Building Investment, Finance and Audit Committee (BIFAC) Meeting - July 21, 2016

Public Agenda

1. Approval of Public Meeting Agenda and Review of Agenda Order 

Action: Approval

Pre-read: Public Meeting Agenda

Presenter: Chair

2. Chair’s Poll re: Conflict of Interest

Action: Declaration

Pre-read

• Public Meeting Agenda
• Conflict of Interest Policy

Presenter: Chair

3. Confirmation of the Public Meeting Minutes: May 16, 2016

Action: Approval

Pre-read: Minutes

Presenter: Chair

4. Business Arising from the Minutes and Committee Action Items Update

Action: Information

Pre-read: Action Item List

Presenter: Chair

Report from the BIFAC Chair

5. Chair’s Report and Remarks

Action: Information

Pre-read: Verbal Report (5 minutes)

Presenter: Chair

Report from Management and the Commissioner of Housing Equity

6. TCHC and OCHE – Vulnerable Resident Identification and OCHE Recommendations

Action: Information

Pre-read: BIFAC:2016-106 (10 minutes)

Presenter: Commissioner of Housing Equity/ President and Chief Executive Officer (Interim)

Report from the Chief Internal Auditor

7. Review of Board, President and CEO and Senior Management Expenses- Q1 2016

Action: Information

Pre-read: BIFAC:2016-84 (5 minutes)

Presenter: Chief Internal Auditor

Reports from Management:

8. Impact of Clerical Staff Additions

Action: Information

Pre-read: BIFAC:2016-108 (5 minutes)

Presenter: VP, Asset Management

9. Stand-Alone Properties: Sales and Relocation Update

Action: Information

Pre-read: BIFAC:2016-112 (5 minutes)

Presenter: Manager, Business Development

TERMINATION

Public Meeting Minutes

The Building Investment, Finance and Audit Committee (“BIFAC” or “Committee”) of Toronto Community Housing Corporation (“TCHC”) held a public meeting on July 21st, 2016 in the Main Floor Conference Room, 931 Yonge Street, Toronto, commencing at 11:08 a.m.

Committee Directors Present:

Colin Lynch, Chair

Councillor Ana Bailão, Vice Chair

Vincent Gasparro

Kevin Marshman

Other Director in Attendance:

Catherine Wilkinson

Management Present:

Leslie Gash, Acting Vice President, Development

Ismail Ibrahim, Director of Compliance and Legal Counsel

Sylvia Kobal, Senior Director, Procurement

Graham Leah, Vice President, Asset Management

Rose-Ann Lee, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer (Interim)

Ted Millward, Legal Counsel, Corporate

Sheila Penny, Vice President, Facilities Management

Kate Salter, Legal Counsel

Greg Spearn, Interim President and Chief Executive Officer/ Chief Development Officer

Cynthia Summers, Commissioner of Housing Equity 

Wayne Tuck, Chief Operating Officer

A quorum being present, the Chair called the meeting to order and Mr. Steven Iserhoff served as recording secretary.

Item 1 - Approval of Public Meeting Agenda

The Closed Meeting Agenda was discussed. It was agreed that items 6, 8, and 9 would be held for discussion and the remaining items would be consented to by the Committee.

Motion carried

ON MOTION DULY MADE by Mr. Marshman, seconded by Mr. Gasparro and carried, the BIFAC unanimously approved the agenda. 

Second motion carried

ON MOTION DULY MADE by Mr. Marshman, seconded by Mr. Gasparro and carried, the BIFAC unanimously approved Item 3. 

Third motion carried

ON MOTION DULY MADE by Mr. Marshman, seconded by Mr. Gasparro and carried, the BIFAC unanimously received Agenda Items 4 and 7 for information. 

Item 2 - Declaration of Conflict of Interest

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

Item 6 - TCHC and OCHE – Vulnerable Resident Identification and OCHE Recommendations, BIFAC:2016-106

The BIFAC had before it the above-captioned report (BIFAC:2016-106) from the Commissioner of Housing Equity and the Vice President of Asset Management. Ms. Summers and Mr. Leah presented the report and answered questions.

Mr. Leah advised that TCHC and OCHE now meet on a monthly basis to discuss the issue of the identification of vulnerable residents. Management noted that the process and workflow of tracking recommendations and vulnerable residents will be further assessed and TCHC and OCHE will be meeting to review progress. 

Mr. Leah noted there are resource issues as there are some 500-600 referrals coming to Asset Management and there are only 23 CSCs to address them, and these referrals are in addition to the 4000 other cases that CSCs have to address.

Management noted that while there has been progress, there is still more work to be done regarding the identification of vulnerable residents and that a report is planned for BIFAC and the Board in Q3 with an update on progress.

The Committee enquired about duplication in the work performed by Asset Management and OCHE as it relates to vulnerable residents. Management advised that both of their mandates require that they be involved but that they intervene at different stages.  If TCHC fails to resolve an issue and recommends eviction, then the file is referred to OCHE for resolution. 

The Committee requested that in future reports to the Committee on this issue that Management add the date of the recommendations and when they were implemented. 

Motion Carried

ON MOTION DULY MADE by Mr. Marshman, seconded by Mr. Gasparro and carried, the BIFAC unanimously received the report for information.

Item 8 - Impact of Clerical Staff Additions, BIFAC:2016-108

The BIFAC had before it the above-captioned report (BIFAC:2016-108). The Interim President and Chief Executive Officer presented the report. 

Graham Leah, Vice President of Asset Management, presented the report and answered questions.

The Committee enquired about ways to streamline the annual review process. Management advised that they are looking at the workflow to determine measures to streamline and what the impact would be on tenants. 

Management noted that adding staff to the division has helped workflow and enabled the TSCs to focus more time on arrears, as shown in the report. 

The Committee requested that TCHC confer with PWC regarding their comfort level with TCHC’s RGI calculations. 

ACTION ITEM:

Management to confirm PWC’s comfort level with TCHC’s RGI calculations.

Motion carried

ON MOTION DULY MADE by Councillor Bailão, seconded by Mr. Gasparro and carried, the BIFAC unanimously received the report for information. 

Item 9 - Stand-Alone Properties: Sales and Relocation Update, BIFAC:2016-112

Valesa Faria, Senior Manager of Commercial & Business Development, and Sheila Penny, Vice President of Facilities Management, presented the report and answered questions.

The Committee asked why #2 Sylvan is not listed as being under renovation. Management responded that it is because #2 Sylvan is currently occupied at market rent. 

Management confirmed for the Committee that Official Plan Amendments (“OPA”) are required to proceed with the sale of those homes subject to regulatory restrictions, and that the process requires community meetings.  Management advised that the replacement units will likely be in Regent Park. 

The Committee enquired as to why an OPA had not been submitted for the homes listed in group 1. Management responded by noting that based on their experience with the homes in groups 3 and 4 they wanted to confirm the replacement units before submitting applications. 

The Committee stated that in April 2015 the BIFAC was told that renovations on the vacant units would be complete by the end of 2015, and noted that the renovations are still not complete. 

Management advised the delay was a result of the need to re-scope the work to reduce costs. The Committee was advised that in 2015 there was a sample property that went through a design process and that was tendered. The costs for the one property came in at over $300,000, which Management determined was too high. Management noted that as a result they had to re-scope the work to come back with a more reasonable cost.  Management advised that the repairs to the seven units are under way and are scheduled to be completed this fall.

The Committee commented on the need for timely information on the delay to the repairs of the vacant units, the cause of the delay and the rental revenue that was lost. 

ACTION ITEM

Management to report back to the committee with the following information:

• The length of time the properties have been vacant.
• The lost revenue from the vacant units.

Motion carried

ON MOTION DULY MADE by Mr. Marshman, seconded by Mr. Gasparro and carried, the BIFAC unanimously received the report for information. 

TERMINATION

The BIFAC resolved to terminate the public meeting at 11:38 a.m.