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Council adds HUD-certified housing-counseling contract to tonight’s agenda to avoid service interruption
Summary
Council suspended the rules to add OPR 0532, a CHHS contract with SNAP for HUD-certified housing counseling and foreclosure-prevention services, citing urgency to prevent interruption of services; the item will return later with a draft contract.
The council voted to suspend the rules and add OPR 0532—a contract with SNAP for HUD-certified housing counseling services focused on foreclosure prevention—to tonight’s legislative agenda so staff can route and sign the agreement and avoid interrupting services.
Council member Wright asked the council to suspend the rules because the contract draft was not ready for formal approval after an expedited RFP process; staff said there was urgency to get funds into community providers so they could continue assisting households. "We want to get those funds out, into the community as quickly as possible, so that there is not a disruption in that service," a staff presenter said. Staff described the $160,000 award as covering operations, maintenance and program administration, including staff and program materials, not direct cash payments to households.
Council member Bridal asked why the council could not wait a few weeks for the draft contract; staff and providers said some organizations will not proceed with services without a signed contract and that stopping services would be likely if the contract is not in place. Staff also said they had reviewed a recent executive order that affects HUD and found "nothing in there ... that red flagged anything for me," adding that legal had been consulted.
Council members moved, seconded, and approved suspending the rules and adding OPR 0532 to the agenda; council then approved adding the item to tonight’s agenda. Staff told the council the full contract would likely be presented at a committee in August for formal approval.
Background details provided to the council: the RFP for this HUD-certified housing counseling work sought up to $300,000; applicants requested $160,000 of that pool. Staff said the $160,000 will primarily pay staff and program administration at the provider organization, not be sent directly to households. Also noted were procedural confusions about agenda numbering and a pending HUD grant agreement that had not yet been received, which staff said prompted an expedited timeline for the contract routing so services would not lapse.
The motion to suspend the rules and the motion to add OPR 0532 were approved by voice vote at the agenda-review meeting; the record shows the council indicated "aye" and no noes or abstentions when the chair called for the vote.
