Explanation
BACKGROUND: This legislation authorizes the appropriation and expenditure of up to $111,555.38 of the Housing Opportunities for People with AIDS (HOPWA)-CV grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and to authorize the Director of the Department of Development (DOD) to execute a Subrecipient Agreement - Not-for-Profit Service Contract with Equitas Health, Inc., in an amount up to $111,555.38, to provide rental assistance and supportive services to low income individuals and/or households living with HIV/AIDS and to process payment for expenses incurred since January 1, 2021.
Historically, the HOPWA grant (including HOPWA-CV) has been managed and administrated by Columbus Public Health (CPH). Starting with the 2022 grant year funds, the annual HOPWA grant has been managed and administered by the Department of Development (DOD), Division of Housing. As a result of this ordinance, DOD will also manage and administer the remaining COVID-CV funds so they are expended before the federal deadline.
In early 2022, CPH put forth Ordinance 2192-2020 to enter into a contract with Equitas Health, Inc. to provide HOPWA services funded by HOPWA-CV funds. Only a portion of the funds were expended by the time HOPWA transferred to DOD. After the program was transferred, CPH cancelled the purchase order. The cancelled funds will be transferred from CPH to DOD and DOD shall execute a contract to pay some invoices that had not been paid by CPH’s contract and to pay for expenses incurred under DOD’s contract.
Upon review of HOPWA-CV program needs in DOD, it was determined that there was no longer an extensive need for short-term rent, mortgage, and utility assistance in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, but additional rental assistance and supportive services would benefit this community in response to the pandemic. This action required a substantial amendment request to HUD and was approved on July 24, 2023.
This legislation represe...
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