Item - 2012.EX23.4

City Council on October 30, 31 and November 1, 2012, adopted the following:

1.         City Council endorse the report of Special Housing Working Group, titled, "Putting People First, Transforming Toronto Community Housing", and the strategy to retain 564 of the 619 single family homes as part of an affordable rental and home ownership strategy and request that Toronto Community Housing Corporation improve management and reporting on the retained homes, including a review of establishing a specialized unit within its organizational structure for their management and report to the Affordable Housing Committee and Executive Committee in June 2013 on the measures taken to improve the stewardship of the single family homes.

2.         City Council request Toronto Community Housing Corporation to develop options to maintain 564 homes as affordable housing as part of a diversification strategy including:

-           continued ownership and operation by Toronto Community Housing Corporation;

-           providing additional home ownership opportunities for residents; and 

-           developing partnerships with non-profit housing providers, which could include participation in or devolution to a revocable Community Land Trust or partnership opportunities with non-profit organizations to manage or own any of the retained single family homes.

3.         City Council request Toronto Community Housing Corporation to facilitate the conversion of up to100 homes to affordable home ownership through working with an affordable home ownership partner and the City's Affordable Housing Office to further consult with tenants on their interest and eligibility to participate in a home ownership program, and to facilitate the delivery of up to 100 home ownership federal/provincial affordable housing loans, and that Toronto Community Housing Corporation report to the Affordable Housing Committee and Executive Committee in June 2013 on the recommended homes for the affordable ownership initiative.

4.         City Council direct that $3.3 million of available federal/provincial Investment in Affordable Housing funding be used to provide down payment assistance to qualifying Toronto Community Housing Corporation residents.

5.         City Council request Toronto Community Housing Corporation to report to the Affordable Housing Committee and Executive Committee by October 2013 on new partnership opportunities with non-profit organizations to manage or own any of the retained single family homes. This includes participation in or devolution to a revocable co-operative Community Land Trust.

6.         City Council approve the sale of 55 homes with an estimated market valued at or above $600,000 and vacant properties with a Facilities Condition Index value of 20 percent or above.

7.         City Council require Toronto Community Housing Corporation develop a specific single family home tenant relocation plan including:

-           Tenants must be provided with the option of moving to a single family home in their neighbourhood, if available;

-           Tenants must be offered the opportunity to participate in the affordable home ownership program where they meet the eligibility criteria and affordable social housing homes are available;

-           Special attention must be given to accommodate the needs and requirements of families with children;

-           Special attention must be given to accommodate the needs and requirements of frail seniors and residents with special needs due to mental or physical disabilities which would include sale upon resident turn-over;

-           Sale of any home is subject to existing lease agreements and applicable landlord and tenant legislation;

-           Homes which are vacant or where the tenant has requested and been granted a transfer would be sold in 2013; and

-           Occupied homes should be scheduled for sale in 2014 unless a transfer is requested and granted prior to that time.

8.         City Council request Toronto Community Housing Corporation to provide a status report on the initial two year funding opportunities as set out in Appendix A of the report of the Special Housing Working Group, titled, "Putting People First, Transforming Toronto Community Housing Corporation", and report to the Affordable Housing Committee and Executive Committee in June 2013 on progress achieved.

9.         City Council request Toronto Community Housing Corporation to report on internal financial efficiencies with the potential to generate $10 million in 2013 and 2014 including but not limited to changes to procurement of goods and services, utilizing a more competitive bidding process and a reduction in vacancy loss at time of tenant turn-over and report to the Affordable Housing Committee and Executive Committee in June, 2013.

10.       City Council refer the following Recommendation 10 from the Special Housing Working Group to the City Manager for review and report to Council, through the Executive Committee, in June 2013:

"10.      Council optimize the use of Development Charge funding of up to $10 million from the Development Charge Reserve Fund for Subsidized Housing to Toronto Community Housing Corporation to replace equity in new affordable housing projects."

11.       City Council refer the following Recommendation 11 from the Special Housing Working Group to the City Manager for review and report to Council, through the Executive Committee, in June 2013:

"11.      Council request Toronto Community Housing Corporation to work with the City Manager's Office to develop a five-year capital financing plan and report to the Affordable Housing Committee and the Executive Committee in June, 2013. The capital financing plan to include investigating and reporting on the feasibility, the business case and implementation strategy associated with the following opportunities:

-           Leveraging equity through mortgage refinancing;

-           Maximizing bond borrowing;

-           Pursing investment opportunities such as Real Estate Investment Trusts;

-           Re-capturing value from new affordable housing developments;

-           Increasing building energy retrofit activity;

-           Shifting financial risk of new development and revitalization; and

-           Leveraging land assets through infill and intensification."

12.       City Council refer the following Recommendation 12 from the Special Housing Working Group to the City Manager for review and report to Council, through the Executive Committee, in June 2013:

"12.      Council request Toronto Community Housing Corporation, in partnership with the City Manager, to conduct a focused and detailed analysis on a select number of properties to determine feasibility and future revenue potential and request the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning to expedite the development and application approval process for future Toronto Community Housing Corporation infill and intensification projects."

13.       City Council request the Chair of the Affordable Housing Committee in consultation with the Mayor's Office and the City Manager's Office to co-ordinate an Intergovernmental Strategy on social housing including a "Campaign for Social Housing".

14.       City Council urge the provincial government to work with the federal government to renegotiate the November 15, 1999 Federal-Provincial Social Housing Agreement which resulted in the expiry of Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation funding.

15.       City Council urge the provincial Ministers of Finance, Municipal Affairs and Housing, and Community and Social Services to commit to reducing the City of Toronto's funding burden for social housing by harmonizing social assistance subsidies between social housing and private landlords.

16.       City Council request Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation to waive fees or penalties resulting from the refinancing of social housing mortgages and/or early mortgage repayment.

17.       City Council urge the federal government to adopt a sustainable National Housing Strategy.

18.       City Council refer the following Recommendation 18 from the Special Housing Working Group to the City Manager for review and report to Council, through the Executive Committee, in June 2013:

"18.      City Council request the City Manager, as part of the preparation of the 2015 City Operating Budget, to include an increase in the Toronto Community Housing Corporation annual budget of at least $6 million.

19.       City Council request the City Manager, in partnership with Toronto Community Housing Corporation, to conduct an organizational review and to update the Shareholder Direction with the view of transforming Toronto Community Housing Corporation into an organization of excellence and responsive customer service and report to the Executive Committee no later than June 2013 on proposed amendments to the Shareholder Direction and update on an organizational review.

20.       City Council, in its capacity as Shareholder, direct Toronto Community Housing Corporation (TCH) to submit the report on internal financial efficiencies requested in Recommendation 9 above to the City Manager for Shareholder review, and request the City Manager to report thereon to Council, through the Executive Committee.

21.       City Council, in its capacity as Shareholder, approve pursuant to section 6.3.1(b) of the Shareholder Direction, the sale by Toronto Community Housing Corporation of the 55 properties containing 80 units, listed in the Confidential Attachment to the report (September 24, 2012) from the City Manager and the General Manager, Shelter, Support and Housing Administration, on condition that:

a.         Toronto Community Housing Corporation use the proceeds of the sales of the properties, net of reasonable transaction costs, in the state of good repair of existing social housing units, consistent with its Real Estate Investment Strategy, Housing Works, as approved and updated from time to time by the Toronto Community Housing Corporation board of directors;

b.         prior to the sale of any properties, Toronto Community Housing Corporation provide a plan, satisfactory to the General Manager, Shelter, Support and Housing Administration, for maintaining Toronto Community Housing Corporation's mandated service level standards, which includes the replacement of 49 rent-geared-to-income (RGI) and rent supplement units with units that will accommodate similar sized households;

c.         the reallocation of the rent-geared-to-income and rent supplement units in Recommendation 22.b. be funded from within Toronto Community Housing Corporation's existing operating subsidy;

d.         prior to the sale of any occupied properties, Toronto Community Housing Corporation provide a Tenant Relocation and Assistance Implementation Plan, satisfactory to the General Manager, Shelter, Support and Housing Administration, such plan to include conditions imposed by City Council pursuant to its adoption of recommendations in the Special Housing Working Group Report and also include at least the following:

i.          the process for consultation and communication with tenants;

ii.         options and process for selection of units for relocation;

iii.        notice periods;

iv.        assistance with moving;

v.         accommodation of special needs including unit accessibility; and

vi.        access to community services;

and subject to:

e.         Toronto Community Housing Corporation and/or the prospective purchasers obtaining the various necessary planning approvals and legislative, municipal and corporate consents (including consent of mortgagors, if necessary); and

f.          Approval from the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing and/or Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation if necessary.

22.       City Council, in its capacity as Service Manager under the Housing Services Act, 2011 (HSA), provide the Service Manager consents required under Section 161(6) of the HSA to all future mortgages and encumbrances including extensions and amendments thereof by purchasers of those properties that were acquired by Toronto Community Housing Corporation from the Province, each in a form approved by the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing; and authorise the General Manager, Shelter, Support and Housing Administration to execute such consents on behalf of the Service Manager and to cause such consents to be registered under the Registry Act or the Land Titles Act.

23.       City Council authorize the General Manager, Shelter, Support and Housing Administration to amend the Toronto Community Housing Corporation Operating Agreement as necessary as a result of the sale of properties pursuant to the adoption of recommendations in the report (September 24, 2012) from the City Manager and the General Manager, Shelter, Support and Housing Administration, and to execute such other agreements, notices, consents and ancillary documentation deemed appropriate in connection with the sale of the properties on terms and conditions satisfactory to the General Manager, Shelter, Support and Housing Administration and in a form satisfactory to the City Solicitor.

24.       City Council direct Toronto Community Housing Corporation to report annually, through Toronto Community Housing Corporation's Annual Report to Council, on the status of the sale of the properties and on any tenant and community impacts resulting from the sales.

25.       City Council require that as a condition of the agreement of purchase and sale for any property affected by Council's Official Plan policy 3.1.5.6, the purchasers shall be required to enter into Heritage Easement Agreements with the City under section 37 of the Ontario Heritage Act to the satisfaction of the Manager, Heritage Preservation Services.

26.       City Council direct that, if the anticipated revenue of $120,650,000.00 to be generated for Funds for Repairs for 2013-2014, as set out in the Special Housing Working Group's Plan, is not realized by December 31, 2014, the City Manager report to the Executive Committee on the shortfall.

27.       City Council direct that the Confidential Attachment to the report (September 24, 2012) from the City Manager and the General Manager, Shelter, Support and Housing Administration, remain confidential until such time that the General Manager, Shelter, Support and Housing Administration advises the City Clerk that confirmation from the President and CEO of Toronto Community Housing Corporation has been received that it is no longer necessary to maintain the confidentiality of the information to preserve the integrity of the properties listed.

28.       City Council refer the following motions to the City Manager for consideration with his forthcoming report to the Executive Committee in June 2013:

                   Moved by Councillor Janet Davis:

That City Council request the Toronto Community Housing Corporation to use a portion of the sale of the 55 homes to renovate and bring on-line 55  of the current 280 "uninhabitable" units.

Moved by Councillor James Pasternak:

That City Council request the Toronto Community Housing Corporation to use a portion of the sale of the 55 homes to increase the rent supplement agreement fund as deemed appropriate by City staff.

Moved by Councillor Chin Lee:

That City Council request the City Manager to report to the Executive Committee on allocating a portion of the development charges to the repair backlog of Toronto Community Housing communities throughout the City.

Confidential Attachment 1 to the report (September 24, 2012) from the City Manager and the General Manager, Shelter, Support and Housing Administration remains confidential in its entirety, at this time, in accordance with the provisions of the City of Toronto Act, 2006 as it contains information related to the security of the property of the municipality or local board. The confidential information will be made public when the General Manager, Shelter, Support and Housing Administration advises the City Clerk that confirmation from the President and Chief Executive Officer of Toronto Community Housing Corporation has been received that it is no longer necessary to maintain the confidentiality of the information to preserve the integrity of the properties listed.