Explanation
BACKGROUND: This legislation authorizes the Director of the Department of Development to enter into a contract with the Community Shelter Board (CSB) for the Outreach Program. The contract will provide $117,000 from the Neighborhood Initiatives Fund for the purpose of continuing and enhancing the work the Community Shelter Board does with regard to reaching out to individuals who are living on the streets. CSB's Outreach Program serves 350 people annually at a cost of $227,000. The programming includes assertive outreach at sites where homeless persons congregate, pro-active engagement, referral to medical and behavioral healthcare and linkage to shelter and housing. Additionally, the Community Shelter Board offers access to benefits and rental assistance as well as support and assistance during city and county-led camp remediation. Statistics show that without the programming provided by the Outreach Program there are more encampments and increased street homelessness with a net result of increased criminal activity and increased hospitalization, medical treatment, incarceration and police intervention - all costly resources.
The Community Shelter Board has also requested $75,000 from the Franklin County Board of Commissioners, and the remainder of the funding gap has been requested from United Way of Central Ohio.
Emergency action is requested so that the Community Shelter Board can continue to provide these services without interruption.
FISCAL IMPACT: Funds for this contract are available in the Neighborhood Initiatives Fund.
Title
To authorize the Director of the Department of Development to enter into contract with the Community Shelter Board for the purpose of continuing the Outreach Program which includes assertive outreach at homeless encampments, pro-active engagement, referral to medical and behavioral healthcare and linkage to shelter and housing; to authorize the appropriation and expenditure of $117,000.00 from the Neighborhood ...
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