Explanation
BACKGROUND: This legislation authorizes the Director of the Department of Development to enter into a subaward grant agreement with Jewish Family Services in an amount up to $650,000.00 of federal Emergency Rental Assistance 2 funds to provide rental and utility assistance and housing stability services for qualified residents and providing for expenses starting January 1, 2021. Jewish Family Services shall be a “subrecipient” as defined under federal guidelines.
Ordinance 2275-2021 authorized the City of Columbus to accept and appropriate $22,355,652.60 of federal Emergency Rental Assistance (ERA 2) program funds, as passed by the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021. Of this amount, up to $650,000.00 will be used for a subaward grant agreement with Jewish Family Services to provide rental and utility assistance (as defined by U.S. Treasury) to qualifying residents of the local community to ensure housing stability.
In this agreement, at least 60% of the funding will support households with an AMI at 50% or below and/or have a member of the household who has been unemployed for 90 days; up to 40% of the funding can be used for households with an AMI at 80% or below; and 10% of the funding will be utilized for Administrative costs.
Jewish Family Services successfully implemented its ERA1 agreement and has access to additional eligible tenants and landlords for ERA2 funds.
It is expected that the guidance from the U.S. Department of Treasury will be modified while this subaward agreement is in effect and it is requested that the Director of Development be given the authority to modify the terms and conditions of the subaward grant agreement without seeking additional Council Approval in order to align with the most current version of the laws, regulations, and guidance.
Emergency action is requested to prevent as many evictions as possible.
FISCAL IMPACT: Funding is provided to the City of Columbus from the Consolidated Appropriations Act o...
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