Resident Services Committee (RSC) Meeting - September 16, 2014

Public Agenda

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

Action: Approval

Pre-read: Agenda

Presenter: Chair

2. Chair’s Poll re: Conflict of Interest

Action: Declaration

Pre-read

• Agenda
• Conflict of Interest Policy

Presenter: Chair

3. Confirmation of the Public Meeting Minutes of June 16, 2014

Action: Approval

Pre-read: Minutes

Presenter: Chair

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

Action: Discussion

Pre-read: Action Item List

Presenter: Chair

Reports from the Resident Services Committee Chair

5. Chair’s Report and Remarks

Action: Information

Pre-read: -

Presenter: Chair

Reports from Management

6. Update on Implementation of the Ombudsman’s Housing at Risk Recommendations

Action: Information

Pre-read: RSC:2014-17

Presenter: Director of Strategic Planning and Stakeholder Relations

7. Youth Initiatives Quarterly Report Q2-2014

Action: Information

Pre-read: RSC:2014-18

Presenter: VP, Resident and Community Services

8. Participatory Budgeting Quarterly Progress Report (Q2 – 2014)

Action: Information

Pre-read: RSC:2014-19

Presenter: VP, Resident and Community Services

9. 2014 Definition of Vulnerability

Action: Approval

Pre-read: RSC:2014-20

Presenter: VP, Resident and Community Services

10. Elections for Resident Board Members – Background on Current Process

Action: Information

Pre-read: RSC:2014-21

Presenter: Director of Strategic Planning and Stakeholder Relations

11. Resident Complaint and Education

Action: Information

Pre-read: RSC:2014-22

Presenter: VP, Asset Management

12. Appliance Service Strategy

Action: Information

Pre-read: RSC:2014-23

Presenter: VP, Asset Management

13. Large Arrears Repayment

Action: Information

Pre-read: RSC:2014-24

Presenter: VP, Asset Management

14. Tenant Chargeback

Action: Information

Pre-read: RSC:2014-25

Presenter: VP, Asset Management

15. 2014 Mental Health and Seniors Strategy

Action: Information

Pre-read: RSC:2014-26

Presenter: VP, Resident and Community Services

16. Update on Resident Survey

Action: Information

Pre-read: RSC:2014-27

Presenter: Director of Strategic Planning and Stakeholder Relations

Reports from the Office of the Commissioner of Housing Equity (OCHE)

17. OCHE Quarterly Report, April 1 – August 27, 2014

Action: Information

Pre-read: RSC:2014-30

Presenter: Commissioner of Housing Equity

18. Mid-Year Report on the OCHE

Action: Information

Pre-read: Verbal

Presenter: Chair

Closed Meeting Agenda

A. Approval of Agenda and Review of Agenda Order

Action: Approval

Pre-read: Agenda

Presenter: Chair

B. Chair’s Poll re: Conflict of Interest

Action: Declaration

Pre-read

• Agenda
• Conflict of Interest Policy

Presenter: Chair

C. Confirmation of Closed Meeting Minutes of June 16, 2014

Action: Approval

Pre-read: Minutes

Presenter: Chair

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

Action: Discussion

Pre-read: Action Item List

Presenter: Chair

Reports from the Resident Services Committee Chair

E. Chair’s Report and Remarks

Action: Information

Pre-read: -

Presenter: Chair

Reports from Management

F. Confidential item respecting matters that are or may be the subject of litigation or potential litigation, including matters before administrative tribunals, affecting the corporation

Action: Information

Pre-read: RSC:C2014-28

Presenter: Director of Strategic Planning and Stakeholder Relations

G. Confidential item respecting matters that are not required to be disclosed under the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, including but not limited to personal matters about identifiable individuals, a proposed or pending transaction with a third party, and recommendations of proposed policy or processes.

Action: Information

Pre-read: RSC:C2014-29

Presenter: Senior Manager, Commercial & Business Development

TERMINATION

Public Meeting Minutes

The Resident Services Committee (“RSC”) of Toronto Community Housing Corporation (“TCHC”) held a public meeting on September 16, 2014 via teleconference and in the Main Floor Conference Room, 931 Yonge Street, Toronto, commencing at 12:02 p.m.

Committee Directors Present:

Catherine Wilkinson, Chair 

Zahir Bhaidani (via teleconference)

Committee Directors Absent:

Munira Abukar (on a leave of a absence)

Councillor Maria Augimeri

Other Board Members in Attendance:

Jennifer Wood

Also present:

Marta Asturi, Legal Counsel and Assistant Corporate Secretary

Andrea Austen, Director, Resident Access and Support

Lenna Bradburn, Vice President, Resident and Community Services

Hugh Lawson, Director, Strategic Planning and Stakeholder Relations 

Graham Leah, Vice President, Asset Management

Pamela Spencer, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary/ Interim Vice President of Human Resources

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

Cynthia Summers, Commissioner of Housing Equity

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

Item 1 - Approval of Agenda

ON MOTION DULY MADE by Mr. Zahir Bhaidani, seconded by Ms. Catherine Wilkinson and carried, the RSC approved the agenda as presented subject to addressing the public items in the following order: Items 1 to 5 followed by Items 9, 13, 17, 18, 15 and then the balance of agenda items in sequence.

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 no deputations were received prior to the meeting and no deputations were declared at the meeting.

Item 3 - Confirmation of Resident Services Committee Minutes - June 16, 2014

The RSC had before it the RSC minutes for the June 16, 2014 public meeting.

Motion carried

ON MOTION DULY MADE by Mr. Zahir Bhaidani, seconded by Ms. Catherine Wilkinson and carried, the RSC confirmed the June 16, 2014 minutes as presented.

Item 4 - Business Arising from the Minutes and Committee Action Items Update

Motion carried

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

Item 5 - Chairs Reports and Remarks, Verbal

The RSC Chair raised and discussed the process for receipt and review of draft minutes subsequent to a meeting.

Motion carried

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

Item 9 - 2014 Definition of Vulnerability, RSC:2014-20

The RSC had before it the above-captioned report (RSC:2014-20) from the Interim President and Chief Executive Officer.  

The RSC made inquiries and a discussion ensued, highlighting the following matters:

• Collaborative approach in existing business processes to identify vulnerability and exhausting all sources of support to assist the vulnerable resident to fulfill his or residential obligations.  TCHC staff are being trained, as well as utilizing the annual unit inspection process and Community Safety Unit initiative to identify and assist vulnerable residents with external supports.
• Once the definition of vulnerability is approved by the Board, the RSC recommended that the definition be posted on TCHC’s external website.
• Management confirmed they will have an interim process in place to identify vulnerable residents, until such time as the definition has been approved by the Board.
• Vulnerable Resident files will proceed to OCHE as of October, 1, 2014 for both direct and contract managed properties.

Motion carried

ON MOTION DULY MADE by Mr. Zahir Bhaidani, seconded by Ms. Catherine Wilkinson and carried, the RSC adopted this report and recommended that the report be forwarded to the Board of Directors for approval.

Item 13 - Large Arrears Repayment, RSC:2014-24

The RSC had before it the above-captioned report (RSC:2014-24) from the Interim President and Chief Executive Officer.  

Management presented the report and a discussion ensued, including the following highlights:

• The purpose of the report was to provide updated information with respect to the size and current status of the rent arrears in amounts of $5,000 to $10,000 and greater than $10,000.
• Currently, there are 23 residents with rent arrears greater than $10,000 for a total amount of $395,537 that represents the cumulative effect since 2011.
• Management advised RSC of the implementation of a revised arrears collection procedures to improve management of the arrears files and address recommendations from the Office of the Ombudsman.
• The RSC recommended that the OCHE review the files noted in the tables in the report and determine whether those files are in compliance with TCHC’s eviction prevention procedures.
• Contract versus direct managed buildings:
  • Management confirmed that the information provided in the report included data from both contract and direct managed buildings.
  • The RSC requested management to provide in future reports a breakdown of the contract versus direct managed buildings and arrears versus loss of subsidy.

Motion carried

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

Item 17 - OCHE Quarterly Report, April 1 – August 27, 2014, RSC:2014-30

The RSC had before it the above-captioned report (RSC:2014-30) from the Commissioner of Housing Equity.  

The Commissioner of Housing Equity presented the report and a discussion ensued, including the following highlights:

• The RSC requested that future quarterly reports include key success indicators and to present information in numbers versus percentages.
• Since April 1, 2014, the OCHE has resolved 54% of cases referred by Management.
• Since April 1, 2014, no loss of subsidy files from contract managed buildings were forwarded to the OCHE for review as per the mandate.
• OCHE Loss of Subsidy Actions and Reviews:
  • The OCHE conducts its audits of Loss of Subsidy files (page 7) within the last 30 days before the loss of subsidy takes effect. 
  • The OCHE has changed its focus on a more efficient process targeted to the residents who have lost their rent subsidy.
• LTB Mediated Agreements:
  • A question was raised with respect to whether the OCHE’s recommendation on page 11, second last bullet has been implemented in the current Mediated Agreement format. The TCHC’s Legal Department was advised by OCHE to consider developing preferred language to ensure that the TCHC’s legal interests are properly protected. Adopting the OCHE recommendations in the Mediated Agreements will allow TCHC to return the matter to the LTB in the event of a breach of the Mediated Agreement.
• OCHE Staffing and Budget (RSC Chair circulated handout to the RSC members):
  • The OCHE will be seeking approval of two (2) additional staff for 2015 to address the increase in mandate commencing on October 1, 2014 with respect to auditing vulnerable resident files.
  • The draft 2015 OCHE budget has been provided to the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) as part of the TCHC 2015 budget approval process.

Motion carried

ON MOTION DULY MADE by Mr. Zahir Bhaidani, seconded by Ms. Catherine Wilkinson and carried, the RSC adopted the report and recommended that the draft 2015 OCHE budget provided as handouts at the meeting by the Chair, be forwarded to the Corporate Affairs and Audit Committee for adoption and further to the Board of Directors for final approval, as part of the TCHC 2015 budget approval process.

TERMINATION

The RSC deferred the balance of the public Items 6 – 8, 10 – 12, and 14 – 16 to the next RSC meeting.  The RSC terminated its public meeting at 1:12 p.m. due to lack of quorum.