Long Term Affordable Housing Strategy (LTAHS) Windsor Essex ~ Renewal Consultation. June 11, 2015 Collavino Hall WFCU Centre

Transcription

1 Lng Term Affrdable Husing Strategy (LTAHS) Windsr Essex ~ Renewal Cnsultatin June 11, 2015 Cllavin Hall WFCU Centre Prepared by: City f Windsr, Husing Services Department

2 Nte t Reader: This reprt is intended t prvide the cmments made by stakehlders at a cmmunity cnsultatin sessin and is fr infrmatin purpses nly. This reprt and the infrmatin cntained herein has nt been reviewed, apprved, endrsed by and des nt necessarily reflect the views f the City f Windsr, Cunty f Essex, r any municipal Cuncil in the Windsr Essex Service Area. Intrductin In April 2015 the Prvince f Ontari released its Lng Term Affrdable Husing Strategy (LTAHS) Renewal, which wuld build n the wrk set ut in 2010 regarding the framewrk fr husing plicy in Ontari. The LTAHS Renewal sught feedback frm Ontarians t infrm the Ministry f Municipal Affairs and Husing (MMAH) n what the current challenges are facing Ontari s husing system in rder t infrm the prvince n hw they can innvate and use creative appraches that increase access t affrdable husing fr thse in need. The Prvince cmmitted t updating the Lng Term Affrdable Husing Strategy in the 2014 release f Realizing Our Ptential, a new Pverty Reductin Strategy. In Realizing Our Ptential a lng term cmmitment t end hmelessness was made and steps have begun prvincially t supprt this gal. The LTAHS Strategy Update Cnsultatin Discussin Guide laid the fundatin n where the prvince was fcusing the next 5 years by prviding an updated visin, gals and key themes and identifying pprtunities and challenges within the 4 key themes. Updated Visin Every persn has an affrdable, suitable, and adequate hme t prvide the fundatin t secure emplyment, raise a family, and build strng cmmunities. In June 2015, the City f Windsr Husing Services Department brught tgether ver 120 stakehlders, key partners and gvernment representatives frm varius sectrs in Windsr Essex t engage in the prcess t submit a cmprehensive respnse t the Ministry f Municipal Affairs and Husing based n the 4 key themes and questins identified in the Cnsultatin Discussin Guide. The results frm the Windsr Essex cnsultatin were then cmpiled and this reprt will shwcase the results f the day. The reprt is presented in tw sectins. Sectin ne fcuses n the key themes and ideas shared during the cnsultatin that were submitted t the Ministry fr review. Sectin tw fcuses n lcal issues and challenges that were identified by the cmmunity which will help infrm updates pertaining t the Windsr Essex 10 Year Husing and Hmelessness Plan. 2 Windsr Essex Cnsultatin n the Lng Term Affrdable Husing Strategy Renewal

3 Sectin 1: Respnse t the Ministry f Municipal Affairs and Husing Theme 1: A Sustainable Supply f Affrdable Husing Hw can we encurage private investment in affrdable husing thrugh planning, financial, regulatry and ther tls? Establish a fund t assist with deferring municipal csts. T be cst shared with the prvince dllar fr dllar Encurage and supprt municipalities t establish cncessin plicy n prperty taxes fr affrdable husing similar t IAH prgrams and ensure implementatin f the cncessin is at the implementatin f the prject An incentive prgram fr neighburhds which supprt new affrdable husing builds by ffering asset incentives (i.e. pl, park, etc) Establish scial investment bnd prgram Allw access t the prvincial mrtgage pl system fr all sectrs invlved with scial and affrdable husing fr a variety f refinancing initiatives Encurage and supprt Service Managers t waive all develpment and assciated fees fr all affrdable husing fr private sectr affrdable husing (new starts and acqrehabs) Hw can we better supprt the nn-prfit sectr (including c-ps, private, and municipal nn-prfits) in maintaining, replacing, and expanding scial and affrdable husing? Establishment f a lng term lw cst lan / mrtgage prgram with a frgiveness feature Implement a simple prcess and easy system t access the available equity fr refinancing; ratinalizatin f stck Allw access t the prvincial mrtgage pl system fr all sectrs invlved with scial and affrdable husing fr a variety f refinancing initiatives Establish a sustainable funding mdel and capital reserve prvisins fr the Lcal Husing Crpratin Incentives fr jint ventures between private and nn prfit Simplify Rent Geared t Incme calculatin t reduce administrative burden Senir level f gvernment lng term funding fr maintaining, replacing, and expanding scial and affrdable husing Hw can we imprve regulatry and legislative tls t enhance husing affrdability? Encurage and supprt Service Managers t waive all develpment and assciated fees fr all affrdable husing fr private sectr affrdable husing (new starts and acqrehabs). MPAC market value assessment criteria be revised / restructured fr affrdable husing prjects t recgnize the nature / dynamic f affrdable and scial husing with the intent t lwer prperty taxes 3 Windsr Essex Cnsultatin n the Lng Term Affrdable Husing Strategy Renewal

4 Explre and cnsult with stakehlders n the feasibility n establishing a mandatry percentage fr new units in new develpments dedicated t scial husing (inclusinary zning) Explre and cnsult with stakehlders n the feasibility f establishing an affrdable husing levy fee attached t btaining a permit fr nn-affrdable husing (similar t park levy fee) Reduce r eliminate the need fr ministerial cnsent, mre lcal decisin making Fund Service Manager s accrding t husing need nt ppulatin when allcating husing prgram funds Allw Husing Prviders inclusive f Lcal Husing Crpratin t have increased flexibility t establish rents with Service Manager apprval after the End f Operating Agreement has expired Review Rent Geared t Incme utility scales Allw Service Manager s t harmnize all rent supplement prgrams and allw Service Manager s t pl all rent supplement funding Increase shelter allwance prtin fr incme supprt prgrams (i.e. OW and ODSP) What steps shuld the federal gvernment take t supprt husing supply, including scial husing? Remval f tax n capital gains if gain is reinvested in affrdable husing stck Fund research and innvative alternative affrdable husing build slutins Extensin f capital funding prgram (i.e. Scial Husing Renvatin and Retrfit Prgram - SHRRP) Senir level f gvernment lng term funding fr maintaining, replacing, and expanding scial and affrdable husing Develp and Implement a Federal Natinal Husing Strategy Strengthen and retain Canada Mrtgage and Husing Crpratin (CMHC), they are an excellent supprt t Service Managers, stakehlders and the public Federal gvernment prgramming fr Cnventin Refugees shuld be better crdinated with Service Managers as it relates t husing and supprt services Negtiate slutins with Federal Gvernment t: a) Address expiring perating agreements b) Eliminate CMHC penalties when an Nn-Prfit is refinancing c) Cntinue federal funding fr husing Theme 2: A Fair System f Husing Assistance Hw can we imprve access t husing assistance and reduce wait times? Increase senir levels f gvernment (prvincial and federal) funding t supprt an increase in husing stck Imprved discharge planning is required between incme supprts, husing staff and husing prviders Increase infrmatin sharing between Ministry f Municipal Affairs and Husing (MMAH) and Ministry f Cmmunity and Scial Services (MCSS) t enable an imprved eligibility verificatin prcess fr the Central Wait List 4 Windsr Essex Cnsultatin n the Lng Term Affrdable Husing Strategy Renewal

5 Develp a parallel Special Pririty husehld categry (SPP) ranking and selectin prcess using lng term rent supplement and / r husing allwance prgramming Eliminate the expiry dates n existing rent sup/husing allwance n current prgrams by annualizing the funding; future rent supplement / husing allwance prgrams with n end dates and increase the funding fr rent supplement / husing allwance prgrams Hw can the systems f husing assistance be imprved fr clients and service prviders? Simplify RGI rent calculatin (i.e. flat rent) Inter-ministerial supprts shuld be attached t the persn and nt the unit Creatin f a multilingual prtal fr individuals and service prviders t access current husing infrmatin Harmnize incme supprt legislatin with Husing Services Act requirements fr Central Wait List eligibility Allw mre flexible year-t-year and prgram cmpnent-t-cmpnent carryver and shifting prvisins in Investment in Affrdable Husing Extensin (IAH-E) prgram Require Ministry f Cmmunity and Scial Services (MCSS) and Ministry f Health (MOH) t prvide annualized budget funds t husing prgrams that are targeted t benefit their respective initiatives Establish a fund t supprt tenant engagement fr residents residing in scial husing t enable husing prviders t prvide and supprt tenant empwerment, imprve safety, human and scial services, educatin and jb pprtunities within neighburhds and cmmunities. What nn-financial prgrams and supprts help t maintain successful tenancies? Scial inclusin / neighburhd strategies Review incme supprt legislative requirements regarding the request fr vluntary pay directs fr incme supprt prgrams Review legislative requirements fr incme supprt prgrams t allw fr mandatry pay directs when individuals in affrdable and/r scial husing have fallen int previus arrears Increase peer supprt invlvement in scial husing develpments Financial literacy educatin Integrate supprt services, legislatin and plicies t reduce barriers in accessing supprts Hw can we better supprt peple wh are hmeless t becme stably hused? Increase funding fr the Cmmunity Hmelessness Preventin Initiative (CHPI) Crdinate and integrate systems f ministry funding between MMAH, Ministry f Training, Clleges and Universities (MTCU), Ministry f Educatin (MEDU), MCSS, Ministry f Children and Yuth Services (MCYS) and MOH (i.e. ACT teams) Public educatin strategy t decrease stigmas f hmeless individuals and families Crdinate and integrate HPS initiatives fr a shared visin and gals with MMAH fr safe, affrdable, adequate husing and supprts available t the persn 5 Windsr Essex Cnsultatin n the Lng Term Affrdable Husing Strategy Renewal

6 Theme 3: C-rdinated, Accessible Supprt Services Hw can the Prvince, Service Managers, cmmunity agencies, and husing prviders wrk t imprve Ontari s supprtive husing system? Increase funding t supprt an enhancement in the quality f life f individuals in Husing with Supprt hmes that includes a recgnitin f the prvisin f specialized services t this ppulatin Create in cllabratin with the Lcal Health Integratin Netwrk (LHIN), Ministry f Health and Ministry f Cmmunity and Scial Services a multidiscipline, transdiscipline mbile teams that wuld supprt all Husing with Supprt hmes t address the needs f their tenants (i.e. mental wellness, addictins, physical health, ccupatinal therapy, nursing, etc) Expand transprtatin eligibility and prvisins under incme supprt prgrams Increase training and resurces in rder t attract and retain skilled emplyees Prvide wage enhancement t staff wh wrk in Husing with Supprt hmes Offer capital funding t assist with accessibility issues t fulfill requirements f Accessibility fr Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) Increase public awareness regarding the value f supprtive husing in cmmunities Apply the current mdel f individualized funding frm Develpmental Services Ontari (DSO) t this ppulatin Funding needs t be increased, shared and crdinated amngst the fllwing Ministries in rder t achieve the desired utcmes t increase the Quality f Life t thse persns residing in Husing with Supprts Hmes: MMAH, MOH, MCSS, MCYS MMAH, MOH, MCSS and MCYS shuld cntribute funding t husing prgrams fr an apprpriate amunt in rder t achieve imprved utcmes fr peple in supprtive husing prgrams Invest apprpriate Ministry f Health funding t supprt individuals in-hme Invest apprpriate funding in neighburhd and peer supprt strategies t increase scial inclusin fr individuals receiving in hme supprt Allw fr certain exemptin under smking legislatin fr supprtive husing facilities There is a gap in services and the needs f vulnerable senirs wh are nt eligible r cannt affrd Lng Term Care (LTC) are currently nt being met. The Prvince shuld take necessary actin t address this gap and enable the prvisin f supprt services fr vulnerable senirs experiencing this circumstance Sme Husing with Supprt hmes are regulated by municipal by-laws, standards and / r the RRHA. Develp legislatin and create a gverning bdy similar t that gverning LTC hmes t increase cnsistency f husing standards, prgram standards and level f care standards within supprtive husing What changes wuld make the system easier t navigate fr peple? What access and intake systems wrk best fr peple with cmplex needs? System integratin which includes the fllwing: Crdinated infrmatin sharing and access; cmmn individualized assessment and intake that is evidenced based and develped with cnsidering input frm persns with lived experience Mbile supprt services 6 Windsr Essex Cnsultatin n the Lng Term Affrdable Husing Strategy Renewal

7 Need the necessary mechanisms in place t supprt peple need t review legislatin, plicies and prcedures that d nt allw peple t be supprted in an integrated manner Prmte a multi-ministry funded HUB like mdel thrugh investments and plicy which wuld allw peple with cmplex needs t navigate the system easier Are there pprtunities t encurage innvatin and reduce administrative burdens? Eliminate barriers that prhibit tenant participatin in acquiring skills fr daily living within the facility i.e. safe fd handling certificate fr cking skills Prmting an individualized apprach t supprts Increase access t health technlgies, such as Tele-Health, Tele-Psychiatry, etc. t supprt individuals residing in supprtive husing Prmte the engagement and inclusin f pstsecndary institutins t assist with best practices, evidence based slutins and evaluatin Prmte the engagement and inclusin f Emplyment and Educatin institutins t ffer incentives t individuals in Husing with Supprt Hmes t btain and achieve self-sufficiency Hw can we better c-rdinate husing supply and supprtive services? Changes are required t eliminate legislative barriers fr supprt services fr nndesignated husing units as agencies designated under LTC are nt able t extend services beynd that sectr Increase Ministry f Health funding t supprt an increase fr ACT teams Mandate use f care plans fr individuals Implement full system integratin between husing prviders and supprt services prviders Harmnized, integrated system f eligibility verificatin fr all Prvincial scial prgramming (e.g. BC Services Card); with a gal f crdinating and brkering services Crdinate prtable rent supplement with supprt services Change IAH (E) prgram rules t allw fr families t create private space in their hmes t care fr family members withut having t cmply with secndary suite requirements f the multi-res cmpnent f IAH (E). In additin, review eligible huse values and maintain the criteria t nly assess the incme f the family member that is being cared fr in a private space prgram prvisin Theme 4: Evidence and Best Practices What utcmes shuld scial and affrdable husing prgrams fcus n achieving? 7 Husing Retentin: Length f tenancies shuld be measured lng term up t a perid f 3 years Exits frm scial and affrdable husing t Hme wnership Quality f Life, Incme levels, type f Husing, scial inclusin, educatin, fd security, emplyment, increase in health status, use f emergency respnses, incarceratin / institutin use inclusive f hspitals (Scial Determinants f Health) Measure psitive and negative utcmes pssibly thrugh strytelling, exit interviews Windsr Essex Cnsultatin n the Lng Term Affrdable Husing Strategy Renewal

8 What supprts are having a psitive effect t husing stability Qualitative utcmes shuld be measured in additin t quantitative measures Track the number f unique persns assisted / hused Custmer satisfactin and a methd fr dealing with cmplaints at the lcal level Link with Realizing Our Ptential Pverty Reductin Strategy utcmes and measurements Hw can we supprt Service Managers and husing prviders t achieve utcmes? Cnsistency in data cllectin between the Federal, Prvincial and Municipal levels f gvernment Create a standardized measurement tl and nline database which is easy t use, mbile, accessible acrss multiple platfrms Increase funding t Service Managers Have a prtal fr municipalities t cmpare best practices and data utcmes cmparatively Have a prtal fr service prviders t cmpare best practices and data utcmes cmparatively acrss the prvince Increase nging supprt fr the Integrated Husing System designed by the Husing Cllabrative Initiative (HCI) by 8 Service Managers (SMs) t cllect data with pssible expansin prvince wide Supprt fr training n data cllectin and utcme measures by the Prvince in rder fr SMs t better supprt Service Prviders Cnsider Hmeless Individuals and Families Infrmatin System (HIFIS) as standardized tl fr data cllectin federally and prvincially Address insufficient prgram admin fees and create admin fee system where fee structure is same length f time as the prgram i.e. 20 Years What pprtunities exist fr sharing husing data with partners and the public? HIFIS with netwrking Service Manager Annual Reprt Planning tables 10 Year Plan CMHC publicatins and nline prtal OMBI data ONPHA wait list survey 211 ONPHA website / resurces Hw d we enhance service prvider capacity t access evidence n best practices? Create a prtal fr service prviders Educatin and training System user engagement 8 Windsr Essex Cnsultatin n the Lng Term Affrdable Husing Strategy Renewal

9 Sectin 2: Lcal Challenges and Opprtunities Theme 1: A Sustainable Supply f Affrdable Husing Lcal land banking Allw prgram funds t be used t assist landlrds with damage csts Make it easier fr hmewners t renvate t include secndary suites City facilitate private lending institutins t make it easier t btain financing Facilitate an educatin infrmatin sessin with private sectr Agency head leasing units t divert families frm shelter and int temprary r permanent husing Emergency fund t assist nn-prfits with unexpected events Establish a husing maintenance standard Regulate the private sectr standardizatin practices (private sectr) Increase awareness thrugh marketing & cmmunicatin strategies and encurage partnerships in the cmmunity (E.g. St. Clair & University f Windsr) Theme 2: A Fair System f Husing Assistance Flexibility n Rent Geared t Incme ccupancy standards (flex within ministry standards) Creatin f a discharge plicy and prcedure fr individuals withut an address leaving Hspital Increase prmtin and awareness f 211 Examine pssibilities t better serve individuals placed n wait lists Creatin f an educatin platfrm t infrm the public n available services and supprts within Windsr Essex Examine husing plicies t include and ffer flexibility regarding custdy issues Creatin f a minimum set f Building and Prperty Standards fr Landlrds Legal Assistance f Windsr t assist with the preventin f evictins Theme 3: C-rdinated, Accessible Supprt Services Crdinate prtable rent supplement with supprt services Mre flexibility in regards t smking by-laws in supprtive husing Assist private families t create affrdable husing Examine legislatin based n individuals incme and family incme By Laws cnflicting /zning planning department (lg jam) Crdinatin with emplyment agencies Scial Wrkers Cncerns expressed regarding the capping f the number f eligible subsidies fr supprtive husing which may hinder future grwth and expansin f this sectr Create clear pathways t huse individuals and access varius supprts (frm anywhere) Mre by-law and city administratin presence within Supprtive Husing units and buildings 9 Windsr Essex Cnsultatin n the Lng Term Affrdable Husing Strategy Renewal

10 Theme 4: Evidence and Best Practices Increase training n the cllectin f data Cnclusin The City f Windsr Husing Services staff wuld like t thank everyne wh participated during the cnsultatin. The submissin has been greatly enhanced and wuld have been impssible withut all f yur valuable input, dedicatin and cmmitment t the quality f life fr individuals and families in Windsr Essex. 10 Windsr Essex Cnsultatin n the Lng Term Affrdable Husing Strategy Renewal