Explanation
BACKGROUND: In 2019 and 2020, Council adopted Ordinances 0227-2019 and 0872-2020, which authorized the expenditure of $4,000,000.00 to construct affordable houses under the new Central Ohio Community Land Trust (COCLT). The Department of Development entered into an agreement in 2019, which expired in March, 2021. This legislation will authorize a contract modification to extend the contract into 2022. COCLT has constructed and sold 38 houses with the funds and working through delays for the remaining houses under the original agreement due to the pandemic. This legislation will authorize a contract extention for one additional year and lead to the construction of up to 6 houses depending on final construction prices.
FISCAL IMPACT: No additional funds are requested with this legislation.
EMERGENCY JUSTIFICATION: Emergency action is requested in order to continue uninterrupted housing projects for 2021.
Title
To authorize the Director of the Department of Development, or his designee, to modify an existing agreement with the Central Ohio Community Land Trust to extend the contract expiration date to March 13, 2022; and to declare an emergency.
Body
WHEREAS, since the establishment of Franklin County’s Land Reutilization Corporation, the Central Ohio Community Improvement Corporation (COCIC), the COCIC and the City’s Land Reutilization Program (Land Banks) have worked in close partnership to identify and target vacant and abandon properties to remove blight from Columbus neighborhoods; and
WHEREAS, the partnership has resulted in the reduction of vacant and abandoned properties in the City and the accumulation of hundreds of vacant lots located in neighborhoods ready for investment; and
WHEREAS, COCIC has created a not-for-profit subsidiary, the Central Ohio Community Land Trust (COCLT), to serve as a community land trust on the behalf of the City of Columbus and Franklin County; and
WHEREAS, by Ordinance 0227-2019, Columbus City Council authorized the Director of the Department of Development to enter into the agreement with the Central Ohio Community Improvement Corporation to establish a Community Land Trust and authorized the expenditure of $3,800,000.00; and
WHEREAS, by Ordinance 0872-2020, Columbus City Council authorized the expenditure of an additional $200,000.00 to fund additional trust projects; and
WHEREAS, it is necessary to extend Purchase Orders established under 0227-2019 and 0872-2020 for one year to permit the house construction delayed due to the pandemic; 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 modify an existing agreement with COCLT to avoid interruption in housing projects, all for the preservation of 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 the Director of the Department of Development is hereby authorized to modify agreements with the Central Ohio Community Improvement for the Central Ohio Community Land Trust to extend agreements to March 13, 2022.
SECTION 2. 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 passage and approval by the Mayor, or ten days after passage if the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same.