Tenant and Community Services Committee (TCSC) Meeting - July 25, 2012

Public Agenda

Chair’s Poll re: Conflict of Interest

Confirmation of Tenant & Community Services Committee Public Minutes – May 25, 2012

Business Arising from the Minutes and Committee Action Item List

Approval of Agenda and Review of Agenda Order

Review of Agenda (all items not held will be voted together without discussion)

For Approval

1. Tenant Engagement

For Information

2. 2012 Board Town Hall Results and Management’s Response
3. Community Safety Strategy - Community Standards Demonstration Pilots Evaluation
4. Pest Control Briefing

Closed Meeting Agenda Items

Chair’s Poll re: Conflict of Interest

A. Confirmation of Tenant & Community Services Committee Public Minutes – May 25, 2012

Business Arising from the Minutes and Committee Action Item List

Approval of Agenda and Review of Agenda Order

Review of Agenda (all items not held will be voted together without discussion)

For Information

B. Confidential item respecting the business of the corporation

Public Meeting Minutes

The Tenant and Community Services Committee of Toronto Community Housing Corporation met on July 25, 2012, in the Main Floor Conference Room, 931 Yonge Street, commencing at 9:03 a.m.

Committee Directors present:

Councillor Cesar Palacio, Chair Munira Abukar, Vice Chair

Councillor Frances Nunziata

Regrets:

none

Additional Directors present:

Christian Buhagiar

Catherine Wilkinson

Also present:

Keesha Abraham, Business Planner

Marta Asturi, Legal Counsel and Assistant Corporate Secretary

Mina Bahgat, Manager, Community Engagement

Mary Boushel, Manager, Successful Tenancies

Steve Floros, Community Housing Director - Central

Richard Grotsch, Manager, Integrated Pest Management

Michelle Haney-Kileeg, General Manager

Kemi Jacobs, Director Property Management

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

Deborah Simon, Chief Operating Officer

Terry Skelton, Director Community Safety

Councillor Cesar Palacio, the Committee Chair, called the meeting to order and Mirela Bolentiru served as recording secretary.

The Committee Chair asked for a minute of silence for the shooting tragedy that occurred in the Scarborough TCHC neighbourhood.

Declaration of Conflict of Interest

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

Confirmation of Agenda

The Tenant and Community Services Committee approved the agenda as presented.

Deputations

The Committee Chair polled for any deputations to be heard at the meeting and explained the deputation process. The Chair noted that 11 written deputations for agenda item 1 “Tenant Engagement” and 1 written deputation for agenda item 3 “Community Safety Strategy” were received prior to the meeting. The following number of deputants attended and provided verbal deputations:

• 15 deputants for agenda item 1 “Tenant Engagement,”
• 2 deputants for agenda item 2 “2012 Board Town Hall Results and Management’s Response,”
• 2 deputants for agenda item 3 “Community Safety Strategy,” and
• 3 deputants for agenda item 4 “Pest Control Briefing.”

Minutes – Confirmation of Tenant & Community Services Committee Public Minutes – May 25, 2012

Motion carried

ON MOTION DULY MADE by Councillor Cesar Palacio, seconded by Ms. Munira Abukar, the Tenant and Community Services Committee confirmed the above-captioned minutes and recommended they be forwarded to the Board of Directors for information.

Item 1 – Tenant Engagement, TCSC:2012-23

Withdrawn

The Tenant and Community Services Committee had before it the above-captioned report (TCSC:2012-23) from the President and Chief Executive Officer.

The following individuals provided verbal deputations in relation to this item:

• Robert Frederickson, Harriett Shepherd, John Corso, Susan Gapka, Alan Duddin, Clive Williams,
• Wallace Simpson, Magdalene Patta Palma, Murray Bevan, Miguel Avila-Velarde, Asha Mohamed,
• Farhia Hyad, Mabel Ernest, René Adams and Vicky Iglacs.

The following individuals provided written submissions in relation to this item, which were provided to the Committee members prior to the Committee meeting:

• Murray Bevan, Wallace Simpson, Barb Good, Megan Sandiford, Margret Devlin, Alan Duddin, Miguel
• Avila-Velarde, Albert B. Hoogenbom, Sharon Younger, July 18, 2012 letter from the Tenant Engagement
• Reference Committee to the TCHC Board of Directors and Tenant and Community Services Committee, and the July 24, 2012 e-mail from the Operating Unit J Southern Council.

The Committee discussed the report and asked questions related to the deputations made, requesting clarification with respect to:

• Notion of disruption: whether the tenant representatives will continue to act in their role until new elections occur.
• The number of units allocated to one tenant representative (1,400 to 1,500).
• Whether the seniors are included in the current tenant engagement process, or are they subject to a separate engagement process?
• Whether the tenants in single family houses are included in the tenant engagement process.
• Considering a performance evaluation of the tenant representatives within the current tenant engagement model.
• What is the compelling argument to change the current tenant engagement model.
• Deferral of elections and how does it affect the tenant councils in the way they serve the community? Tenant councils will serve the community until management reports back to the Committee on a revised strategy regarding tenant engagement process.
• 15 potential vacancies that would be created due to the new proposal and recommendations. Management will check the potential vacancies and report back to the Committee at a later date.

The President and CEO suggested that management will consider the election process and tenant engagement model internally, with input from tenants that would be reflected in the 2013 elections. He supported the idea of a 3-year term for the tenant representatives. The President and CEO further suggested to let the process unfold as it is and report back to the Committee at a later date.

The Committee agreed:

• To leave the election process as it is.
• That doing a survey is not enough and it recommended direct dialog with tenants.
• That subsequent to the direct dialog between management and tenants, the President and CEO report back to the TCSC at a later date.
• The Committee further recommended providing the tenants and their councils with the current tenant engagement model to review the methodology and provide management with their input in this respect.

Withdrawn

ON MOTION DULY MADE by Councillor Cesar Palacio, seconded by Councillor Frances Nunziata, the Tenant and Community Services Committee resolved not to receive the report.

Item 2 – 2012 Board Town Hall Results and Management’s Response, TCSC:2012-24

The Tenant and Community Services Committee had before it the above-captioned report (TCSC:2012-24) from the President and Chief Executive Officer.

The following individuals provided verbal deputations in relation to this item: Clive Williams and Miguel Avila-Velarde.

There were four meetings entitled “Let’s Talk” that were held in TCHC buildings across the city. The Board Town Hall meetings were moderated by an external facilitator, “Argyle Communications,” that was selected after a competitive process. Its task was to moderate the meetings and to provide a report on findings from the meetings with recommendations.

The Committee questioned the appropriateness of retaining a public relations company as the facilitator for the town hall meetings and its role to provide recommendations to a social housing provider. The Committee inquired about the total cost of hiring Argyle Communications of which management will report back to the Committee. Management clarified that the intention of hiring an outside facilitator was to avoid any bias on the TCHC staff and provide a forum for tenants to speak where they will not feel intimidated by TCHC staff. Management will organize again such meetings in the Fall 2012, ensuring that there will be a facilitator specialized in social housing.

The Committee recommended holding future Board of Directors and Committee meetings across the City in different TCHC communities. Management confirmed that a proposal in this respect will be submitted to the Chair of the Board of Directors for his approval.

The Committee asked whether there was a follow up to the March 23, 2012 meeting. The Committee also noted that there was no mention of the petitions received with respect to Pelham Gardens and asked for the rationale as to why those petitions were not mentioned and why those recommendations are not presented to the Board of Directors at the proper time. Management informed the Committee that staff was not provided with the petitions.

A discussion ensued with respect to recommendation 15 on standardized documents and the idea was supported in relation to the development of a tenant handbook.

The Committee disagreed with the way the recommendations from the Town Hall meetings were presented and was disappointed with the facilitator’s report. The Committee discussed the report and noted that it inaccurately reported or reflected what tenants said at the April Town Hall Meetings. The Committee noted that the number one concern received from tenants is the safety in the buildings, followed by pest control as another priority issue. Facing a continuous lack of funds, management should find efficiencies within the TCHC budget. The Committee suggested that management focus on the high criminal activity areas and develop a strategy to clean-up those places.

There were concerns expressed with not having enough staff capability to address all cases of anti-social behaviour. Management will provide statistics on the total number of events (not arrests) for 2010, 2011 and 2012.

The Committee recommended that:

• Management report back on the feasibility of implementing 24/7 security in the TCHC buildings at the next Committee meeting.
• Management identify internal efficiencies and a strategy for safer communities.
• Strengthening the relationship with police is highly recommended.

Point 15 of the Town Hall Report speaks to the way in which staff communicates with tenants. The Committee requested that the standardized documents related to annual reviews/leases be provided to the Tenant/Staff Communications Workgroup for review, ensuring that the language used is easily understood and less intimidating.

Motion carried

ON MOTION DULY MADE by Councillor Cesar Palacio, seconded by Councillor Frances Nunziata, the Tenant and Community Services Committee resolved not to receive the report and passed the following two motions:

Councillor Frances Nunziata's motion:

The Tenant and Community Services Committee recommends that Eugene E. Jones Jr., TCHC President and Chief Executive Officer to:

1. Report back to the next Tenant and Community Services Committee (“TCSC”) meeting on the feasibility of implementing full time 24/7 on site security patrols at problematic TCHC properties known to TCHC and the Toronto Police Services across the City.
2. Coordinate and chair a TCHC Community Safety Summit as soon as possible to include Toronto Police Services, appropriate City Departments, relevant social agencies, scholars and others deemed appropriate to properly and proactively address social and safety concerns at TCHC properties.
3. Report back to the next TCSC meeting on the feasibility of finding efficiencies within management levels throughout TCHC and allocate any savings through efficiencies to develop and support community services and youth-based resources (e.g. job training) within vulnerable TCHC properties, in conjunction with the City of Toronto, local and corporate businesses, and social agencies, such as the United Way.
4. Report back to the TCHC Board on holding mandatory TCHC Board meetings within TCHC complexes throughout the City of Toronto, as opposed to the TCHC headquarters located at 931 Yonge Street, given the success of the recently held Town Hall meetings that were attended by most Board members.

Councillor Cesar Palacio's Motion:

It is recommended that the Tenant and Community Services Committee:

1. Approve the use of Special Constables in TCHC; whereas the use of Special Constables within any particular community will be at the discretion of the President and CEO of TCHC.
2. Authorize the President and CEO to negotiate a five-year agreement with the Toronto Police Services Board, and report back to the TCSC with his findings at the earliest possible time.
3. This report be noted as an active item, and the Chair’s communication dated July 17, 2012 to the President and CEO, other recommendations, and petitions be referred to the Board for consideration.

Item 3 – Community Safety Strategy - Community Standards Demonstration Pilots Evaluation, TCSC:2012-25

The Tenant and Community Services Committee had before it the above-captioned report (TCSC:2012-25) from the President and Chief Executive Officer.

CSU Staff handed out a report on serious crime to the Committee at the meeting.

The following individuals provided verbal deputations in relation to this item: Susan Gapka and Clive Williams.

Murray Bevan provided a written submission in relation to this item, which was provided to the Committee members prior to the Committee meeting.

The Committee discussed the report and asked questions for clarification related to:

• Attachment 1 to the covering report and whether security would take a more aggressive stand. There are communities with some aggressive security systems in place, but it is not implemented in all communities.
• The status of the CSU model where there is no security in a particular building? Management confirmed that in the absence of security on-site, there is no CSU model in place. There is no evaluation process of the special constables yet implemented, but will be developed.
• The safety analysis of the number of tenants, type of building and the effects of revitalization.

Motion carried

ON MOTION DULY MADE by Councillor Cesar Palacio, seconded by Ms. Munira Abukar, the Tenant and Community Services Committee received the report for information with the recommendations that the information with respect to serious crime be added to the report and posted on the TCHC’s external website for public access.

Item 4 – Pest Control Briefing, TCSC:2012-26

The Tenant and Community Services Committee had before it the above-captioned report (TCSC:2012-26) from the President and Chief Executive Officer.

The following individuals provided verbal deputations in relation to this item: Robert Frederickson, Vicky Iglacs and Clive Williams.

The Manager of the Integrated Pest Management provided the Committee with a presentation on pest control techniques, including the following highlights:

• TCHC has one of the most comprehensive pest management strategies of any landlord in Ontario. With enhancements to the strategy, TCHC will increase its success.
• Working with vendors to decrease costs for mattress encasements to make them affordable for tenants.
• Finding the most efficient solutions while in Canada the use of pesticides is limited.
• Bed bugs treatment: use of crionyte procedure by freezing, so the eggs will also be destroyed. Steaming kills all stages of bed bugs, including eggs. Pesticides do not destroy the eggs.
• Roaches: baiting approach versus pesticides.
• Vacuuming the insects flushes them out from their hiding.
• Treatment in two stages: first service is to eliminate the pests, and second service is to follow up to assess and eliminate the eggs that might have hatched from the application of the first service.
• Dusting technique.
• Use of a specially trained dog to identify and locate the bed bugs, eggs, etc. based on pheromones released by pests.
• Implementation of a Centralized Integrated Pest Control Management Model.

It was suggested that staff and tenants attend training sessions for pest control.

Motion carried

ON MOTION DULY MADE by Councillor Frances Nunziata, seconded by Ms. Munira Abukar, the Tenant and Community Services Committee received the report for information.

Closed Meeting Proceedings

The Tenant and Community Services Committee resolved to meet in closed meeting at 1:40 p.m. to consider items A and B.

Public Proceedings

At 1:53 p.m. the Chair announced the resumption of the public proceedings and the public meeting reconvened at that time.

Motion carried

ON MOTION DULY MADE by Councillor Cesar Palacio, seconded by Councillor Frances Nunziata, the Tenant and Community Services Committee ratified the actions authorized during the closed meeting.

Termination

ON MOTION DULY MADE by Councillor Cesar Palacio, seconded by Councillor Frances Nunziata, the meeting of the Tenant and Community Services Committee was terminated at 1:53 p.m.