City of Columbus - File #: 1101-2025

• File #: 1101-2025
• Version: 1
• Type: Ordinance
• Status: Second Reading
• File created: 4/16/2025
• In control: Housing, Homelessness, & Building Committee
• On agenda: 4/28/2025
• 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 continuing the City’s support for men, women and families who are experiencing, or at risk of experiencing, homelessness in Columbus; to authorize the payment of expenses prior to purchase order execution starting January 1, 2025; to authorize the transfer of $10,000.00 within the General Fund; to authorize the appropriation of $1,246,566 in the Income Tax Set-Aside Fund to the Department of Development, Administration Division; to authorize an expenditure in an amount up to $10,399,650.00 from the General Fund and the Income Tax Set-Aside Subfund; to authorize the payment for reasonable food and non-alcoholic beverages; to allow funding to be advanced to the agency on a predetermined schedule; and to declare an emergency. ($10,399,650.00)

Explanation

BACKGROUND: This legislation authorizes the Director of the Department Development to enter into a grant agreement with the Community Shelter Board (CSB) in an amount up to $10,399,650.00 to administer six initiatives to address homelessness in the City of Columbus and to authorize the payment of expenses starting January 1, 2025. The prior expenses include those customarily funded by this annual operating support given to CSB that fund the programs identified in the Background Section of this legislation. Funding will be advanced to the agency on a predetermined schedule.

Prior to FY2020, the Director of Development had submitted five different ordinances to enter into five separate contracts, one for each initiative. In 2020, in order to increase efficiencies in payments and reporting, all programs were managed under one single contract. This has proven to be more effective and efficient and will be the model moving forward.

CSB has, and will continue, to administer the following six initiatives to address homelessness in our community: Continuum of Care Application, Crisis Response, Outreach Services, Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) Services, Safety Net Program, and Hotel Cost-Office of Violence Prevention. These programs provide support for men, women and families who are experiencing, or at risk of experiencing, homelessness in Columbus. The CSB leads a coordinated, community effort to make sure everyone has a place to call home.

The CSB is the collective impact organization driving strategy, accountability, collaboration, and resources to achieve the best outcomes for people facing homelessness in Columbus and Franklin County. The CSB will provide administration, oversight and monitoring of the City’s investment for each of these six initiatives. The City and the CSB are working together to effectively and efficiently help individuals and families resolve their housing crisis and maintain stability in permanent housing. Below is more ...