Explanation
BACKGROUND: This legislation authorizes the Director of the Department of Development to enter into a Not-for Profit Service Contract with Community Shelter Board (CSB) in an amount up to $153,600.00 of federal Emergency Rental Assistance (ERA2) funds to coordinate the work of the Homelessness Prevention Network (HPN) by administering the program, data management, and coordination between the networks of agencies starting August 1, 2023, through September 30, 2025.
The purpose of ERA2 funding is to prevent evictions of tenants from their homes. The City of Columbus is launching a new initiative with ERA2 funding over the next two years in collaboration with the Homelessness Prevention Network (HPN) to strengthen the community’s homelessness prevention infrastructure.
The City of Columbus is funding 28 non-profits to hire Housing Resource Specialists to work with hard-to-reach and vulnerable families, expectant mothers, and single adults experiencing housing instability. The Community Shelter Board will be leading this community prevention initiative and will coordinate the work of the HPN. City employees do not currently provide this service.
To address a growing need for homelessness prevention, the City of Columbus and the Community Shelter Board (CSB) are expanding the City’s prevention efforts and leading the implementation of a robust, system of approach to preventing homelessness through the Homelessness Prevention Network (HPN) in Columbus, Ohio. Thanks to ERA2 funding the City has funded 28 Housing Resource Specialists in various nonprofits. CSB will be providing administration, data management and coordination of this network of agencies.
Emergency action is needed to ensure that the critical operations of the HPN program continues and that those experiencing housing instability will be reached and provided coordinated services without interruption to help prevent homelessness.
FISCAL IMPACT: $153,600.00 is available within the Emer...
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