City of Columbus - File #: 2177-2023

• File #: 2177-2023
• Version: 1
• Type: Ordinance
• Status: Passed
• File created: 7/12/2023
• In control: Housing Committee
• On agenda: 7/31/2023
• Final action: 8/2/2023
• Title: To authorize the Director of the Department of Development to execute Grant Agreements with numerous not-for-profit, social service agencies, in an amount up to $4,396,924.32, of U.S. Department of Treasury Emergency Rental Assistance 2 (ERA 2) funds to eligible recipients as part of the department’s ERA 2 Strategy; to authorize an agreement start date of August 1, 2023; to authorize the payment of eligible expenses through September 30, 2025; to authorized the advancement of funds on a pre-determined schedule during the term of the agreement; to authorized the expenditure of up to $4,396,924.32 from the Emergency Rental Assistance 2 Fund; and to declare an emergency. ($4,396,924.32) (AMENDED BY ORD. 2638-2023 PASSED OCTOBER 9, 2023) BA

Date	Ver.	Action By	Action	Result
8/2/2023	1	ACTING CITY CLERK	Attest
8/2/2023	1	MAYOR	Signed
7/31/2023	1	COUNCIL PRESIDENT	Signed
7/31/2023	1	Columbus City Council	Approved	Pass

Explanation

BACKGROUND: This legislation authorizes the Director of the Department of Development to execute Grant Agreements with numerous not-for-profit, social service agencies funded from federal Emergency Rental Assistance funds (ERA 2) for the provision of assisting tenants with housing stability services through the funding of full time housing resource specialist positions for a period from August 1, 2023, to September 30, 2025. See attached Exhibit A for the list of 27 agencies included in this ordinance. The total amount to be awarded to these agencies is up to $4,396,924.32.

Ordinance 2275-2021 authorizes the City of Columbus to accept and appropriate up to $90,537,806.23 of federal Emergency Rental Assistance (ERA 2) program funds, as passed by the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021. Federal guidelines allows for payment of eligible expenses starting March 3, 2021.

Funding these not-for-profit, social service agencies is part of the department’s plan to expend the remaining ERA 2 funds. City Council recently approved Ordinance 1569-2023 to expend $25 million to assist eligible recipients with funding to pay for rent, utility companies, and other service providers so they can remain in their home. These agreements will compliment those funds by providing funding for housing resource specialists to provide housing crisis counseling and assist tenants that are facing housing instability, eviction, and homelessness to navigate resources that are available to them.

The City of Columbus has a need to assist tenants with housing stability services within the ERA2 program as the city has seen a historic rise in eviction filings and housing instability. Funding for housing resource specialists will help facilitate services that will aide tenants who are in a housing crisis with accessing resources, as well as housing problem solving skills. The housing resource specialists will assist tenants in applying for rental and utility assistance t...