Explanation
BACKGROUND: This legislation authorizes the Director of the Department Development to enter into a grant agreement with Legal Aid of Southeast and Central Ohio, LASCO, in an amount up to $125,000.00 to assist the former residents of the Colonial Village apartment complex with navigating the immigration process to secure work permits in order gain employment, access housing, and exit the shelter system, and to authorize expenditures beginning April 1, 2024. Funding will be advanced to the organization on a predetermined schedule.
Throughout December 2023 and January 2024 approximately 1,300 tenants were relocated to temporary housing due to unsafe and unhealthy conditions at the Colonial Village Apartment complex. The City of Columbus began providing temporary housing support to the families who were vacated from Colonial Village in November of 2023. Many of those families are still utilizing this option because they are not able to legally work in the United States until they have applied for and received a work permit. This funding will allow LASCO to work with families to apply for permits. With a work permit, families can access employment and identify a long term stable housing option.
Legal Aid of Southeast and Central Ohio, LASCO, operates to provide civil legal aid and advocacy to overcome unfairness and injustice to reduce poverty and increase opportunity.
FISCAL IMPACT: Funding of $125,000.00 is available within the General Fund, Neighborhood Initiatives Subfund.
CONTRACT COMPLIANCE: The vendor number is 004239 and expires on 01/17/2026.
EMERGENCY DESIGNATION: To assist families who are currently in transitional housing navigate the process to secure work permits in order gain employment, access housing and exit the shelter system.
Title
To authorize the Director of the Department of Development to enter into a grant agreement with Legal Aid of Southeast and Central Ohio in an amount up to $125,000.00 to secure work permits ...
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