The Chief Procurement Officer and the Director of Complete Communities are requesting Council approval of an ordinance amending Ordinance Number 2020-393 to increase the maximum contract amount by an amount not to exceed $30,000,000.00 using funds from the City's Cares Act 2020 fund for the agreement between the City of Houston and BAKERRIPLEY, INC. ("Agreement"), with an initial disbursement of $10,000,000.00, through which BakerRipley administers the City's COVID-19 rental assistance program for Houstonians delinquent on residential rental payments (the "Program").
It is necessary to extend the Program to assist Houstonians who are experiencing financial hardship due to COVID-19 and its secondary effects. This funding may allow for a one-time payment of $1,200 in financial assistance for up-to 23,750 individuals ($28,500,000.00 total financial assistance) to assist individuals and households with expenses associated with food access, health care, child care, transportation, and other necessary expenses through December 2020. A Management Fee of no more than 5.26% of financial assistance expended and not to exceed $1,500,000.00, will be paid to BakerRipley to administer the program.
Accordingly, the proposed ordinance also authorizes the Mayor or his designee to modify the Program (which modifications may include but are not limited to assistance for direct financial assistance to Houstonians and modifying the Program's structure, guidelines, eligibility criteria, and amount of assistance to provide for direct financial assistance) and to amend the Agreement to make changes to enable and effectuate administration of the Program, as modified (which amendments may address matters such as the project scope and budget, vendor compensation, and the Program and its guidelines.
This recommendation is made pursuant to Chapter 252, Section 252.022 (a) (7) (A): "a procurement necessary to preserve or protect the public health or safety of the municipality's residents" of the Texas Local Government Code for exempt procurement.
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Jerry Adams Tom McCasland
Chief Procurement Officer Director of Housing and Community Development
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Shannon Buggs
Complete Communities Director