TCHC head discusses strategic plan, ombudsman’s report

The head of Toronto Community Housing Corp. (TCHC) agreed with the importance of working with the ombudsman after Fiona Crean’s scathing report about the improper eviction of seniors from public housing.

Eugene Jones said Thursday that TCHC will meet with Crean monthly, and the agency will establish an independent office of the commissioner of housing integrity, as the ombudsman’s report recommended.

Crean’s report said the TCHC hasn’t been using eviction as a last resort, as its guidelines suggest, and has been sending poorly written and confusing letters to seniors behind in their rent instead of making personal contact.

Read the report here.

The TCHC has agreed to all of her recommendations, including more direct contact with tenants — personal visits or phone calls — non-threatening communication written in plain English and updating tenant files objectively and without personal comment.

TCHC’s board also approved a three-year strategic plan and its $160.4 million 2013 operating capital budget on Wednesday evening during a board meeting, Jones said.

The public housing agency will focus its efforts over the next three years on:

-improving conditions of public housing units and buildings
-reducing capital backlog
-making the public housing community safer
-improving services to its residents
-establishing clear rules and accountability for every TCHC employee
-strengthening business practices

“Our strategic plan identifies how we will build on existing partnerships and pursue new programs to foster economic opportunities and promote better outcomes for our residents, particularly seniors and youths,” he said.

Jones also said that the board added $2.9 million to the operating capital plan for residents’ services, including $1 million for more staff “to better support vulnerable seniors.”

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