COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR ORDINANCE NO. 210445
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Authorizing the City Manager to enter into contracts with Merging KC, Inc. for construction and associated services of Verge--A Pallet Community, that will consist of temporary shelters for approximately 200 beds and related offices for security, medial and other services; appropriating $1,700,000.00 from the Unappropriated Fund Balance of the General Fund; designating requisitioning authority; approving a substantial amendment to the 2020 One Year Action Plan to reprogram funding; recognizing this ordinance as having an accelerated effective date; and waiving the solicitation requirements of Chapter 3.
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WHEREAS, Kansas City is the hometown to as many as 1700 people in the houseless community, according to Project Homeless Connect Kansas City, with 370 people under the age of 18; and
WHEREAS, the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated the public health issue by exponentially increasing job loss and financial struggle, particularly in communities of color and for those living at or near the poverty threshold as established by the United States’ Department of Health and Human Services; and
WHEREAS, the intersecting and sometimes competing costs of housing and health create an undue burden on our city’s poorest and most vulnerable residents; and
WHEREAS, spending public dollars to mitigate the effects of houselessness on the entire community serves a legitimate public purpose; and
WHEREAS, in accordance with Resolution No. 210316 the City Manager has identified ways to extend and expand hotel, motel, and other livable spaces arrangements for unhoused persons in Kansas City; and
WHEREAS, the Council acknowledges this agreement is meant to serve as a transitional housing community with a goal of preparing clients for long-term permanent housing; and
WHEREAS, through Ordinance No. 210392 adopting the City’s stimulus spending plan, RecoverKC, the City Council authorized $800,000.00 of the City’s American Rescue Plan - Local Fiscal Recovery Funds be used for these purposes; and
WHEREAS, Verge will include coordination of services such as hot meals, caseworkers, food and clothing, dental services, haircuts, mental health and other health needs and on-site classes that may cover money management, cleaning, cooking, laundry and other life skills; and
WHEREAS, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) was passed by Congress and signed into law by the President on March 27, 2020, to make available supplemental funding for the Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG-CV) to prevent, prepare for and respond to the coronavirus pandemic, to assist eligible communities and households economically impacted by COVID-19 and to mitigate its impact; and
WHEREAS, execution of contracts will provide needed outreach, case management, shelter operations and including the purchase of pallets to house the houseless; NOW, THEREFORE,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF KANSAS CITY:
Section 1. That the City Manager is hereby authorized to enter into contracts with Merging KC, Inc. for construction and associated services of Verge--A Pallet Community, that will consist of temporary shelters for a total of approximately 200 beds and related offices for security, medical and other services using a combination of funds appropriated herein in the amount of $1,000,000.00 and funds previously appropriated in Account No. 22-2580-575201-B-G57ESGCVD19R2 in the amount of $200,000.00.
Section 2. That the sum of $1,700,000.00 is hereby appropriated from the Unappropriated Fund Balance of the General Fund to the following account:
22-1000-552037-B Shelter for the Homeless $1,700,000.00
Section 3. That the Director of Housing and Community Services is designated as requisitioning authority for Account No. 22-1000-552037.
Section 4. That this substantial amendment to the 2020 One Year Action Plan is hereby approved.
Section 5. That this ordinance, appropriating money, is recognized as an ordinance with an accelerated effective date as provided by Section 503(a)(3)(C) of the City Charter and shall take effect in accordance with Section 503 of the City Charter.
Section 6. That the solicitation requirements of Chapter 3 are hereby waived for this project.
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I hereby certify that there is a balance, otherwise unencumbered, to the credit of the appropriation to which the foregoing expenditure is to be charged, and a cash balance, otherwise unencumbered, in the treasury, to the credit of the fund from which payment is to be made, each sufficient to meet the obligation hereby incurred.
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Tammy L. Queen
Director of Finance
Approved as to form and legality:
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Joseph Guarino
Assistant City Attorney