Explanation
BACKGROUND
This legislation authorizes the amendment of Ordinance No. 2012-2025, passed by Columbus City Council on July 28, 2025, which authorized the Director of the Department of Development to enter into a grant agreement in the amount up to $3,033,898.00 with The Tony R. Wells Foundation dba The Wells Foundation, a non-profit corporation, to act as a Fiscal Manager for the disbursement of funds to eligible recipients as part of the department’s Columbus Resilient Housing Initiative (RHI). An amendment is required to update the amount of the grant to $2,761,076.15 and to supply reasonable food and non-alcoholic beverages for the purpose of increasing housing stability for vulnerable Columbus residents.
This agreement is needed as funding from the Emergency Rental Assistance2 program ends September 30, 2025, and the City has a need to continue to provide eviction and homelessness prevention services to vulnerable residents of Columbus. RHI will provide assistance to families facing severe housing instability or homelessness and will deploy Emergency Shelter diversion best practices such as the provision of rental, utility, and other necessary assistance to stabilize the participant household.
Tony R. Wells Foundation will act as fiscal manager for the RHI program to provide financial assistance to eligible Columbus residents. Disbursement of payments will be made directly to landlords, utility companies, and other service providers on behalf of eligible residents. RHI will be serving an estimated 500 households over a seven-month period as the contract will be from September 1, 2025, to March 31, 2026. There will be a need to advance funding on a predetermined schedule for this program.
Emergency action is requested to assist residents facing housing instability, eviction, or potential homelessness with emergency financial assistance.
Contract Compliance: the vendor number is 038668 and expires 5/22/2027.
Fiscal Impact: $2,761,076.15 ...
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