Board of Directors Meeting - November 22, 2012

Agenda

1. Chair’s Remarks
2. Approval of Agenda and Review of Agenda Order
3. Chair’s Poll re: Conflict of Interest
4. For Discussion:
   • President and CEO’s Report (Verbal)
   • Community Safety and Security

Minutes

The Board of Directors of the Toronto Community Housing Corporation met on Thursday, November 22, 2012 at 6:19 p.m. in the community room at 3825 Sheppard Avenue East, Toronto.

Directors in Attendance:

Norman (Bud) Purves, Chair

Munira Abukar

Christian Buhagiar

Councillor Norm Kelly

Brian Kwan

Councillor Frances Nunziata

Councillor Cesar Palacio

Councillor John Parker

Catherine Wilkinson

Directors Absent:

Zahir Bhaidani

Jennifer Wood

Audrey Wubbenhorst

Also present:

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

Marta Asturi, Legal Counsel and Assistant Corporate Secretary

Paul Chisholm, General Manager, Access Housing Connections Inc.

Chuck Dowdall, Vice President, Operations (Interim)

Michelle Haney-Kileeg, General Manager, Office of the CEO

Jason Gorel, Chief Financial Officer

Hugh Lawson, Director, Strategic Planning & Stakeholder Relations

Anand Maharaj, Vice President, Human Resources

Bruce Malloch, Director, Strategic Communications

Michelle Wong, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary

A quorum being present, Mr. Norman (Bud) Purves, Chair, called the meeting to order, and Mrs. Janice Lewkoski served as recording secretary.

The Chair welcomed residents, City Councillors, Toronto Police Services and Toronto Community Housing staff to the meeting and thanked all for attending. He presented his opening remarks highlighting:

• that every person living in Toronto, including residents of Toronto Community Housing, deserves to feel safe and be safe in their homes
• the Board and Toronto Community Housing are serious about protecting the rights of its residents to live in a safe and secure home
• as a landlord, Toronto Community Housing does not tolerate crime on its properties
• Toronto Community Housing spends more than $13M annually for a community safety unit that works with the police to keep our communities safe
• The Board approved an evictions for cause policy in August 2011 and Toronto Community Housing moves swiftly to evict individuals when we learn they are involved in serious crime on our property
• Most of the people who commit crime on Toronto Community Housing properties come from outside the community – these individuals are not welcome at Toronto Community Housing
• Toronto Community Housing is stepping up its efforts to protect the safety and security of residents who respect the law and to get those who commit crimes out of our communities
• Safety is a team effort involving all stakeholders, including the police, the City, community agencies, the business community and our residents – all are part of the solution.

The Chair explained the format of the meeting noting that there would be presentations from management, followed by deputations and Board discussion.

Councillor Cesar Palacio joined the meeting at 6:25 p.m.

The Chair announced that he would not be able to stay for the full meeting and nominated Councillor Cesar Palacio to the role of Chair for the remainder of the meeting.

Ms. Munira Abukar joined the meeting at 6:28 p.m.

ON MOTION DULY MADE by Mr. Norman Purves, seconded by Mr. Christian Buhagiar and carried, the Board of Directors approved Councillor Cesar Palacio as Chair of the meeting for the remainder of the meeting.

Approval of Agenda

Motion carried

ON MOTION DULY MADE by Mr. Norman Purves, seconded by Mr. Christian Buhagiar and carried, the Board of Directors approved the agenda as circulated.

Declaration of Conflict of Interest

The Chair requested members of the Board of Directors to indicate any agenda item in which they have a conflict of interest, together with the nature of the interest. None were declared.

Item 1 – President And CEO’s Report, Verbal

The President and CEO, Mr. Gene Jones, gave a presentation to the Board regarding Toronto Community Housing’s community safety program, highlighting the following:

• Toronto Community Housing’s annual security budget has been increasing since 2008 to $13.5M in 2012
• Information regarding Toronto Community Housing’s officers
• a map of CCTV cameras in Toronto Community Housing’s developments
• a cost analysis of installing new cameras in Toronto Community Housing’s developments and fixing existing cameras
• information regarding firearm-related homicides in Toronto between 2006-2012
• the top 5 types of calls to Toronto Community Housing’s Community Safety Unit
• the top 5 violent crimes reported to the Community Safety Unit
• a cost analysis of providing 24-hour security in all of Toronto Community Housing’s buildings – the cost being $1B using Community Safety Unit staff or $600M using private security. These figures were compared against Toronto Community Housing’s operating budget of $662M and its capital repair backlog of $751M which continues to grow.
• Toronto Community Housing’s plans for stepping up its efforts:
  • Stronger CSU presence in communities
  • Better deploy and align our resources
  • Zero tolerance of serious crime
  • Stronger enforcement of the trespass list
  • Improvements to buildings and spaces
  • Make it easier for residents to report crimes
  • Work together with all our partners

Motion carried

ON MOTION MADE by Mr. Christian Buhagiar, seconded by Ms. Catherine Wilkinson and carried, the Board of Directors unanimously received the President and CEO’s presentation for information.

Item 2 – Community Safety And Security, TCHC:2012-73

The Board of Directors had before it the above-captioned report (TCHC:2012-73) from the President and Chief Executive Officer.

Mr. Reuben Smith, Director of Community Safety gave a presentation to the Board, including the following information:

• the aligned Community Safety Unit structure and roles and responsibilities of its officers
• Special Constable authorities
• call volume analysis showing the highest activity level is from 4p.m. to 12a.m. and explaining that Toronto Community Housing’s deployment model reflects this analysis to ensure optimal coverage, especially during peak call volume times
• Community Safety Unit plans to:
  • Improve response times
  • Increase visual presence of officers
  • Better response to unique community needs
  • Centralized office
  • Schedule platoon system
  • Bike patrols
  • Align reporting system with Toronto Police Services
  • Continue to build public relations with residents
• information regarding Toronto Community Housing’s partnership with Toronto Police Services

The Chair explained the deputation process and the following individuals gave verbal deputations with respect to this item:

• Councillor Vincent Crisanti
• Samantha Abel
• Faatima Jikineh and Sagal Hersi
• Miguel Avila

Mr. Norman Purves left the meeting at 7:13 p.m.

Councillor John Parker joined the meeting at 7:20 p.m.

The Board discussed setting a limit for follow up discussion with each deputant in order to allow all speakers an opportunity to speak.

Motion lost

ON MOTION DULY MADE and seconded, it was proposed that speaking time and follow up discussion with each deputant be held to 10 minutes.

Motion lost

Deputations continued and the following individuals gave verbal deputations with respect to the agenda item:

• Clive Williams
• Mabel Ernest
• Karlene Steer
• Augustre Munro
• Fuad Mohomed
• Abi Issa
• Harriet Shepherd
• Augustre Munro
• Merlena Markquardt
• Beverley Smith
• Omar Mohamoud
• Kathy Kunsman
• Patrick Groulx
• Zofia Lemanski
• Margaret Blair-Grant
• Denise Sargent
• Leona Lowe

After all deputations were heard, the Chair thanked the deputants and everyone for attending the meeting and assured them that the Board and management is committed to the important issue of community safety.

Motion carried

ON MOTION DULY MADE by Councillor Frances Nunziata, seconded by Councillor Cesar Palacio and carried, the Board of Directors unanimously received the report and presentation for information.

Termination

The meeting was terminated at 8:33 p.m.