Resident Service Committee (RSC) Meeting - October 20, 2015

Public Minutes

The Resident Services Committee (“RSC”) of Toronto Community Housing Corporation (“TCHC”) held a public meeting on October 20, 2015 in the Main Floor Conference Room, 931 Yonge Street, Toronto, commencing at 9:35 a.m.

Committee Directors Present: 

Audrey Wubbenhorst, Chair

Robert Carlo

Catherine Wilkinson

Regrets:

Councillor Frank Di Giorgio, Vice Chair

Councillor Raymond Cho

Ex-Officio Director in Attendance:

Norman (Bud) Purves, Chair of the Board of Directors

Also present:

Marta Asturi, Legal Counsel and Assistant Corporate Secretary

Simone Atungo, Vice President, Resident and Community Services (Interim)

Mona Bottoni, Manager, Community Safety Programs

Richard Grotch, Manager, Integrated Pest Management

Ismail Ibrahim, Interim General Counsel and Corporate Secretary

Graham Leah, Vice President, Asset Management

Andrew McKenzie, Director, Client Care Centre

Sheila Penny, Vice President, Facilities Management

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

A quorum being present, Ms. Wubbenhorst, the RSC Chair, called the public meeting to order and Ms. Mirela Bolentiru served as recording secretary.

Item 1 - Approval of Public Agenda

This meeting was requested by the RSC to address the public items 11, 12, 14, 16 to 19, 20 and 23 that were deferred from the September 11, 2015 meeting.

ON MOTION DULY MADE by Ms. Wilkinson, seconded by Mr. Carlo and carried, the RSC approved the Public Agenda, subject to discussing Item 20 at the beginning of the meeting and adding a new verbal update as Item 24 “Update on Staff Directory on the TCHC Website” from the President and Chief Executive Officer (Interim). All Items were held for discussion.

Item 2 - Declaration of Conflict of Interest

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.

Deputations

The RSC 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 and no verbal deputations were received at the meeting. 

Item 20 - Close the Loop Program (Presentation)

The RSC had before it the above-captioned PowerPoint presentation from the Vice President, Facilities Management, who presented the RSC with a summary of this Program.

A discussion ensued, including the following main points:

• Closing the Loop is an initiative that targets the resident satisfaction with the repair work provided and the quality of the service provided by contractors.
• This program is based on a feedback/survey mechanism, which will track the resident satisfaction with the work completed in their units to ensure quality repair work by contractors.
• This initiative commenced with a small pilot project at Firgrove and is being extended to a larger pilot project, comprising three Operating Units (OUs) that should be completed by the end of the year. The goal is to expand this initiative across the entire TCHC portfolio.
• The intent is to use the results and lessons learned during the first pilot project, Firgrove, to apply them to the entire portfolio in 2016.
• Management will communicate this Program at the Resident Council in each of the three OUs of the larger pilot project.
• All work orders will be managed and monitored through a centralized dispatch system that monitors the effective completion of each repair job. The superintendents will follow up with the completion of each work order, to ensure that the contractors were in the assigned unit at a specific date and time and have completed properly the repair work needed.
• The RSC enquired with respect to the length of the Program (temporary versus permanent) and the budgetary costs associated with the Program. Management explained that ideally, if successful this Program is not intended to be temporary. 
• The RSC suggested that Management track the after-hours response, to measure progress with appropriate metrics.

Motion carried

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

Item 11 - Q1-2015 Report on Pest Management Strategy, RSC:2015-18

The RSC had before it the above-captioned report (RSC:2015-18, deferred from the June 3, 2015 RSC meeting) from the Interim President and Chief Executive Officer. 

A discussion ensued with respect to the proactivity in applying pest treatments. The RSC discussed with Management cases where tenants refuse treatment, and the impact on surrounding units. Management explained that in case of lack of cooperation from a resident, staff applies proactively the necessary treatments to all adjacent units (left, right, above and under the infested unit). In case of a refusal, staff escalates the matter to the Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB). The RSC noted that this is a lengthy procedure and enquired whether an emergency procedure is available for such cases. 

Action items:

Management will include in future quarterly reports the scale and emergency procedure with respect to managing tenants who refuse pest treatments and the effect on surrounding units.

The RSC requested that a report on hoarding be on the public agenda of a subsequent RSC meeting.

Motion carried

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

Item 12 - Q2-2015 Report on Pest Management Strategy, RSC:2015-35

The RSC had before it the above-captioned report (RSC:2015-35) from the Interim President and Chief Executive Officer. 

The RSC enquired whether TCHC performs pest control inspection prior to a resident moving out and accountability for this task. TCHC performs pest control inspection, including caulking and sealing at the time of a unit turnover. The superintendents are responsible to conduct the unit inspection and a third party is engaged to perform the job in accordance with the superintendent’s report.

Action Items:

The RSC requested management to add a chart under “potential risks” (page 5 of the report), including statistical information with respect to the number of rent abatement cases awarded by the LTB, MLS orders, Health Protection orders from Toronto Public Health, and damage claims. 

The RSC requested management to bring back a report with statistical information from the annual unit inspections in terms of what has been identified and lessons learned.

Motion carried

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

Item 14 - Q2-2015 Report on Clean Buildings and Maintenance Strategy Update as of June 30, 2015, RSC:2015-37

The RSC had before it the above-captioned report (RSC:2015-37) from the Interim President and Chief Executive Officer. 

A discussion ensued, including the following main points:

• Discrepancy between the maintenance service level target of 90% and 74% performance by TCHC. 
  • Management explained that this metric is assessed as part of the service level review to ensure that the maintenance service request volume matches the TCHC capacity.
  • Using a centralized dispatch system will allow for more work orders to close.
  • Management conducted a benchmarking analysis with other peer social housing organizations, such as New York Social Housing. It was determined that the residents want clear expectations that contributes to an increased resident satisfaction index.
• Vacant positions in cleaning services:
  • July and August 2015, cleaners were recruited to fill the 60 vacant positions with a focus on deploying staff to “high need” buildings.
  • Duration of vacancy for the cleaner positions – there was no data available in the first part of the year; sequencing of recruitment process.
  • Contract cleaners were used during the hiring process.
  • Cleaning standards are posted in the TCHC buildings in the common areas to educate the residents.
  • Cleaning service level will relate to the staff’s performance review.

Action item:

Management will add back in the report the top ten list of categories for maintenance requests that was included in the Q1 2015 report.

Motion carried

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

Item 16 - Q2-2015 Report on Community Safety Strategy, RSC:2015-36

The RSC had before it the above-captioned report (RSC:2015-36) from the Interim President and Chief Executive Officer.

The RSC noted that disputes were not included in any category and the “Other Incidents” category provided in Table 1 on page 2 was the highest number among other categories. 

Safety audits are performed to gather data regarding the resident satisfaction with respect to their community safety. Each OU has allocated an amount in its budget for safety audits.

Action item:

Management will present a report at the next meeting, including more detail regarding: crimes, other incidents and disputes, including a breakdown on components and the number of actions dispatched/answered.

Motion carried

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

Item 17 - Q1-2015 Report on Installation and Maintenance of Security Cameras (CCTV), RSC:2015-21

The RSC had before it the above-captioned report (RSC:2015-21, deferred from the June 3, 2015 RSC meeting) from the Interim President and Chief Executive Officer.

The RSC noted that there was no report provided for the second quarter of 2015. 

Action item:

Management will provide quarterly reports on CCTV for the second and third quarters of 2015 at the November 12, 2015 meeting, including the CCTV repair timelines and associated costs.

Motion carried

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

Item 18 - Scholarship Report, RSC:2015-22

The RSC had before it the above-captioned report (RSC:2015-22, deferred from the June 3, 2015 RSC meeting) from the Interim President and Chief Executive Officer. 

Action item:

Management will provide the RSC with a chart, at the next meeting, including the following elements:

• Types of scholarship provided
• How scholarships are funded
• Costs associated 
• Exclusions or restrictions on use of scholarship funds
• Allocation of scholarship funds, and who determines allocation
• Frequency

Motion carried

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

Item 19 - 2015 RSC Work Plan, RSC:2015-23

The RSC had before it the above-captioned report (RSC:2015-23, deferred from the June 3, 2015 RSC meeting).

The RSC requested management to provide an update with respect to the Appliance Strategy report presented last year, including details regarding after-hours services, the results of the RFP process to procure a service provider and a schedule of after-hours services available to the residents. Management confirmed that the RFP process will be completed in Q4 2015. TCHC does not have the internal capacity at this time to develop an internal interim strategy with respect to providing appliance services.

Motion carried

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

Item 23 - Emergency Response Plan, RSC:2015-25

The RSC had before it the above-captioned report (RSC:2015-25, deferred from the June 3, 2015 RSC meeting) from the Interim President and Chief Executive Officer. 

Management informed RSC that the Ombudsman’s recommendations were included in the last year’s response from management. An update on the Corporate Emergency Plan will be provided at the November 2015 GCHRCC meeting and then to the Board of Directors at its December 2015 meeting. In September and October 2015, management has scheduled meetings with the Resident Councils to inform the residents with respect to the Emergency Response Plan and to share the lessons learned from the 200 Wellesley fire. TCHC has partnered with the Red Cross to provide the residents with education with respect to the Corporate Emergency Response.

Motion carried

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

New Item 24 - Update of Staff Directory on TCHC Website (Verbal)

At its March 5, 2015 meeting, the RSC discussed the availability of a limited Staff Directory on the TCHC external website for public access and requested the Interim President and Chief Executive Officer to present an update in six months.

The Interim President and Chief Executive Officer informed the RSC that Management has been working on an amended, hybrid version of a Staff Directory to make available on TCHC’s website, including key departments and key staff. Management will present a report at the next RSC meeting.

The RSC received the verbal update for information.

TERMINATION

ON MOTION DULY MADE by Ms. Wilkinson, seconded by Mr. Carlo and carried, the RSC resolved to terminate the public meeting at 10:54 a.m.