Explanation
BACKGROUND: The City of Columbus receives funds annually for the Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA) Program from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
The HOPWA Program provides for the implementation of long-term comprehensive strategies for meeting the housing needs of low income persons with HIV/AIDS and their families. Eligible activities include providing housing information services; resource identification; acquisition, rehabilitation, conversion, lease, and repair of facilities to provide housing and services; new construction of housing units; project or tenant-based rental assistance; short-term rent, mortgage and utility payments; supportive services; technical assistance and administrative support. The Board of Health will grant a subaward to Equitas Health to provide these services.
Equitas Health (Contract Compliance No. 311126780) submitted a proposal during an RFP process completed in August, 2019 (RFQ012772). This subaward is for the third year of a five year contract period. This agency is a non-profit organization and is therefore exempt from certification. A verification process has been completed and Equitas Health has an active SAM.GOV registration and is not suspended, debarred or proposed for debarment.
Emergency action is requested in order to avoid any delays in providing program services.
FISCAL IMPACT: This subaward is entirely funded by grant awards from HUD. This grant neither generates revenue nor requires a City match.
Title
To authorize the Board of Health to enter into a subaward with Equitas Health for the provision of eligible HOPWA services for the period of January 1, 2022 through December 31, 2022; to authorize the expenditure of $449,449.00 from the General Government Grants Fund; and to declare an emergency. ($449,449.00)
Body
WHEREAS, Columbus Public Health has received funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for the implementation of comprehensive strategies for meeting the housing needs of persons with HIV/AIDS under the HOPWA program; and
WHEREAS, in order to ensure continued service provisions under the program, it is necessary to enter into a subaward with Equitas Health for the provision of housing services for persons with HIV/AIDS and their families; and
WHEREAS, the subaward period is January 1, 2022 through December 31, 2022; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Health Department in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the Board of Health to enter into this subaward to avoid any delay in client services, and for the immediate preservation of 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 Board of Health is hereby authorized and directed to enter into a subaward with Equitas Health for the provision of services under the HOPWA program, for the period of January 1, 2022 through December 31, 2022.
SECTION 2. That to pay the cost of said subaward, the expenditure of $449,449.00 is hereby authorized from the General Government Grants Fund, Fund No. 2220, Department No. 50, Division No. 5001, Object Class 03, Main Account 63050, Program HE004, Section 3 500111, Section 4 HE22, Project No. G502027 (HOPWA - 2020 Grant)
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 the City Auditor is authorized to make any accounting changes to revise the funding source for all subawards or subaward modifications associated with this ordinance.
SECTION 5. That for 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.