Explanation
This ordinance authorizes Columbus City Council to enter into a grant agreement with the Central Ohio Area Agency on Aging (COAAA) in support of the organization’s senior housing stabilization efforts.
In recent Housing Stabilization Roundtables hosted by Columbus City Council and Age-Friendly Columbus, there have been many concerns and challenges shared by older adults in our community with regard to aging-in-place. In line with the Housing Stabilization Report, as well as the Age-Friendly Columbus Strategic Plan, Columbus City Council will fund $18,270.00 to support preventative efforts to reduce eviction, displacement, and homelessness for Columbus older adults. The focus is diversion, which is keeping older adults out of the shelter, as well as prevention, to keep from reaching a housing crisis.
The funding would support preventive measures for homelessness for Columbus residents 50 and older. The Central Ohio Area Agency on Aging (COAAA) has staff working daily on supporting older adults through housing crises. With staffing already in place, these funds would directly impact needs such as a missed rent or mortgage, rent or utility deposit, housing violation moving expenses, or other hardships related to maintaining safe housing that can lead to displacement. The experts working with these older adults would utilize the funds only as needed, pairing it with other resources and supports in the community. An assessment would be made to determine that one-time assistance, limited to $500.00, would stabilize the housing situation.
Fiscal Impact: Funding is available within the Neighborhood Initiatives subfund.
Emergency action is requested in order to immediately provide COAAA with the resources necessary to implement senior housing stabilization efforts.
Title
To authorize Columbus City Council to enter into a grant agreement with the Central Ohio Area Agency on Aging in support of senior housing stabilization; to authorize an appropriation an...
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