Item - 2021.EC20.4

The Economic and Community Development Committee:

1.  Received the report (March 11, 2021) from the General Manager, Shelter, Support and Housing Administration for information.

The Auditor General's report, Opening Doors to Stable Housing: An Effective Waiting List and Reduced Vacancy Rates Will Help More People Access Housing, was adopted by City Council on July 16, 2019, along with 34 recommendations outlining how the Shelter, Support and Housing Administration division (SSHA) can improve its administration of the centralized waiting list for subsidized housing.

At this meeting, City Council requested that SSHA report quarterly to the Economic and Community Development Committee on the following:

-  Progress on the implementation of the new choice-based housing access model;

-  Centralized waiting list data, including the number of households on the centralized waiting list; the average number of offers required to fill a vacancy; and the number of applicants housed;

-  Vacancy data, including how long units stay vacant and the reasons for vacancies; and

-  Updates on the implementation of recommendations made by the Auditor General.

This report covers the fourth quarter of 2020 and provides, where available, additional details for a portion of the first quarter of 2021.

SSHA agrees with, and is currently working towards all recommendations made by the Auditor General. Of the 34 recommendations, 11 recommendations have been completed with work underway to address the balance within the 2021 calendar year. Some implementation timelines have been impacted by the City's emergency response to the COVID-19 pandemic. These changes, as well as the status of all recommendations, are detailed in Attachment D.