Explanation
BACKGROUND: Ordinance 0766-2014 authorized the expenditure of $731,407 to preserve the local supply of decent, safe, sanitary and affordable housing for low-income families. Ordinance 0519-2016 expanded the scope of eligible activities for these funds to include emergency repair services. Ordinance 0097-2017 provided $300,000 to fund contracts with emergency home repair service contractors. This ordinance expands the scope of eligible activities for these funds to include providing match funds for the City’s 2014 grant through the Office of Healthy Homes and the Lead Hazard Reduction Demonstration program of the U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The funds will allow the Lead Safe Columbus Program to provide property owners with grants for lead safe, affordable housing for families with low and moderate income under HUD guidelines by providing lead abatement activities in accordance with HUD guidelines on city lead hazard control projects.
Emergency action is necessary to allow the program’s activities to begin immediately.
FISCAL IMPACT: Funding of $212,286.45 is being provided from ACPR000187.
Title
To amend Ordinance Number 0766-2014, passed April 7, 2014, to include Lead Safe Columbus as an eligible expenditure; and to declare an emergency.
Body
WHEREAS, Ordinance 0519-2016 amended both the Title and Sections of Ordinance 0766-2014 to include emergency repair activities as eligible expenses; and
WHEREAS, Ordinance 0097-2017 allocated funding to emergency repair; and
WHEREAS, since then, it has been determined that the City needs to expand the use of funds to include required match funds for the City’s 2014 grant through the Office of Healthy Homes and the Lead Hazard Reduction Demonstration program of the U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the Lead Safe Columbus program; and
WHEREAS, in accordance with Funding Opportunity Number FR-5800-N-04, Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds are considered local funds and may be used as match to satisfy the matching resource requirements provided they are specifically designated for the activities and costs allowed under the 2014 Lead Hazard Reduction Demonstration (LHRD) Grant Program.
WHEREAS, emergency action is necessary to allow for the program activities to begin; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Department of Development, Housing Division, in that it is immediately necessary to expend said funds thereby preserving the public health, peace, property, safety, and welfare; and NOW, THEREFORE:
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That Section 1 of Ordinance 0766-2014 is hereby amended to read as follows: That the Director of Development is hereby authorized to provide grant assistance for the affordable housing project administered by the Housing Division under the Affordable Housing Opportunity Program, including the Home Modification Program, the Vacant Property Prevention Program and the Emergency Repair Program and the Lead Safe Columbus Program.
SECTION 2. That for the purpose stated in Section 1, the Director of Development will draw an amount not to exceed $212,286.45 from Auditor’s Certificate ACPR000187.
SECTION 3. That the funds necessary to carry out the purpose of this ordinance are hereby deemed appropriated, and the City Auditor shall establish such accounting codes as necessary.
SECTION 4. That for the reasons stated in the preamble hereto, which is hereby made a part hereof, this ordinance is hereby declared to be an emergency measure and shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage and approval by the Mayor, or ten days after passage if the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same.