City of Columbus - File #: 2457-2025

• File #: 2457-2025
• Version: 1
• Type: Ordinance
• Status: Passed
• File created: 9/5/2025
• In control: Housing, Homelessness, & Building Committee
• On agenda: 9/15/2025
• Final action: 9/17/2025
• Title: To authorize the Director of Development to execute grant agreements with seven not-for-profit, social service agencies identified in the attached Exhibit A in an amount up to $479,000.00 for the Resilient Housing Initiative; to authorize the payment for reasonable food and non-alcoholic beverages; to authorize expenses incurred prior to purchase order execution, beginning October 1, 2025; to authorize the advancement of funds on a pre-determined schedule provided in the terms of the agreement; to authorize the appropriation and expenditure of up to $102,525.00 from the Neighborhood Economic Development Fund; to authorize the appropriation and expenditure of up to $376,475.00 within the Income Tax Set Aside Fund; and to declare an emergency. ($479,000.00)

Date	Ver.	Action By	Action	Result
9/17/2025	1	CITY CLERK	Attest
9/16/2025	1	MAYOR	Signed
9/15/2025	1	COUNCIL PRESIDENT	Signed
9/15/2025	1	Columbus City Council	Approved	Pass

Explanation

BACKGROUND

This legislation authorizes the Director of the Department of Development to execute grant agreements with not-for-profit social service agencies for the Resilient Housing Initiative (RHI). See attached Exhibit A for the list of seven not-for-profit social services agencies included in this ordinance. The total amount awarded to these agencies is $479,000.00. The term of each Grant Agreement shall be a 6-month period beginning October 1, 2025.

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) ends 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 through the first quarter of 2026 using local City of Columbus funding. The program includes housing crisis coaching, financial assistance, and housing-focused case management. RHI Service Providers will support eligible participants through each step of the program. The RHI Service Provider opportunity was made available to agencies that participated in the Emergency Rental Assistance (ERA2)-funded Housing Resource Specialist program from 2023-2025.

Funding will be advanced to each agency on a predetermined schedule. Advancement of funds is needed b...