Tenant Services Committee (TSC) Meeting - April 6, 2018

Public Agenda

9:30 - Chair’s Remarks

Action: Information

Pre-read: Verbal Report

Presenter: Chair

9:35 - Consent agenda

Approval of Public Meeting Agenda

Action: TSC 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 the Public Meeting Minutes of January 29, 2018

Action: TSC 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

Safer and More Secure Communities, Q4 2017 Update

Action: Information

Pre-read: TSC:2018-08

Presenter: Senior Director, Community Safety Unit

9:40 - OCHE Terms of Reference

Action: TSC and Board Approval

Pre-read: TSC:2018-10

Presenter: Commissioner of Housing Equity

9:50 - Tenant Engagement Refresh – Implementation Update

Action: Information

Pre-read: TSC:2018-09

Presenter: Vice President, Resident and Community Services

10:05 - 2017 Tenant Survey Action Plan Update

Action: Information

Pre-read: TSC:2018-11

Presenter: Director, Strategic Planning and Stakeholder Relations

10:20 - Update on implementation of the Tenants First report

Action: Information

Pre-read: Presentation

Presenter: Representative from the City’s Tenants First Project Team

TERMINATION

Public Meeting Minutes

The Tenant Services Committee (“TSC”) of Toronto Community Housing Corporation (“TCHC”) held a public meeting on April 6, 2018, in the Main Floor Conference Room, 931 Yonge Street, Toronto, and by teleconference, commencing at 9:47 a.m.

Committee Directors Present:

Linda Jackson, Chair

Robert Carlo (via teleconference)

Councillor Frank Di Giorgio

Councillor Michael Ford (via teleconference)

Catherine Wilkinson

Ex-Officio Director Present:

Kevin Marshman (via teleconference)

Management present:

William Anderson, Senior Director, Community Safety Unit

Marta Asturi, Legal Counsel and Assistant Corporate Secretary

Ismail Ibrahim, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary

Hugh Lawson, Director, Strategic Planning and Stakeholder Relations

Graham Leah, Vice-President, Asset Management

Kathy Milsom, President and Chief Executive Officer

Julio Rigores, Manager, Revitalization and Renewal Communities

Cynthia Summers, Commissioner of Housing Equity

City of Toronto Staff Present:

Jenn St. Louis, Policy Development Officer

A quorum being present the TSC 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:

• Item 2E: Miguel Avila; and 
• Item 4: Cathy Birch, Anita Dressler, William Lohman, Miguel Pereira.

Item 1 - Chairs Remarks

The Chair thanked Mr. Carlo and Ms. Wilkinson for their contributions to the TSC and the TCHC Board of Directors.

Item 2A - Approval of Public Meeting Agenda

The following items were added to the agenda:

• Update on the process for appointing tenant directors on TCHC’s board of directors; and
• Update on crisis priority category under the Internal Transfer Policy.

Motion carried

ON MOTION DULY MADE by Ms. Wilkinson, seconded by Councillor Di Giorgio and carried, the TSC approved the public meeting agenda as amended.

Item 2B - Declaration of Conflict of Interest

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

Additional Item - Update on the Process for Appointing Tenant Directors on TCHC's Board of Directors

Ms. Wilkinson presented an update on the City of Toronto’s process for appointing tenant directors:

• TCHC informed tenants about the opportunity to apply for a tenant director position through emails, posters and mail outs;
• the City of Toronto held four information sessions to educate tenants on the process of appointing tenant directors; 
• if applicants did not have internet access, they had the option to apply at Toronto Employment and Social Services (“TESS”) locations; 
• 98 tenants applied to be a tenant director and 15 were selected for interviews;
• TESS locations held training sessions for interviewees that were interested in improving interview skills; and
• if Toronto City Council approves the selection of candidates at its April 24-26 meeting, those selected tenant directors will begin their terms on May 1, 2018.

Additional Item - Update on Crises Priority Category Under The Internal Transfer Policy

Mr. Leah provided an update on the development of the new crisis priority category under the Internal Transfer Policy:

• tenant consultations will be conducted during the month of May in conjunction with four town hall meetings to obtain feedback on the definition, eligibility criteria to identify and rules of procedure for the new crisis priority category;
• TCHC is reviewing the entire process and not just one category; and 
• implementation to take place by July 21, 2018.

Item 2C - Confirmation of TSC January 29, 2018 Public Meeting Minutes

The TSC had before it the draft public minutes for the public meeting held on January 29, 2018.

Motion carried

ON MOTION DULY MADE by Ms. Wilkinson, seconded by Councillor Di Giorgio and carried, the TSC confirmed the above-captioned minutes without amendment.

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

The TSC and management discussed the following items:

Item 5

Management confirmed that the memo sent to the TSC will be posted on TCHC’s website.

The Committee requested that Management provide the number of tenants that were trapped in elevators in the past year.

Item 7

The TSC requested that Management report back with more information regarding the E-Bike policy action item. 

Item 9

Management confirmed they will undertake to communicate with tenants on tenant chargebacks.

ACTION ITEMS

1. Provide number of tenants that were trapped in elevators in the past year.
2. Report back with more information regarding the E-Bike policy action item.

Motion carried

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

Item 2E - Safer and More Secure Communities, Q4 2017 Update, TSC:2018-08

The TSC had before it the above-captioned report (TSC:2018-08).

Mr. Avila deputed the item.

The TSC and Management discussed the report and the following points emerged regarding the pilot project at Dan Harrison in operating unit K:

• Management noted that the pilot project is a proposal to resolve anti-social behaviour within the building, and if successful then Management will roll out this strategy to the rest of the portfolio; 
• Management noted that security guards have less authorities than the Community Safety Unit (“CSU”) Special Constables; 
• in a high risk building, like Dan Harrison, where anti-social incidents occur often and their presence is required during these incidents, Management noted it believes it is most efficient for CSU’s Special Constables to be present 24/7 in this community; and
• the TSC requested that Management report back with a cost benefit analysis of the pilot project. 

ACTION ITEM

Provide details on Dan Harrison community pilot project: impact on tenants, cost, and staffing resources. 

Motion carried

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

Item 3 - OCHE Terms of Reference, TSC:2018-10

The TSC had before it the above-captioned report (TSC:2018-10). The TSC Chair noted that the Commissioner of Housing Equity was in agreement with the amendments proposed in the report.

The TSC and Management discussed the report and whether or not the Board should be involved in the dispute resolution process.

Motion carried

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

1. That TSC accept the updated Terms of Reference and forward to the Board of Directors for approval.

Ms. Wilkinson and Mr. Carlo opposed the motion.

Item 4 - Tenant Engagement Refresh – Implementation Update, TSC:2018-09

the TSC had before it the above-captioned report (TSC:2018-09).

Ms. Birch, Ms. Dressler, Mr. Lohman and Mr. Pereira deputed the item.

The TSC and Management discussed the report and the following points emerged.

Tenant Engagement Refresh

• Management apologized for the delay in completing the Tenant Engagement Refresh.
• Management noted that the Resident and Community Services Unit is committed to ensuring that the recommendations set out by the City-Wide Tenant-Staff Engagement Advisory Committee (RSC:2017-37) are implemented in the Tenant Engagement Refresh.

Tenant Representatives

• Management confirmed that out of 297 active current tenant representatives, 18 (6%) do not wish to continue their role as a tenant representative.
• Management noted that it will report back on the interim process for tenant representative vacancies and how TCHC will handle buildings where tenant representatives do not wish to continue in their role as a tenant representative.

Motion carried

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

Item 5 - 2017 Tenant Survey Action Plan Update, TSC:2018-11

The TSC had before it the above-captioned report (TSC:2018-11)

The TSC noted that it would be beneficial for the tenant directors to be consulted in the process for future tenant surveys.

Motion carried

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

Item 6 - Update on implementation of the Tenants First report, Presentation

Ms. St. Louis delivered a power-point presentation that discussed the implementation of Tenants First.

The TSC discussed the presentation and the following points emerged:

• Ms. St. Louis noted that the reaction from tenants regarding the sale of stand-alone homes to other social housing agencies was mixed. Some were grateful that they will be able to stay in their home; however, others were disappointed that they will be unable to purchase their home from TCHC.
• The TSC raised for discussion the possibility of compensating tenants living in standalone homes that invested money into their homes.

TERMINATION

The TSC resolved to terminate the public meeting at 11:26 a.m.