Explanation
BACKGROUND: This legislation authorizes the Director of Development to modify a contract with the IMPACT Community Action Agency (IMPACT) in an amount up to $7,350,000.00 and further modify the scope of services included in the contract.
On May 18, 2020, Columbus City Council passed Ordinance 1210-2020 to IMPACT Community Action Agency to provide $2,650,000.00 of CARES Act funding as matching funds for the Hope Program. On June 29, 2020, Columbus City Council passed Ordinance 1408-2020 to expand the range of eligible expenses for the program. Now that the program has been successfully launched, additional flexibility is needed for administration of the program along with the need for additional funds. This legislation will allow households who are at 80% of the area median income (AMI) as defined by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to be served, increase the threshold of funding available to a household from $3,000 to $5,000, and allow first month’s rent and security deposits to be eligible expenses under the scope of services.
Original Contract $ 2,650,000.00 Ord. 1210-2020 PO230601
Modification 1 $ 0.00 Ord. 1408-2020
Modification 2 $ 7,350,000.00
Total contract amount $10,000,000.00
The services included in this contract cannot be provided by existing city employees because these services are beyond the City’s current staffing capacity to provide.
Emergency action is requested to provide funding to continue program services without interruption.
FISCAL IMPACT: Funding is provided to the City of Columbus from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act passed by Congress and signed into law March 27, 2020, and funding is available in the Department of Development’s CARES Act fund.
CONTRACT COMPLIANCE: the vendor’s vendor number is 001447 and is valid from 12/16/2019-12/16/2021
Title
To authorize the Director of Development to modify a contract with the IMPACT Community Action Agency in an amount up to $7,350,000.00 and modify the scope of services included in the original contract; to authorize an expenditure of up to $7,350,000.00; and to declare an emergency ($7,350,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, Columbus City Council approved Ordinance 1210-2020 to provide $2,650,000.00 in CARES Act funding to IMPACT Community Action Agency as matching funds for the Hope Program; and
WHEREAS, Columbus City Council approved Ordinance 1408-2020 to expand the range of eligible expenses for the program; and
WHEREAS, now that the program has been successfully launched, additional flexibility for administration of the program and additional funding are needed; and
WHEREAS, the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in much needed assistance program when low income households have seen significant decreases in personal income due to COVID-19 and the public health emergency; and
WHEREAS, expenditure of CARES Act funding to provide low income households with financial assistance is necessary to address reduced income needed to pay rent or a mortgage caused by the COVID-19 public health emergency; and
WHEREAS, such expenditure of funds has not been previously accounted for in the 2020 Budget; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Department of Development that it is immediately necessary to authorize the Director to enter into a contract modification with IMPACT Community Action Agency to provide funding to continue program services without interruption, thereby preserving the public health, peace, safety, and welfare; now therefore
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1: That the Director of the Department of Development is hereby authorized to modify a contract with IMPACT Community Action Agency in an amount up to $7,350,000.00 and to modify the scope of services.
SECTION 2: That the expenditure of $7,350,000.00 or so much thereof as may be needed is hereby authorized in Fund 2207 (CARES Act Fund), Dept-Div 44-01 (Administration), in object class 03 (Services) per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 3. That this agreement was awarded pursuant to the relevant provisions of Chapter 329 of City Code relating to the process for awarding not-for-profit service agreements.
SECTION 4: 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 5: That the City Auditor is authorized to make any accounting changes to revise the funding source for all contracts or contract modifications associated with this legislation.
SECTION 6: That for reasons stated in the preamble hereto, which is hereby made a part hereof, this ordinance is 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.