Explanation
BACKGROUND:
This ordinance authorizes the Director of Development to execute a grant agreement with IMPACT Community Action, in an amount up to $75,000.00, for its “Drive to Thrive” program.
In the 2017 IMPACT Community Needs Assessment, transportation was identified as a key barrier to employment by individuals completing the survey. Eighty-two percent of survey respondents identified insufficient access to transportation as a barrier, 91 percent identified lack of transportation as a condition of poverty, and 79 percent identified transportation vouchers as a much needed resource. Further, in a study conducted by the University of Harvard, and published April, 2015, commuting time has emerged as the single strongest factor in the odds of escaping poverty. Nathaniel Hendren, a Harvard economist researcher summed up the issue stating that “the longer an average commute in a given county, the worse the chances of low income families there moving up the ladder.” According to a 2012 study Travel and Poverty, a reliable means of transportation offers access to greater opportunities such as access to lower-cost, healthier foods, increased employment opportunities, wider education options, healthcare and friends, which affect the quality of life. Considering these factors and the importance of transportation to securing or maintaining employment; IMPACT Community Action has developed programming to enable program participants to increase their mobility options by saving funds to purchase a vehicle.
The “Drive to Thrive” Individual Development Account (IDA) will assist workforce training participants with saving money for a vehicle purchase and/or down payment. The participant’s dollars are matched at a 4:1 ratio. Participants are asked to save at least $500 and are matched with $2,500 for a total of $3,000 toward the purchase of a vehicle. Participants must save for at least 30 days prior to applying for match funds. Eligible participants will consist of Franklin County residents age 18 and older who are at below 125% of Federal Poverty guidelines with full-time employment.
These services provided by IMPACT Community Action cannot be provided by existing city employees because these services are beyond the City’s current staffing capacity to provide.
Emergency action is necessary to ensure program services can begin without delay.
FISCAL IMPACT: Funding is available in the Recovery Fund.
CONTRACT COMPLIANCE: the vendor number is 001447 and expires on 12/16/2021.
Title
To authorize the Director of Development to execute a grant agreement with IMPACT Community Action, in an amount up to $75,000.00. for its “Drive to Thrive” program; to authorize an expenditure of $75,000.00 from the Recovery Fund; and to declare an emergency. ($75,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, in the 2017 IMPACT Community Needs Assessment, transportation was identified as a key barrier to employment by individuals completing the survey; and
WHEREAS, in a study conducted by the University of Harvard, and published April, 2015, commuting time has emerged as the single strongest factor in the odds of escaping poverty; and
WHEREAS, according to a 2012 study Travel and Poverty, a reliable means of transportation offers access to greater opportunities such as access to lower-cost, healthier foods, increased employment opportunities, wider education options, healthcare and friends; and
WHEREAS, IMPACT Community Action has developed programming to enable program participants to increase their mobility options by saving funds to purchase a vehicle; and
WHEREAS, the “Drive to Thrive” Individual Development Account (IDA) will assist workforce training participants with saving money for a vehicle purchase and/or down payment; and
WHEREAS, participants will save at least $500 and be matched with $2,500 for a total of $3,000 toward the purchase of a vehicle; and
WHEREAS, the Director of the Department of Development desires to enter into a grant agreement with IMPACT Community Action for its “Drive to Thrive” program; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Department of Development in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the Director to execute a grant agreement with IMPACT Community Action and to make the funds available so that program services can begin without delay thereby preserving the public health, peace, property, 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 enter into a grant agreement with IMPACT Community Action in an amount up to $75,000.00.
SECTION 2. That the expenditure of $75,000.00 or so much thereof as may be needed is hereby authorized in Fund 2209 (Recovery Fund), subfund 220902, Dept-Div 4401 (Administration) Object Class 03 (Services), per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 3. That the agency identified in Section 1 is awarded a grant agreement pursuant to Columbus City Codes, 1959 Section 329.30.
SECTION 4. Funds are hereby deemed appropriated and expenditures and transfers authorized to carry out the purposes of this ordinance 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 ordinance.
SECTION 6. 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.