Final Report on the Review of the Use

of Motels for Homeless Families

The Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee recommends the adoption of the report dated (April 8, 1999) from the Commissioner of Community and Neighbourhood Services, subject to amending Recommendation No. (8) by deleting the word "refugees" and inserting in lieu thereof the words "refugee claimants", so that such recommendation reads as follows:

"(8)the Chair of the Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee communicate with the federal Minister of Citizenship and Immigration to request federal funding for dedicated community-based settlement services to meet the need of refugee claimants entering emergency shelters along Kingston Road;".

The Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee reports, for the information of Council, having requested the Commissioner of Community and Neighbourhood Services to report to the Community Services Committee:

(a)in September 1999, providing a plan to implement the recommendations contained in the Final Report on the Review of the Use of Motels for Homeless Families; and

(b)on the amount of federal funding required to ensure appropriate settlement services for families accommodated in motels.

The Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee submits the following report (April8, 1999) from the Commissioner of Community and Neighbourhood Services:

Purpose:

To provide the Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee with the findings and recommendations of the review of the use of motels for homeless families.

Funding Sources, Financial Implications and Impact Statement:

A phase-out of the use of motels over a three to five-year period is recommended contingent on provincial funding for replacement affordable housing. The cost to the City in capital and operating costs for new family shelter development is estimated at approximately $6.6 million per year over five years. Provincial funding for replacement affordable housing will be sought to support these efforts and to ensure that long-term responses to family homelessness are developed.

Recommendations:

It is recommended that:

(1)contingent on provincial funding for replacement affordable housing units, the Commissioner of Community and Neighbourhood Services develop a plan to phase-out the use of motels over a three to five-year period;

(2)the Chair of the Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee communicate with the provincial Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing to request funding for affordable housing units as a replacement for the use of motels for homeless families;

(3)the Commissioner of Community and Neighbourhood Services report on an implementation plan to develop family shelter capacity on an equitable basis City-wide, and identify the planning tools required to make this goal a reality;

(4)to enhance accountability of the family shelter system, the Commissioner report on a plan to:

(a)establish standards for the use of motels as emergency shelter;

(b)develop a new process for the management and issuance of motel contracts, including consultation to respond to community interests; and

(c)dedicate appropriate staffing resources to monitor contracts with motel operators;

(5)Toronto Hostel Services, as part of its service planning, engage in ongoing consultation with:

(a)community reference groups and local Councillors about motel capacity and contract issues which affect the local community;

(b)a range of service providers to better co-ordinate services, improve service access, and enhance the quality of services available to homeless families;

(6)the Chair of the Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee immediately convene a meeting with the Chairs of the Toronto District School Board, the Toronto Catholic District School Board, the Steering Committee Reviewing the Use of Motels, and the Children's and Youth Advocate to address the need for additional resources in local schools and for co-ordinated service planning City-wide;

(7)the Chair of the Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee communicate with the provincial Minister of Community and Social Services to request provincial funding for children's counsellors in schools in the Wards of Scarborough Bluffs and Scarborough Highland Creek;

(8)the Chair of the Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee communicate with the federal Minister of Citizenship and Immigration to request federal funding for dedicated community-based settlement services to meet the need of refugees entering emergency shelters along Kingston Road;

(9)the Chair of the Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee communicate with the Settlement Directorate, Ontario Region, to request that the Settlement and Education Partnerships in Toronto program allocate funding to schools in the Wards of Scarborough Bluffs and Scarborough Highland Creek which reflects the level of need in those communities, and that eligibility for this program be assured for refugee claimant children;

(10)this report be forwarded to the provincial Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, the provincial Minister of Community and Social Services, the federal Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, the Chair of the Toronto District School Board, and the Chair of the Toronto Catholic District School Board; and

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

Council Reference/Background/History:

The Community and Neighbourhood Services report, "Review of the Use of Motels for Homeless Families" (May 19,1998), recommended a review of the practice of using motels to shelter homeless families. A review was necessary for two reasons: to establish a policy context for this key component of the family shelter system, and to address the long-standing concerns of residents in the wards of Scarborough Bluffs and Scarborough Highland Creek.

A steering committee comprised of the four City Councillors from the Wards of Scarborough Bluffs and Scarborough Highland Creek, and Councillors Raymond Cho and Olivia Chow from the Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee was established in July of 1998. The steering committee met for the first time in September and consulted through the fall with local residents, social agencies, community groups, faith communities, and local schools. Since that time, the steering committee has reviewed an options paper prepared by staff, and developed a set of final recommendations. A summary of the steering committee's findings will be forwarded to those who participated in the public consultations.

Comments and/or Discussion and/or Justification:

(I)History of the Use of Motels:

The use of motels to accommodate homeless families was first authorized by the Municipality of Metropolitan Toronto in 1986. Family shelters were full, and motels offered a reasonable alternative because of their small scale, proximity to residential neighbourhoods and schools, and the relative privacy they provide homeless families. The use of motels for family shelter was initially intended as a short-term use to respond to sudden changes in family shelter admissions. As demand for family shelter grew, and options for new shelter capacity were limited, reliance on motels increased as well.

More than half of all family shelter capacity is located along Kingston Road. In 1997, for the first time, the City was forced to use motels outside of Toronto to accommodate homeless families. Approximately 900 individuals are accommodated in motels along Kingston Road, and an additional 150 individuals are accommodated in motels outside of the City.

(II)Community Concerns:

The primary concern articulated during public consultations is that the concentration of homeless families along Kingston Road is too great. Residents of Scarborough are concerned that the number of homeless families accommodated in motels along Kingston Road overburdens the local school system and places strain on community-based services. Local school principals and community-based service providers do not feel they have the resources they need to adequately meet the complex needs of the local community. This situation is exacerbated by a community-based service infrastructure which is limited by contrast to the City as a whole.

The local community and social service providers raised concern about the adequacy of motels to accommodate homeless families. They expressed concern about children playing in motel parking lots, families living together for long periods of time in one room, the safety of cooking in small spaces and the adequacy of motel compliance with building, fire and safety codes. For the homeless families accommodated in motels, concerns about the need to find stable housing and to meet basic needs were added to the daily stresses of living in close quarters.

For many in the local community, the presence of motels regardless of whether they are used to accommodate homeless families, contribute negatively to an already distressed community. These residents are concerned that illegal activities may be taking place at some motels, that City by-laws are not enforced at motel properties, and that some motels are in a general state of disrepair.

(III)The Need for Action:

After more than ten years of use, action must be taken to address the use of motels from a policy and planning perspective. The City must work with local District School Boards to address the immediate needs at local schools in Scarborough, and to better plan for future services across the entire City. Contingent on adequate provincial funding support, the use of motels should be phased-out over a three to five-year period. Because this is a long-term objective, the City must, in the interim, enhance the accountability of the motel program. This will ensure adequate standards for families, clarify City expectations for motel operators, and enhance the responsiveness of this service to local communities. The need to relieve pressure on Toronto's emergency shelter system through enhanced services and supports in other municipalities in Ontario is addressed in the Mayor's Homelessness Action Task Force final report and has received support from Toronto City Council.

In the long-term, growth in demand for family shelter must be addressed by reducing the factors which place families at-risk of homelessness. These risk factors include, growth in the breadth and depth of family poverty, increasing numbers of evictions, and a shortage of affordable housing. The Mayor's Homelessness Action Task Force found that 100,000 people in Toronto, including 31,000 children are on the social housing waiting list, and that 106,000 tenant households face severe affordability problems.

The City has already initiated a number of programs with a prevention focus. These include a rent bank pilot project for women with children, an eviction prevention program, and a strategy to encourage the creation of more affordable housing. A report which addresses these issues for homeless families will be submitted to the Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee in May.

(IV)Phasing-out the Use of Motels:

The level of concentration of family shelter capacity along Kingston Road is not sustainable. To address the impact of concentration on local service systems and the local community, the use of motels should be phased-out over a three to five-year period, contingent on adequate provincial funding support for replacement affordable housing. Provincial funding should be sought to off-set the significant cost to the City of creating new family shelter capacity, and to ensure that permanent solutions to family homelessness are developed as part of this process.

Toronto Hostel Services estimates the cost of new shelter construction at $50,000.00 per bed. A five year phase-out of the use of motels has been estimated at a cost to the City of approximately $6.6million per year. However, this does not include the cost of shelter construction to meet potential increases in demand for family shelter. Although permanent housing solutions are critical to address the long-term stability of families who are homeless or at-risk, new family shelter capacity will likely be required to meet growing demand for family shelter, and to meet demand created by the phase-out of the use of motels.

(V)Planning for Family Shelter Capacity:

Throughout the 1990s, the use of motels has increased in response to growing pressures on the family shelter system, rather than as a planned response to family homelessness. Expansion in the motel program has appeared to the community to be extremely ad hoc. This is a particular concern given anticipated increases in demand for family shelter.

Family shelter capacity is expected to grow by an additional 600 people over the next year. Although City staff believe they can accommodate new demand through expansion of the motel program outside of the City, this is only a stop-gap measure to respond to immediate needs. The City of Toronto must address the need for increased family shelter capacity by adopting a system-wide planning approach to new family shelter development. This will ensure that new family shelter capacity is developed on an equitable basis City-wide, and that new family shelters are well-integrated into local communities.

A motion which supports this objective was passed at the March 24, 1999, meeting of the Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee. To implement this policy, Toronto Hostel Services must have appropriate planning and zoning tools. A plan for new family shelter capacity, which identifies the tools necessary for Toronto Hostel Services to implement a "fair share" policy will be forwarded to the Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee by the fall of 1999.

(VI)Enhancing Accountability of the Motel Program:

(A)Setting Standards:

Although Toronto Hostel Services has operating policies, procedures and standards for the delivery of emergency shelter service in general, these policies were not developed to meet the specific requirements of families accommodated in motels. Given that homeless families have specific service needs and that the use of motels creates a unique service delivery context, standards for motels are warranted. Establishing standards for motels will enhance accountability by ensuring that operators understand the City's expectations and by providing the City with the tools to evaluate this significant component of the family shelter system.

Toronto Hostel Services must develop standards for motels in consultation with other City Departments. Standards should address the need for appropriate indoor and outdoor play space for children, appropriate private space for children to sleep and complete homework, the ability to cook safely in small spaces, and average lengths of stay of three months.

(B)Contract Management and Compliance:

Although City contracts with motel operators provide Toronto Hostel Services with a significant tool to ensure compliance, current staffing resources are not sufficient to allow for systematic monitoring of motel contracts. This makes it difficult for Toronto Hostel Services to follow up on concerns raised by homeless families or the public. To address this concern, a new process for contract management must be developed. The process should assess the operational suitability and financial viability of potential operators, and should require operators to demonstrate their compliance with City standards on a regular basis. In addition, Toronto Hostel Services must dedicate an additional FTE to monitor motels and conduct regular site visits. This can be accomplished within existing budget allocations. There are currently two full-time staff who already perform this function for purchased hostel services in the non-profit sector.

As part of the new contract management process, Toronto Hostel Services must seek opportunities to establish exclusive contracts with some motel operators. Exclusive contracts will ensure that homeless families are accommodated alongside other families, rather than alongside other motel clients. In addition, exclusive contracts will provide Toronto Hostel Services with greater opportunities to secure enhancements to motel properties and to enforce contract compliance.

(C)Community Input:

Residents in the Wards of Scarborough Bluffs and Scarborough Highland Creek are frustrated by the lack of City consultation about the use of motels, particularly when new motel contracts have been undertaken. The community has voiced concern about the significant impact of the use of motels on local schools and on local services for many years. The City of Toronto must support opportunities for the community to raise and resolve these issues.

On an ongoing basis, Toronto Hostel Services must consult with local Councillors and community reference groups about motel capacity and contract issues which impact on the local community. Local Councillors and community reference groups must also be consulted as a new process for contract management and contract issuance is developed. In addition, City of Toronto staff should continue to work with community-based groups like the Scarborough Homelessness Committee, the Scarborough East Community Analysis Group, and the Caring Alliance to identify and address service planning and operational issues, as well as other community concerns.

(VII)Planning for Other Services:

(A)Education:

Local schools which support children who are homeless need more resources to meet the needs of both homeless and housed students. The transient nature of a homeless child's participation in a local school creates a distinct set of challenges which current school funding, curriculum and administrative policies are not well-suited to address. In the Wards of Scarborough Bluffs and Scarborough Highland Creek, this reality is exacerbated by the high number of children enrolled from emergency shelters.

Unfortunately, local schools do not receive adequate funding to respond to these demands under current funding guidelines. As a result, schools experience greater classroom disruption, teachers are stretched too thin, and local school programs like English as a Second Language and Special Education cannot keep up with community needs. This compromises the quality of education for all children in the community.

Although the emergency shelter system provides a number of supports to local schools, these supports cannot address broader school funding and resource issues, nor can they replace the expertise and experience of educators and other specialized service providers. While the emergency shelter system must continue to work collaboratively with local schools, planning, funding and resource options which address system-wide needs must be sought.

The City cannot move ahead in this area without the participation of local District Schools Boards. To begin the planning process, the Chair of the Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee should convene a meeting of the Chairs of the local District School Boards, the Chair of the Steering Committee Reviewing the Use of Motels, and the Child and Youth Advocate. This meeting should identify opportunities to address immediate needs at the local level, as well as opportunities to plan for future services City-wide.

To respond to the immediate need for more resources in local schools, the City of Toronto and the local District School Boards should request provincial funding for dedicated children's counsellors and federal funding for settlement workers in the classroom. These additional classroom resources would relieve the strain on classroom teachers, address student needs, and minimize disruption to the student body as a whole.

Although the Federal Government has initiated a pilot project to place settlement workers in local schools, there are concerns that the level of support available under this program will not be sufficient to meet the high level of need in the Wards of Scarborough Bluffs and Scarborough Highland Creek. Funding resources under the Settlement and Education Partnerships in Toronto program must be allocated to reflect local needs. In addition, eligibility for refugee claimant children must be assured.

(B)Settlement and Immigration:

At times, newcomers to Canada have arrived at motels along Kingston Road in relatively high numbers over short periods of time. This has added to the level of concentration in the area and created concern in the local community. In addition, limited access for newcomers to appropriate settlement services places tremendous strain on newcomers and on local community-based services. To respond to the immediate needs of refugees entering the emergency shelter system, federal funding for settlement services must be targeted to homeless families accommodated along Kingston Road. These services should be delivered through the community-based settlement services sector.

Ensuring that all newcomers are entitled to receive critical settlement supports is one of the most important ways to help them become independent. It is also a critical way to ensure that community-based services have the necessary funding to deliver needed programs and services. This principle was supported by the Mayor's Homelessness Action Task Force and is addressed in the report, entitled "The Mayor's Homelessness Action Task Force Final Report: Policy Directions for Community and Neighbourhood Services," before the Committee at its May 3, 1999, meeting. The need for the Federal Government to engage the City of Toronto in direct discussions about the local impacts of settlement and immigration policy is also addressed.

(C)A Service System Planning Approach for Families:

Consultations with service providers in Scarborough, as well as the specific education and settlement service issues identified in this report, highlight the importance of service system planning for homeless families. A service system planning approach provides the benefit of engaging service providers across sectors to enhance the co-ordination, accessibility and quality of the network of services supporting families. This planning approach utilizes the expertise of diverse service sectors and builds on the natural linkages between different service strategies. The Mayor's Homelessness Action Task Force recommended this approach for key populations sub-groups, and, in particular, for homeless families.

The City of Toronto should take the lead in adopting a service system planning approach for homeless families building on the work of existing organizations including the Scarborough Homelessness Committee, the Scarborough East Community Analysis Group, and the Refugee Protocol Group. This issue will be further addressed in a report to the Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee at its May 19, 1999, meeting.

Conclusion:

After more than ten years of use, action must be taken to address the use of motels from a policy and planning perspective. The City must work with local District School Boards to address the immediate needs of schools in Scarborough, and to address education issues as part of a systems planning approach. Contingent on provincial funding support, the use of motels should be phased-out over a three to five-year period. In the interim, the City must enhance the accountability of the motel program to ensure adequate standards for families, to clarify City expectations for motel operators, and to enhance the responsiveness of this service to local communities. Increasing demand for family shelter can no longer be met through the motel program within Toronto. Furthermore, placing families in motels outside the City is only a stop-gap measure. As a result, the City must develop a plan to enhance family shelter capacity, in addition to focussing on long-term solutions which prevent homelessness.

Contact:

Karen Mann

Tel: 392-8334

The Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee also submits the following communication (April 21, 1999) from Councillor Ron Moeser, Chair, Steering Committee to Review the Use of Motels:

At its April 19, 1999, meeting, the Steering Committee to Review the Use of Motels for Homeless Families put forward a number of recommendations for consideration by the Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee regarding Item No. 3 on the April 22nd agenda, titled "Final Report on the Review of the Use of Motels for Homeless Families."

The Steering Committee recommends that Recommendation No. (1) of the "Final Report on the Review of the Use of Motels for Homeless Families" be amended so that the phrase "contingent on provincial funding for replacement affordable housing units" be struck. Recommendation No. (1) would now read:

"(1)the Commissioner of Community and Neighbourhood Services develop a plan to phase-out the use of motels over a three to five year period;".

In addition, the Steering Committee would like two additional recommendations considered as follows:

(1)the Commissioner of Community and Neighbourhood Services report to the Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee in September 1999, with a plan to implement the recommendations in the final report; and

(2)staff report on the amount of federal funding required to ensure appropriate settlement services for families accommodated in motels.

The Steering Committee requests that the Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee consider these recommendations along with the "Final Report on the Review of the Use of Motels for Homeless Families" at the April 22, 1999, meeting of the Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee.

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The following persons appeared before the Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee in connection with the foregoing matter:

-Ms. Gretta Vosper, Scarborough East Community Analysis Group; and submitted a brief in regard thereto;

-Mr. Peter Vanderyagt, The Caring Alliance; and

-Councillor Ron Moeser, Scarborough Highland Creek, and Chair of the Steering Committee to Review the Use of Motels.