The Public Housing Inquiry
The Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee recommends the adoption of
the following report (August 31, 1998) from the Commissioner of Community and
Neighbourhood Services:
Purpose:
The Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee on July 16, 1998, had before it a
report from Councillor Jack Layton and Ms. Alison Kemper, Co-Chairs, Advisory Committee
on Homeless and Socially Isolated Persons, urging Council to endorse a series of
recommendations contained in The Public Housing Inquiry Final Report and indicating that
the Advisory Committee supports the directions of the Public Housing Inquiry. The report
was referred to the Commissioner of Community and Neighbourhood Services for a report
thereon to the Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee and to the Advisory
Committee. This report has been prepared in response to that request.
Financial Implications:
No financial implications have been identified.
Recommendations:
It is recommended that Council:
(1)receive the report of The Public Housing Inquiry;
(2)inform the members of The Public Housing Inquiry of the City's intention to consult with
social housing tenants and providers in developing its capacity to administer the social
housing programs; and
(3)request that the Commissioner of Community and Neighbourhood Services report back on
plans for the consultations.
Council Reference/Background:
Background:
A Public Housing Inquiry was held in Toronto on Saturday, March 28, 1998. The mandate of
the Panel of Inquiry was to receive deputations from tenants, tenant associations and other
interested parties concerning the future of social housing in Ontario, and to produce a set of
recommendations for reform of social housing which reflect the voices heard at the Inquiry.
Over 30 oral and written deputations, from deputants from across the Province, were received
by eight panel members. Information on the membership of the Inquiry Panel and a list of
deputants is included an as appendix to this report.
The Inquiry was convened to give tenants of social housing a voice in social housing reform.
This was considered crucial as tenants had not been included in the membership of the Social
Housing Committee or any of its work groups.
Summary of Public Housing Inquiry Recommendations:
Three major themes emerged from the day of hearings:
-Ontario is in the midst of a housing crisis, with a lack of affordable housing;
-the senior levels of government must continue to pay for social housing and support the
development of new housing; and
-social housing tenants, who pay a large portion of the costs of operating social housing
through their rents, must be involved in making decisions which will affect their communities,
particularly the social hosing reform process.
Based on the feedback received, the Panel made recommendations in the following areas:
-mandate of social housing;
-role of governments in social housing;
-keeping housing affordable, the rent-geared to income (RGI) subsidy system;
-tenants rights; and
-privatization of management in social housing.
Discussion:
The Inquiry report and recommendations propose that social housing be viewed as an
important component of a continuum of social and community services, with a unique role
that goes beyond that of the private sector. They also emphasize the importance of tenants'
rights is social housing, as well as tenant involvement in decision making on issues that affect
their homes and communities. Particular reference is made to tenant participation in the social
housing reform process which is currently underway. In addition, recommendations are made
with respect to keeping public housing in the public domain, ensuring its on-going
affordability, making sure it is well maintained and preserving the current level of supply.
Sale of scattered units owned by the Ontario Housing Corporation is opposed.
The Inquiry also opposes the devolution of financial responsibility for social housing to the
property tax base and advocates for renewed federal and provincial investment in building
affordable housing.
Many of the positions taken in the report and recommendations are ones which have been
supported by the City, its housing companies or the former municipalities over the years.
Tenants have served as members of the Boards of the municipal housing companies and a
tenant-driven process is currently in place to define a tenant participation strategy for the
amalgamated housing company. The City has supported initiatives to prevent homelessness
and minimize evictions and has certainly taken strong views on the need for on-going federal
and provincial support in housing.
In one area, the privatization of property management for social housing, the City has not yet
come to any clear conclusions. The City has opposed the privatization of property
management proposed by the Metropolitan Toronto Housing Authority (MTHA) but, to date,
this opposition has been on the basis of lack of consultation with the City, rather than on the
merits of the decision. Nevertheless, the recommendations with respect to evaluating all the
options, full tenant consultation and ensuring the quality and safety of the housing
environment can be supported.
As the City begins to define its role as the administrator of social housing, the issues and
recommendations contained in the report of The Public Housing Inquiry will provide useful
background information. In addition, meaningful tenant participation will be an important
component of the City's efforts to prepare itself to administer the social housing within its
jurisdiction.
Contact Name:
Joanne Campbell
Tel: 392-7885/Fax: 392-0548
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Mr. Cliff Martin and Mr. Vance Latchford, on behalf of The Public Housing Fightback
Campaign, appeared before the Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee in
connection with the foregoing matter; and submitted a copy of the document, entitled "The
Public Housing Inquiry, Province-Wide Consultation on the Future of Public Housing - Final
Report & Recommendations" dated April 2, 1998.
(A copy of the appendix referred to in the foregoing report was forwarded to all Members of
Council with the agenda of the Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee for its
meeting on September 10, 1998, and a copy thereof is on file in the office of the City Clerk.)