Commissioner's Office

Community &

Neighbourhood

Services

55 John St., Stn. 1111

Toronto, ON M5V 3C6

Tel. (416) 392-8302

Fax (416) 392-8492

August 31, 1998

To:Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee

From:Commissioner of Community and Neighbourhood Services

Subject:Result of Proposal Call for Eviction Prevention programs for the City of Toronto

Purpose:

To provide an update on the results of the proposal call for eviction prevention programs including information about organizations selection and types of activities they will undertake.

Financial Implications:

No additional funding required beyond $55,000 approved by Council, and funded through 1998 Community and Neighbourhood Services budget.

Recommendations:

That this report be received for information.

Council Reference/Background:

A report from the Commissioner of Community and Neighbourhood Services (April 9, 1998) recommended to the Budget Committee (April 14, 1998) that:

(1)funds be allocated for an amount no greater than $55,000 to support programs that deal with eviction prevention;

(2)upon approval of the funds, staff be directed to implement a purchase of service process through which community agencies can submit proposals for eviction prevention programs; and

(3)the appropriate City officials be authorized and directed to take the necessary action to give effect thereto.

The recommendations were supported by the budget committee, and the Strategic Policies and Priorities Committee submitted the report, without recommendation, to Council. City Council adopted the recommendation (report No.5, clause 4) on April 16, 1998.

No special funding was allocated; the programs are funded from the Community and Neighbourhood Services budget.

A "Request for Proposals" process was undertaken. Since the range of possible proposals was so extensive, a presentation was made to the Alternate Housing and Services Committee to get a sense of the types of results the committee felt would be most useful. The Committee was fairly unanimous in wanting programs which would actually stop evictions, not additional research into causes and potential solutions; particularly given that the Golden Task Force is already undertaking research in this area.

An RFP was developed with assistance of Legal and Purchasing and implemented. Nine proposals were received. These were evaluated by staff of CNS on July 15, 1998, and parts of three proposals were accepted from the Centre for Equality Rights in Accommodation (CERA), the West Toronto Community Legal Clinic (WTCL) and the Federation of Metro Tenants Associations (FMTA).

CERA: Given that the number of people who actually get to a tribunal / court hearing is very small, their education campaign is targeted at tenants when they get a notice of eviction and those searching for more affordable housing but facing discrimination. CERA will produce a brochure of options, post it on their web site, and conduct advertising. The proposal also includes an information service for tenants, referrals, and direct mediation with landlord where tenant does not get unit due to discrimination. In addition, CERA will research and propose an "Early Intervention Program" which will outline how partnerships can participate and build on results of the legal clinic duty council pilot program which currently underway. If plausible (for example, data is available from the tribunal), CERA may submit a proposal for funding the program in 1999.

FMTA: Will provide a tenant "hotline" service during weekday evening hours (6:00 PM to 9:00 PM), conduct statistical surveys about what is happening as a result of the new Tenant Protection Act and evictions, advertise the service, and will provide training to staff of the Community Information Centre and Street Helpline about evictions. FMTA has received 1998 funding from the City ($96,000) to operate a daytime general tenant inquiry service. The eviction funding is directed towards providing evening hotline services, and more specifically to collecting information about how the new Act and tribunal processes are impacting on tenants.

WTCL: The proposal involves a partnership of four agencies (West Toronto Community Legal Services, Davenport Perth Neighbourhood Centre, Stop 103, and Connect Information Post) and would operate in the western area of the former City of Toronto (within Bloor St. west, St. Clair Ave. West/Rogers Road, Avenue Road, and High Park). The other proposals served the entire City; this proposal is more "hands on". The proposal involves training 6 bilingual volunteers (community peer advocates) about education and outreach, mediation and negotiation and tenant rights and responsibilities. The volunteers will receive a small honorarium to a level permitted by welfare which expands benefits of this program (i.e. provides work and training which stays in the community) and will work under supervision of lawyer. They will hold four community forums (estimate 250 participants/tenants), and prepare a newsletter insert (circulation 10,000). In addition, they will hold a focus group meeting with landlords in the community to identify landlord concerns and possible solutions.

Conclusion:

The three proposals inter-related and balance each other. Activities range from mass media (brochures, ads, web site), to education sessions and focus groups for landlords, tenants and other community agencies, to providing immediate help and information (hotlines), to hands-on direct mediation. The proposals include activities in the short term (now until the end of the year) and setting up a program which may work in the long term. Each proposal includes something new, and is not just an extension of work that would have been done anyhow. Proposals and budgets were refined to reduce overlapping activities.

Appendix A summarizes services to be provided and contact numbers. All programs end December 23, 1998.

Contact Name:

Joanne Campbell

Phone: 392-6135

Fax: 392-3037

Joanne Campbell

General Manager, Shelter, Housing & Support

Shirley Hoy

Commissioner of Community & Neighbourhood Services

APPENDIX A:Contacts for Eviction Prevention Programs