Social Housing Waiting List: It s All About Being There. December 4 & 6, 2006

Transcription

1 Social Housing Waiting List: It s All About Being There December 4 & 6, 2006

2 Agenda Welcome and introductions Purpose of Presentation Overview of Housing Connections Chronological Waiting list Rent Supplement Housing Connections Processes The Housing Connections Network Closing/ Q&A

3 What is Housing Connections? We are a subsidiary of TCHC. We are located at 176 Elm Street. (West of University Ave, between St Patrick and Queen s Park stations.) We have our own Board of Directors, website ( and a three year business plan.

4 What is Housing Connections? We provide two main services: Coordinated access for waiting list management. Rent Supplement administration. Our vision includes providing a broadened scope of services.

5 Applicants on the Waiting List As at September 30, 2006 Active waiting list: 48,446 Inactive waiting list: 18,710 Total: 67,156

6 What is Rent Supplement Housing Connections works with private landlords in Toronto participate in the rent supplement program. When one of the more than 3200 units in the program becomes available, Housing Connections chooses the next applicant from the centralized waiting list for RGI housing. Housing Connections then makes payments to the landlord for the difference between the market rent they charge for a unit and the portion of the rent (which is geared to income) paid by an applicant that is chosen from the waiting list.

7 Housing Connections Processes City Guidelines and the Social Housing Reform Act Basic eligibility Priorities Applications to Housing Connections Maintaining eligibility Confirmation of interest Occupancy standards Adverse decisions

8 The Social Housing Reform Act and City Guidelines SHRA dictates most policy. Regulations entrenched in law. Assessment procedures dictated by these laws and policies. Includes basic eligibility:

9 Basic Eligibility All members of the household must be permanent, legal residents of Canada (includes Canadian citizenship, landed immigrants/applicants and convention refugees/claimants). Must be 16 years of age or older to apply. There must be no enforceable deportation, departure or exclusion order against any household members. No member of the household can owe arrears to another social housing provider in Ontario (if an up to date repayment schedule is in place, the applicant remains eligible). No household member or former member has convictions of RGI fraud or misrepresentation.

10 Special Priority Household Category A member of a household has been abused by another individual in the household The member is or was living with the abusive individual, or was sponsored by the abusive individual The member has provided proof that they are or were living with the abusive individual The member is intending to separate permanently from the abusive individual

11 Special Priority Household Category Request for inclusion in the Special Priority Household category was made within 3 6 months of the date of separation from the abusive individual Once approved for priority the preference date is changed to reflect the date the client made the request for special priority

12 Special Priority Documents Declaration of Abuse completed by client Confirmation of Abuse along with a letter of referral from a professional eligible to do the assessment Verification of co habitation

13 Local Access Priority in Toronto Medical priority is assigned to an individual who has been diagnosed with a terminal illness with a prognosis of two years or less to live A doctor must complete the Request for Priority for the Terminally Ill Housing providers can choose whether to acknowledge the local priority

14 New Applications Must be completed entirely and signed Canadian status for all household members must be photocopied and attached Clients must select at least one housing preference

15 Incomplete Applications Logged into TAWL database, cancelled and returned to clients with a letter outlining why the file cannot be processed The date of application is the date that the completed file is received

16 Contact Information Name, address and phone # for contact persons Include agency name/worker who may inquire on client s behalf Mailing address is essential if client s current address is temporary

17 Selection of Housing Preferences Clients can use: The Housing Listings book (a.k.a the mapbook) The interactive Housing Listings on (this will also allow clients to see how many people are waiting for a unit and the housing from date) Identify all special requests such as floor level, elevator or balcony required

18 Preferences Provider dates Development Preference Reports Making changes to housing preferences (via , fax, mail, automated phone system) **Once a client is housed they are removed from all waiting lists at Housing Connections

19 Offers of Housing Are made directly by the housing provider Maximum of three offers of housing before being removed from the waiting list (with exception of special needs units) Clients should not accept an offer of housing with the expectation of transferring later

20 Average Waiting Time Bachelor units 1 to 5 years One bedroom 7 to 10 years Two bedroom 5 to 10 years Three bedroom 10 to 12 years Four bedroom 10 to 12 years Five bedroom 10 to 12 years * The average waiting time varies from building to building, for some buildings it can be up to 15 or more years.

21 Transfer Requests Each housing provider must establish an internal transfer policy Where a tenant does not meet the provider s internal transfer criteria they would need to reapply to Housing Connections

22 Market Rent Tenants Clients who live in market rent accommodation who now want to apply for an RGI unit with the same provider will get the benefit of their original move in date to the provider (proof of move in date must be verified by the housing provider) **application must be processed through Housing Connections

23 Special Needs Units Housing providers can opt to fill their special needs units outside of the centralized waiting list No restrictions on the number of offers made for clients requiring a special needs unit

24 Confirmation of Interest Clients are asked to contact us once a year to confirm interest in staying on the waiting list Where there has been no activity on a file for 12 months a letter will be generated by the computer system asking the client to make contact with us to confirm interest If the mail is returned or there is no contact, every effort will be made to contact the client or designated contact person by phone before moving the file to an inactive status

25 Inactive Applications Applications can remain at inactive for two years Where the application has been identified as homeless the inactive status will remain for five years If there is no contact during the inactive period, the file will automatically be cancelled at the end of 24 months (Once a file is cancelled, the client must reapply and will be given a new date) If there is contact during the inactive period, the file will be taken back to an active status with no date penalty.

26 Occupancy Standards In Toronto No more than two persons to a bedroom Adults who are spouses or same sex partners of each other are allocated one bedroom Children of the opposite sex are allocated separate bedrooms Children of the same sex are allocated one bedroom regardless of their respective ages

27 Occupancy Standards In Toronto If a bedroom to be shared does not provide the minimum space required for two people as stated in the City s Municipal Code Property Standards (currently a minimum of four square metres of space per person) then the applicant cannot be housed in the unit

28 Occupancy Standards Children of the opposite sex may share a bedroom if the applicant makes a request A single parent may share a bedroom with a child of the same sex if the applicant desires Bachelor units are given to single persons however, a housing provider may, at it s discretion approve a policy allowing spouses or same sex partners to reside in a bachelor unit provided the applicant agrees

29 Additional Bedrooms May be Allocated if: One of the spouses or same sex partners requires a separate bedroom because of a disability or medical condition One of the children who would normally share a bedroom requires a separate bedroom because of a disability or medical condition A room is required to store equipment that a member of the household needs because of a disability or medical condition

30 Additional Bedrooms May be Allocated if: An individual who is not a member of the household, but who is there to provide support services needed because of that member s disability or medical condition, requires a bedroom. A member of the household is pregnant A member of the household has joint custody of a child (documented through a legal agreement), who is not a member of the household A member of the household, who has visitation rights for a child who is not a member of the household, is legally required to provide adequate accommodation for the child when s/he stays overnight with the member (documented in a legal agreement)

31 Adverse Decision: Opportunity to Comment Proposed decision regarding eligibility for the waiting list or priority status Client is advised in writing and invited to comment on the decision within 30 days. This is the client s opportunity to provide new or additional information for review Upon receipt of comments the supervisor reviews the file once again and if the decision is upheld the client is again notified in writing and given the right to request an internal review of the decision

32 What is an Internal Review? SHRA requirement. Review of process not an appeal. Chaired by community members. Internal Review statistics reported quarterly to Board of Directors. Held weekly on Thursday mornings (9:00 12:00) at 176 Elm Street. Usually hear three to five requests. Evening meetings upon demand. Applicant is invited to bring guest may be interpreter, advocate, worker, family member.

33 Internal Reviews Under the SHRA, before Housing Connection staff make an adverse decision: Households are invited to comment within notice periods and may request an internal review of the decision process. Internal review decisions are binding. Council directed the City to report back on an internal review process involving community stakeholders. Housing Connections Board approved process of recruitment from community in April reviews from May Dec 2003, increased to 83 reviews from Jan June 2004

34 Scope of Internal Reviews Panel reviews the processes and decisions. Panel doesn t rule on fairness of policy. Decision can t be influenced by new information. Processes cover the following : General eligibility Dates Number of bedrooms requested Number of offers refused Annual rent calculation Request for transfer within Rent Supplement Loss of subsidy within Rent Supplement Eligibility for Special Priority Household Category Eligibility for local rule (e.g. Priority for the Terminally Ill)

35 Housing Connections Network Community Partners Housing providers Conventional landlords

36 Role of Community Partners 26 Community Partners have online access to TAWL database Maintain an inventory of maps and applications Staff are up to date on the SHRA (policies and procedures at Housing Connections) Participate in a workgroup

37 Housing Providers Who uses the list? About 185 non profit and co op providers for RGI units as well as TCHC Who does not use the list? Alternative housing providers Supportive housing providers (Ministry of Health $) Most federally funded co ops

38 Housing Providers Mandated Some providers have a mandate to serve a certain population. For example: Senior Housing (age 59+) Aboriginal* Artist/Performer* Other* (e.g. a particular heritage or religion) *Clients are required to obtain written approval from the provider confirming eligibility for the mandate in order to be added to their waiting list

39 Housing Providers Alternative Target group is the homeless and hard tohouse Generally shared housing accommodation or supportive housing Clients currently living in alternative housing receive the benefit of the date of their original move as their preference date when applying for RGI units (the date must be confirmed by the alternative provider)

40 Conventional landlords Housing Connections works with about 90 conventional landlords from across the city. Combined, these providers have about 3200 units in the Rent Supplement program in 210 different locations.

41 Resource Centre Housing Connections Resource Centre is at 176 Elm Street (west of University Ave, behind Mount Sinai) The Resource Centre is open: Mon, Wed, Thu, Fri 8:30 4:30, Tue 2 5

42 Resource Centre Visiting clients can: Use computers to access our website and apply online or use the interactive Housing Listings Access forms, pamphlets and other literature about housing and social services in Toronto This includes our recently updated Housing Listings book Use phones to call the automated phone service Speak to a Resource Centre Facilitator who can help them use the resources available.

43 An online version of our application form An online, interactive version of our Housing Listings now includes Rent Supplement map numbers Information about eligibility and general information about housing in Toronto

44 Access to forms, including a request for a PIN for automated phone system Recently updated with new and more content

45 Automated telephone system Our automated telephone system is available 24/7 and can be used to: Get general info about Housing Connections and applying for housing Request an application form Listen to your preferences (if less than 20) Order a Development Preference Report Update or change building preferences (with a PIN only) Change contact telephone number (with a PIN only)

46 Many ways to reach us Clients can reach us by: at The automated telephone system 24/7 at Fax at Visiting our Resource Centre at 176 Elm Street To request a presentation: us at outreach@housingconnections.ca

47 Questions & Answers