Tenant and Community Services Committee (TCSC) Meeting - September 27, 2012

Public Agenda (Revised – September 24, 2012)

Chair’s Poll re: Conflict of Interest

Confirmation of Tenant & Community Services Committee Public Minutes – July 25, 2012

Business Arising from the Minutes and Committee Action Item List

Approval of Agenda and Review of Agenda Order

Review of Agenda (all items not held will be voted together without discussion)

For Information

1. Q2 2012 Quarterly Performance and Progress Reports
2. Summary of Ombudsman’s Inquiries and Investigations for Q2/2012
3. Internal Transfer Policy Revisions
4. Board Town Hall Action Plan (Verbal update of work planned in fall)
5. Vice President Operations Update (Verbal)

Closed Meeting Agenda Items

Chair’s Poll re: Conflict of Interest

A. Confirmation of Tenant & Community Services Committee Public Minutes – July 25, 2012

Business Arising from the Minutes and Committee Action Item List

Approval of Agenda and Review of Agenda Order

Review of Agenda (all items not held will be voted together without discussion)

Public Meeting Minutes

The Tenant and Community Services Committee of Toronto Community Housing Corporation met on September 27, 2012, in the Main Floor Conference Room, 931 Yonge Street, commencing at 9:11 a.m.

Committee Directors present:

Councillor Cesar Palacio, Chair Munira Abukar, Vice Chair

Councillor Frances Nunziata

Regrets:

none

Additional Directors present:

Catherine Wilkinson

Also present:

Chuck Dowdall, Vice President, Operations (Interim)

Jason Gorel, Chief Financial Officer

Eugene E. Jones Jr., President and Chief Executive Officer

Hugh Lawson, Director - Strategic Planning & Stakeholder Relations

Janice Lewkoski, Board Secretary

Greg Spearn, Chief Development Officer

Councillor Cesar Palacio, the Committee Chair, called the meeting to order and Mirela Bolentiru served as recording secretary.

Declaration of Conflict of Interest

The Chair requested members of the Tenant and Community Services Committee to indicate any agenda item in which they had a conflict of interest, together with the nature of the interest. None were declared.

Confirmation of Agenda

The Tenant and Community Services Committee approved the revised agenda as presented.

Deputations

The Committee Chair polled for any deputations to be heard at the meeting and explained the deputation process.

The Chair noted that there were no written deputations received prior to the meeting. Ms. Pesha McKendry attended and provided a verbal deputation on agenda item 3 “Internal Transfer Policy Revisions.”

Minutes – Confirmation of Tenant & Community Services Committee Public Minutes – July 25, 2012

The Committee requested that the two motions by Councillors Frances Nunziata and Cesar Palacio related to Item 2 “2012 Board Town Hall Results and Management’s Response” be brought forward to the October 22, 2012 Board of Directors meeting as action items.

An issue was raised with respect to Point 15 of the Town Hall Report that addresses the way in which staff communicate with tenants and that was not recorded in the July 25, 2012 minutes. The Committee requested that the standardized documents related to annual reviews/leases be provided to the Tenant/Staff Communications Workgroup for review, ensuring that the language used is easily understood and less intimidating. The Committee noted the issue raised and confirmed that the July 25, 2012 minutes will be amended accordingly.

Motion carried

ON MOTION DULY MADE by Councillor Cesar Palacio, seconded by Ms. Munira Abukar, the Tenant and Community Services Committee confirmed the above-captioned minutes as amended and recommended they be forwarded to the Board of Directors for information.

Business Arising from the Public Minutes and Action Item List

An issue was raised with respect to the Tenant Engagement process as there were no commitments to a specific date when Tenant Councils may give feedback to staff on the engagement model, at the Council meetings. Management confirmed that will report back to the Committee on this matter at a future meeting.

Item 1 – Q2 2012 Quarterly Performance and Progress Reports, TCSC:2012-28

The Tenant and Community Services Committee had before it the above-captioned report (TCSC:2012-28) from the President and Chief Executive Officer.

Management presented the report and the Committee asked questions for clarification with respect to the following matters:

• The existence of a policy or charge back process in place to hold tenants accountable for damages to their units.
  • Management explained that while there is a charge back process in place, there is no policy in this respect. A policy is currently under revision.
• Management Actions on page 17 of the Performance Report encourage tenants to call the Client Care Centre (call centre) with respect to the process of maintenance requests. Concerns were raised over the confusion when and who to call.
  • Management explained that tenants may call staff members during the business hours as their phone numbers are now posted on the web site and the call centre after hours for emergency matters.
  • Maintenance orders are recorded in the Easy Trac system.

Motion carried

ON MOTION DULY MADE by Ms. Munira Abukar, seconded by Councillor Frances Nunziata, the Tenant and Community Services Committee received the reports for information, including the revised measures for successful tenancies, namely the arrears and eviction measures.

Item 2 – Summary of Ombudsman’s Inquiries and Investigations for Q2/2012, TCSC:2012-29

The Tenant and Community Services Committee had before it the above-captioned report (TCSC:2012-29) from the President and Chief Executive Officer.

A discussion ensued and a question was raised for clarification with respect to the two inquiries about pest treatment. Concerns were raised related to the vulnerable tenants and ways of getting them assistance in this matter. Management explained that they are working with agencies to provide necessary resources to vulnerable tenants and to properly communicate to them the existing methods used in practice.

Motion carried

ON MOTION DULY MADE by Councillor Frances Nunziata, seconded by Ms. Munira Abukar, the Tenant and Community Services Committee received the report for information.

Item 3 – Internal Transfer Policy Revisions, TCSC:2012-30

The Tenant and Community Services Committee had before it the above-captioned report (TCSC:2012-30) from the President and Chief Executive Officer.

Ms. Pesha McKendry provided a verbal deputation in relation to this item.

The Committee and management discussed the report and questions were raised for clarification of the following matters related to proposed changes to the transfer policy:

• Temporary relocation of the tenants whose houses will be for sale in future.
  • Management explained that there is a policy in place that governs this process and management will report back to the Committee with amendments to the process and policy at a future meeting.
• Safety / At Risk.
  • Management explained that assessment will have to be performed on a case-by-case basis, by gathering data and comments and drafting a policy. Community groups’ input is required to make some amendments.
• Medical priorities are not legislated.
  • Concerns were raised with respect to staff not having medical expertise to review special and medical priorities.
  • Management will consult with the Director of the Health Unit on policy matters.
• Non-priority and Under-housed status and how is it affected by changes to the transfer policy?
  • Discussion on the necessity of re-applying of all tenants in this category. Staff will look into this matter and will clarify the wording used.
  • Any tenant may apply for transfer. Three strike rule is applicable: if a tenant refuses three units available then the tenant is referred back to the Access Housing Connections Inc. wait list.
• Final Round of Consultations scheduled through meetings between staff and Service Manager (City of Toronto) and the Office of the Ombudsman to review proposed changes to the transfer policy, to ensure they meet legislative and regulatory requirements and procedural expectations.
• Developing a new transfer application package as part of the implementation plan, edited in plain language, for clarity and understanding purposes by tenants and staff.
• The Committee requested that management provide the following two lists and present for discussion at the October 22, 2012 Board of Directors meeting:
  • A list including the number of tenants who are currently in housing, awaiting for a transfer; and
  • A list including the number of tenants who are awaiting for housing and not yet housed; and
• In addition, the Committee requested to be also provided with the number of vacant units, especially bachelors that can be renovated to accommodate tenants.
  • Management explained that there are approximately 800 bachelor units. The issue is that they are too small.
  • Exploring the idea of converting two bachelor units into one bedroom unit, which means loosing one unit.
  • Management is working with the City on this matter.

Motion carried

ON MOTION DULY MADE

by Councillor Frances Nunziata, seconded by Ms. Munira Abukar, the Tenant and Community Services Committee requested that management provide the following information:

• how many tenants on transfer list;
• how many people are on the wait list for housing who do not have housing;
• number of vacant units; and

that this information with the report be brought forward to the Board of Directors for its October 22 meeting.

Motion carried

ON MOTION DULY MADE by Councillor Cesar Palacio, seconded by Ms. Munira Abukar, the Tenant and Community Services Committee received this report for discussion and information.

Item 4 – Board Town Hall Action Plan (Verbal update of work planned in fall), Verbal

Management provided a verbal update, including the following highlights:

• Town Hall meetings are scheduled on the following dates:
  • October 23, 2012 – Morningside Apartments
  • October 29, 2012 – Montgomery Place
  • November 1, 2012 – Eagle Manor
  • November 6, 2012 – Senator Kroll Building.
• The President and CEO will facilitate those meetings and will report back on the matters raised at the April Town Hall meetings, as well as on new matters raised.
• For more interaction directly with the Board of Directors and for the comfort of the tenants, no meeting facilitator has been hired.
• The Committee suggested that:
  • TPS be invited to attend to note concerns.
  • City Councillors who are involved in the particular ward / community be also invited to attend.
  • While external parties be invited, focus should be on interaction between staff and tenants, without any presentations.
  • The discussion with tenants should focus on what the issues are and how are they going to be solved?
  • The meetings are for residents to meet the President and CEO and to talk about various matters of high importance to them.
  • The meetings will last two hours with questions raised by the tenants related to their priority issues and answers from management, staff, security and police on site.
  • Tenants are pleased with these meetings as a first time TCHC initiative and they feel that change is possible.

Motion carried

ON MOTION DULY MADE by Councillor Frances Nunziata, seconded by Ms. Munira Abukar, the Tenant and Community Services Committee received the verbal report for information.

Item 5 – Vice President Operations Update, Verbal

The Vice President of Operations provided the following verbal update:

• Management is preparing a report on arrears strategy to be presented to the Committee in the near future. The corporation is taking a progressive and aggressive stance related to arrears, and arrears decreased in July and August.
• New Director of the Safety Unit has been hired. The 100 day Plan Strategy has been finalized. Management will bring forward the new strategy and structure at the special Board of Directors meeting with focus on safety.
• Dramatic change in operations with respect to escalations that are now all addressed by the Vice President Operations’ office, based on the triage effect. Dramatic improvement in response. Communications will be provided to councillors on this matter.
• Staff contact information is now public on the website.
• The Operations management and staff perform stop audits and follow up with tenants to get feedback from them if they are satisfied with the solutions received for their issues and concerns.
• A communication package on escalations will be provided to the tenants and staff.
• There will be consultation sessions with tenant representatives, tenant communications workgroup and councils to review for confusing language.

Motion carried

ON MOTION DULY MADE by Councillor Cesar Palacio, seconded by Ms. Munira Abukar, the Tenant and Community Services Committee received the verbal report for information.

Public Meeting Proceedings

Motion carried

ON MOTION DULY MADE by Councillor Cesar Palacio, seconded by Ms. Munira Abukar, the Tenant and Community Services Committee adjourned the public meeting at 10:31 a.m.

Ms. Munira Abukar left the meeting at 10.31 a.m. and was not present for the closed meeting.

Closed Meeting Proceedings

ON MOTION DULY MADE by Councillor Cesar Palacio, seconded by Councillor Frances Nunziata, the Tenant and Community Services Committee resolved to meet in closed meeting at 10:36 a.m. to consider item A and the correspondence from Councillor Crisanti on TCH Safety Infrastructure.

Public Proceedings

At 10:57 a.m. the Chair announced the resumption of the public proceedings and the public meeting reconvened at that time.

Motion carried

ON MOTION DULY MADE by Councillor Frances Nunziata, seconded by Councillor Cesar Palacio, the Tenant and Community Services Committee ratified the actions authorized during the closed meeting.

Termination

ON MOTION DULY MADE by Councillor Frances Nunziata, seconded by Councillor Cesar Palacio, the meeting of the Tenant and Community Services Committee was terminated at 10:57 a.m.