Item - 2016.EX11.21
Tracking Status
- This item was considered by Executive Committee on January 28, 2016 and was adopted with amendments.
EX11.21 - Final Report of the Task Force on Toronto Community Housing Corporation
- Decision Type:
- ACTION
- Status:
- Amended
- Wards:
- All
Committee Decision
The Executive Committee:
1. Referred the final report from the Mayor's Task Force on Toronto Community Housing Corporation (TCHC) titled "Transformative Change for TCHC" to the City Manager for an initial assessment of the Task Force's recommendations and underlying assumptions/principles, with direction to report to Executive Committee in the Spring of 2016 recommending an overall approach and guiding principles for how best to move forward with the transformation of Toronto Community Housing Corporation; followed by a second report in the Fall of 2016 outlining a detailed long term implementation plan/or the transformation.
2. Requested the City Manager to include and consider the following details when assessing the management models recommended in the Final Task Force Report:
a. Ownership (of both land and units) arrangement within each of the models, including numbers of units to be owned by a potential non-profit at the completion of transition;
b. Public and financial accountability frameworks;
c. Issues and impact on labour agreements;
d. Measures to ensure the current number of social housing units, plus any newly constructed units, will remain protected as such in the future;
e. Financial or business impacts, if any, on the ability to secure (or the need to guarantee) any loans to fund Toronto Community Housing Corporation or NewHome now and in the future;
f. Detailed timelines for implementation; and
g. The City's role and relationship vis a vis a new organization.
3. Requested the City Manager to include a discussion and exploration of any alternative solution(s) that would still achieve the stated objectives embedded in the non-profit model, and include the information in Parts 2a to 2g above.
4. Requested the City Manager to include in the final report an assessment of the impact on the lives of Toronto Community Housing Corporation residents for all models or alternative solutions that may be proposed.
5. Requested the City Manager to review the recommendations related to rent supplements and housing allowances, and provide additional information on their use and impacts for residents and the City's social housing stock.
6. Requested the City Manager to provide an estimate of the operating and capital funds required for each recommendation included in the Final Task Force report and the plan to secure and guarantee these funds.
7. Requested the City Manager to develop a public consultation process on the recommendations made in the final report on the future of Toronto Community Housing Corporation.
Origin
Summary
In January of 2015, I announced the creation of an independent Task Force, led by Senator
Eggleton. This Task Force was mandated to review the current operations of Toronto Community Housing Corporation (TCHC) and to make recommendations critical to delivering high quality housing to residents, improving the sustainability of TCHC, and providing value to residents across the City.
I am pleased to now share the Final Report of the Task Force with Executive Committee.
The Task Force has done a laudable job of reviewing the current context and operations of TCHC. In preparing this final report, the Task Force consulted widely with residents and stakeholders and ensured the contents of the Report reflect both the lived experience of residents and the financial realties associated with the provision of Social Housing in Toronto.
The Task Force has provided a compelling vision for the future of TCHC and tied this vision to innovation and change within the broader Social Housing system. Good quality, affordable and sustainable social housing is critical to the long term success of the City of Toronto. Now is the time to set a new course for not only TCHC, but for the entire Social Housing system that serves the residents of Toronto.
There are many questions and details to be considered and much work to be done. The Task Force has done its part, it is now time for City staff and Council to pick up this work and determine how best to move forward. I am determined to see specific proposals for action consistent with this report presented for consideration as quickly as possible. These problems have been decades in the making and people are waiting for us to act.
The first step in this process is the referral of this Final Report to the City Manager with
direction to report in the Spring of 2016 with a strategic, high-level analysis of the recommendations, governance, management and financial models/ options proposed in the Final Report; any underlying financial assumptions inherent in the Final Report recommendations; and, the policy and legislative changes that may be required to in form the feasibility and sustainability of the Task Force's recommendations. This Initial Report should also recommend an overall approach, guiding principles and priorities for how best to move forward with the transformation of Toronto Community Housing.
Once Council has considered this Initial Report and approved a go-forward strategy and future direction of TCHC, the City Manager will be requested to develop a detailed implementation plan for Council consideration in the Fall of 2016.
This process will allow for the necessary due diligence to ensure we take full advantage of this unique opportunity to improve quality of Social Housing in the City for the benefit of all Torontonians.
During this time, I am confident that we have a committed and dedicated Board of Directors and staff team at TCHC that will continue to uphold their responsibilities to provide clean, safe, well-maintained, affordable homes for residents while we develop this plan with their involvement.
I want to thank the members of the Task Force and support staff for their time and talents through the last year and thank them for their guidance as we move towards a new direction for TCHC and Social Housing in Toronto.
Background Information
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2016/ex/bgrd/backgroundfile-88606.pdf
(January 26, 2016) Report from the Mayor's Task Force on Transformative Change for Toronto Community Housing Corporation
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2016/ex/bgrd/backgroundfile-88607.pdf
Communications
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2016/ex/comm/communicationfile-58644.pdf
(January 28, 2016) Submission from Sharad Kerur, Executive Director, Ontario Non-Profit Housing Association (EX.New.EX11.21.2)
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2016/ex/comm/communicationfile-58645.pdf
(January 28, 2016) Submission from Susan Gapka (EX.New.EX11.21.3)
Speakers
Sharad Kerur, Executive Director, Ontario Non-Profit Housing Association (ONPHA)
Clive Williams
Andrew Marciniak, Toronto Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN)
Kelly Lalande, ACORN
Sean Meagher, Executive Director, Social Planning Toronto
Harvey Cooper, Managing Director, Ontario Region Co-operative Housing Federation of Canada
Judith Collins, Member Services Advisor, Co-operative Housing Federation of Canada
Tim Maguire, President, Canadian Union of Public Employees, Local 79
Councillor Janet Davis
Councillor Pam McConnell
Councillor Gord Perks
Councillor Joe Cressy
Councillor Jim Karygiannis
Councillor Shelley Carroll
Motions
That:
1. Executive Committee request the City Manager to include and consider the following details when assessing the management models recommended in the Final Task Force Report:
a. Ownership (of both land and units) arrangement within each of the models, including numbers of units to be owned by a potential non-profit at the completion of transition;
b. Public and financial accountability frameworks;
c. Issues and impact on labour agreements;
d. Measures to ensure the current number of social housing units, plus any newly constructed units, will remain protected as such in the future;
e. Financial or business impacts, if any, on the ability to secure (or the need to guarantee) any loans to fund TCHC or NewHome now and in the future;
f. Detailed timelines for implementation; and
g. The City’s role and relationship vis a vis a new organization.
2. Executive Committee request the City Manager to include a discussion and exploration of any alternative solution(s) that would still achieve the stated objectives embedded in the non-profit model, and include the information in Parts 1a-1g above.
3. Executive Committee request the City Manager to include in the final report an assessment of the impact on the lives of TCHC residents for all models or alternative solutions that may be proposed.
4. Executive Committee request the City Manager to review the recommendations related to rent supplements and housing allowances, and provide additional information on their use and impacts for residents and the City’s social housing stock.
5. Executive Committee request the City Manager to provide an estimate of the operating and capital funds required for each recommendation included in the Final Task Force report and the plan to secure and guarantee these funds.
6. Executive Committee request the City Manager to develop a public consultation process on the recommendations made in the final report on the future of TCHC.
Vote (Adopt Item as Amended) Jan-28-2016
Result: Carried | Majority Required |
---|---|
Total members that voted Yes: 10 | Members that voted Yes are Paul Ainslie, Ana Bailão, Gary Crawford, Mary-Margaret McMahon, Denzil Minnan-Wong, Cesar Palacio, Jaye Robinson, David Shiner, Michael Thompson, John Tory (Chair) |
Total members that voted No: 0 | Members that voted No are |
Total members that were Absent: 3 | Members that were absent are Michelle Berardinetti, Frank Di Giorgio, James Pasternak |