1,320,500
Community Development Collaborative of Greater Columbus $2,250,000
Franklin County $3,412,500
Habitat for Humanity of Greater Columbus $1,500,000
TOTAL $12,083,000
Section 4. That for reasons stated in the preamble hereto, which is hereby made a part thereof, 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.