Explanation
BACKGROUND: This ordinance authorizes the appropriation of a portion of the FY 2015 HOME monies within the HOME Investment Partnerships Program to the Department of Development. Since the federal government has not yet finalized the 2015 funding levels for the HOME Program, an ordinance is needed to appropriate critical components of the program. Specifically, administrative dollars and funding for Tenant Based Rental Assistance (TBRA) activities are immediately needed.
The funds will be allocated as follows: $325,000 for the Affordable Housing Opportunity Fund - Tenant Based Rental Assistance (TBRA) and $300,000 for HOME administration. The balance of the HOME dollars will be requested to be appropriated and expended once the actual allocation amount is received from HUD.
The Community Shelter Board will subcontract with qualified nonprofit organizations to implement TBRA in accordance with HOME Fund regulations for TBRA. These entities will lease housing units for the Rebuilding Lives program. Then they will maintain and operate the housing units and related facilities to provide decent, safe and sanitary housing in accordance with the HUD Housing Quality Standards. The Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority (CMHA) will inspect the units. The City's Consolidated Action Plan for 2015-2019 contains TBRA housing preference priorities for chronically homeless persons. Ordinance 2382-2014, passed November 17, 2014, authorized the filing of the 2015 plan application with the U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development and authorized the adoption of the 2015 Action Plan budget.
Emergency action is requested in order to ensure rental subsidies are in place for 2015.
FISCAL IMPACT: Funds for this expenditure are allocated from the Rebuilding Lives set-aside within the Affordable Housing Opportunity Fund allocation of the 2015 HOME Funds. In addition, once the allocation amount is received from HUD, a request will be made to City Council to appropriate...
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