Resident Service Committee (RSC) Meeting - March 17, 2017

Public Agenda

1. Chair’s Remarks    

Action: Information

Pre-read: Verbal Report

Presenter: Chair

2. Consent agenda        

Approval of Public Meeting Agenda  

Action: Approval

Pre-read: Agenda    

Presenter: Chair

Chair’s Poll re: Conflict of Interest

Action: Declaration

Pre-read: Agenda and Conflict of Interest Policy

Presenter: Chair

Confirmation of TSC Public Meeting Minutes of November 21, 2016

Action: Approval

Pre-read: Minutes

Presenter: Chair

Business Arising from the Public Meeting Minutes and Action Items Update

Action: Information 

Pre-read: Action Item List    

Presenter: Chair

Q4-2016 Report on the Status of MLS Orders and Compliance 

Action: Information 

Pre-read: RSC:2017-17

Presenter: Vice President, Facilities Management

Q4 2016 on Installation and Maintenance of Security Cameras (CCTV)

Action: Information

Pre-read: RSC:2017-16

Presenter: Chief Operating Officer

Q4-2016 Participatory Budget Update

Action: Information  

Pre-read: RSC:2017-19

Presenter: VP, Resident and Community Services / VP, Facilities Management

Donations to Outside Agencies

Action: Information   

Pre-read: RSC:2017-15   

Presenter: VP, Resident and Community Services

OCHE – Quarterly Performance Report (Q4 2016)

Action: Information  

Pre-read: RSC:2017-14  

Presenter: Commission of Housing Equity

3. Tenant Charter    

Action: Approval 

Pre-read: RSC:2017-20

Presenter: Chief Operating Officer

4. Client Care Centre Performance Report (deferred from the February 6th meeting)

Action: Information

Pre-read: RSC:2017-09

Presenter: Chief Operating Officer

5. MLSE Launch Pad  and Strategic Partnerships Presentation

Action: Information

Pre-read: Presentation

Presenter: VP, Resident and Community Services

6. Vacancy Management Update

Action: Information  

Pre-read: RSC:2017-21

Presenter: VP, Asset Management

7. Arrears Management Update   

Action: Information  

Pre-read: RSC:2017-22

Presenter: VP, Asset Management

8. TCHC Approach Toward Supporting Vulnerable Residents *Report to follow*    

Action: Information  

Pre-read: Presentation

Presenter: VP, Resident and Community Services

TERMINATION

Minutes

The Resident Services Committee (“RSC”) of Toronto Community Housing Corporation (“TCHC”) held a public meeting on March 17, 2017, in the Main Floor Conference Room, 931 Yonge Street, Toronto, and by teleconference commencing at 10:00 a.m.

Committee Director in Attendance:

Linda Jackson, Chair

Councillor Frank Di Giorgio, Vice Chair

Robert Carlo

Councillor Michael Ford

Kevin Marshman 

Catherine Wilkinson

Ex-Officio Directors Present: 

Norman “Bud Purves”, Board Chair

Management Present: 

Angela Cooke, Vice President, Resident and Community Services

Mark Johnson, General Counsel & Corporate Secretary

Graham Leah, Vice President, Asset Management

Ted Millward, Legal Counsel, Corporate 

Patricia Narine, Director, Program Services (Operational Initiatives)

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

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

DEPUTATIONS

Verbal deputations were received at the meeting from the following persons:

• Miguel Avila-Velarde (Item 3)
• Cathy Birch (Item 3)
• Anita Dressler (Item 7)
• Susan Gapka (Item 3)
• William Lohman (Item 3)

Consent Agenda Items

Item 1 - Chair's Remarks

The Chair welcomed all to the meeting and reminded staff and the public of TCHC’s code of conduct.

Item 2A - Approval of Public Meeting Agenda

The Committee agreed to hold consent agenda items 2H and 2I for discussion.
The Committee agreed to hold the following non-consent agenda items and address them in the following order: 3, 4, 8, 5, 6, and 7.

Motion carried

ON MOTION DULY MADE by Mr. Carlo, seconded by Mr. Marshman and carried, the Committee approved the Public Meeting Agenda with the above noted amendments

Item 2B - Declaration of Conflict of Interests

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

Item 2C - Confirmation of Resident Services Committee Minutes – February 6, 2017

The Committee had before it the draft Committee Minutes for February 6, 2017.

Motion carried 

ON MOTION DULY MADE by Councillor Di Giorgio, seconded by Ms. Wilkinson and carried, the Committee confirmed the February 6, 2017 minutes with no amendments.

Item 2D - Business Arising from the Public Meeting Minutes and Action Items Update

Motion carried 

ON MOTION DULY MADE by Councillor Di Giorgio, seconded by Ms. Wilkinson and carried, the Committee received the report for information.

Item 2E - Q4-2016 Report on the Status of MLS Orders and Compliance, RSC:2017-17

Motion carried 

ON MOTION DULY MADE by Ms. Wilkinson, seconded by Mr. Carlo and carried, the Committee received the report for information.

Item 2F - Q4-2016 Report on Installation and Maintenance of Security Cameras (CCTV), RSC:2017-16

Motion carried 

ON MOTION DULY MADE by Mr. Marshman, seconded by Councillor Di Giorgio and carried, the Committee received the report for information.

Item 2G - Q4-2016 Participatory Budget Update, RSC:2017-19

Motion Carried 

ON MOTION DULY MADE by Mr. Marshman, seconded by Councillor Di Giorgio and carried, the Committee received the report for information.

Item 2H - Donations to Outside Agencies, RSC:2017-15

The RSC had before it the above-captioned report (RSC:2017-04).

Angela Cooke, Vice President of Resident and Community Services, presented the report.

The Committee noted TCHC’s practice in past years of donating to the United Way by matching employee payroll donations.

The Committee noted that in future it would be prudent for the Board to review the practice of donating to the United Way. 

Motion carried 

ON MOTION DULY MADE by Councillor Di Giorgio, seconded by Ms. Wilkinson and carried, the Committee received the report for information.

Item 2I - OCHE – Quarterly Performance Report (Q4-2016), RSC:2017-14

Cynthia Summers, Commissioner of Housing Equity, presented the above-captioned report (RSC:2017-14).

The Commissioner noted that her Office has realized time savings by implementing new templates, specifically they have been able to save an average of four hours per file. 

In regards to Attachment 1, the Committee asked why the Commissioner is piloting recommendations 1 and 4 but not 2 and 3. The Commissioner noted that after conferring with Management, recommendations 1 and 4 could be implemented the quickest. The Commissioner noted that the other recommendations are under consideration, but will not be piloted until a later date.

The Committee noted that in the report it states that, on average, 15.3 cases of seniors in arrears are sent to OCHE per month. The Committee noted that with some 1500 cases of seniors in arrears, more files should be referred to OCHE. 

Management noted they have been transparent about the difficulty in meeting the 60 day file referral timeline to OCHE and advised they will be addressing this matter in presentations later in the meeting and at the next Board of Directors Meeting. In regards to seniors in arrears, Management noted that 81% of the cases are in a legal process with TCHC and 50% of the cases are in repayment agreements with TCHC. 

Motion carried 

ON MOTION DULY MADE by Councillor Di Giorgio, seconded by Ms. Wilkinson and carried, the Committee received the report for information.

Item 3 - Tenant Charter, RSC:2017-20

Miguel Avila-Velarde, Cathy Birch, Susan Gapka and William Lohman deputed the item.

Patricia Narine, Director, Program Services (Operational Initiatives) presented the report.

The Committee congratulated the Tenant Charter Committee and Management on completing the Tenant Charter (“Charter”).

The Committee enquired if the Charter was the result of a consensus decision. Management confirmed this and noted it was reviewed line-by-line with the Tenant Charter Committee and staff. Management noted that through feedback, there have been changes requested to the Charter that are still under consideration.

The Committee discussed the Charter at length and the following items were raised for consideration:

• The content of the statement under “Accessibility for Persons with Disabilities”
• The definition of  “common spaces
• The voting age for tenants participating in TCHC’s Tenant Engagement System
• Including the word “timely”, where applicable
• A requirement for language interpretation services 
• Referencing applicable policies, and the Client Care Service telephone information and TCHC website

The Committee advised they will move to forward the Charter to the Board of Directors under the direction that before that the Charter will go back to the Tenant Charter Committee in order to consider incorporating the suggested changes from the discussion at the RSC meeting. 

The Committee also suggested that staff make available to Board members documentation on how TCHC educates and accommodates tenants with disabilities.

Motion carried 

ON MOTION DULY MADE by Mr. Marshman, seconded by Councillor Di Giorgio and carried, the RSC approved the following recommendations:

• That the RSC adopt this report and approve that the Tenant Charter be forwarded to the Board of Directors for approval, subject to the Tenant Charter first being sent back to the Tenant Charter Committee to consider and agree upon the proposed changes identified by the RSC. 

Item 4 - Client Care Centre Performance Report (Deferred from the February 6th Meeting), RSC:2017-09 

The RSC had before it the above-captioned report (RSC:2017-09). 

Andrew McKenzie, Director, Service Integration and Delivery, presented the report.

The Committee thanked Management for the presentation and commended Management and staff for improving service levels in the Client Care Centre.

The Committee noted that although response time is important in the Client Care Centre, resolution time is imperative for TCHC.

The Committee discussed improving metrics in the Client Care Centre by focusing on implementing different measures and not only hiring more staff. The Committee noted the organization must work as a whole to fix the underlying problems that are causing calls in the first place. 

The Committee asked what the response time is for email requests. Management noted that the response time is 24 hours, and noted that in future reporting information on the number of e-mails received can be provided. 

The Committee requested the timeline for repairs coming to the Client Care Centre. Management noted that non-emergency repairs are to be completed within 5 days and emergency repairs is 4 hours.

The Committee requested timelines the State of Good Repair program. Management noted that timelines vary from days to weeks depending on the complexity of the project.

The Committee noted a response time service level of four hours is a long time especially if a tenant is experiencing a flood. Management noted that although their service level is four hours, every incident that happens is prioritized to its severity. Management elaborated by noting that an emergency like a flood is priority 1 (response time 1-2 hours). Management advised that they meet their service level of 4 hours 90% of the time.

The Committee asked how many emergency response crews are on duty during the weekends and Management noted there are five trucks on duty. The Committee discussed if five trucks is enough service TCHC’s portfolio. 

Management clarified the service of the five trucks on duty during weekends by noting that when those trucks arrive on scene they will escalate the issue if required. The Committee noted this. 

Motion carried 

ON MOTION DULY MADE by Ms. Wilkinson, seconded by Councillor Di Giorgio and carried, the Committee received the report for information.

Item 7 - Arrears Management Update, RSC:2017-22

The RSC had before it the above-captioned report (RSC:2017-22). 

Anita Dressler deputed the item.

Due to a lack of remaining meeting time, the Committee agreed to defer items 5, 6, 7 and 8.

TERMINATION

ON MOTION DULY MADE by Mr. Carlo, seconded by Councillor Di Giorgio and carried, the RSC resolved to terminate the public meeting at 11:15 a.m.