Stakeholder Advisory Committee (STAC) M I N U T E S (Approved) July 12, 2005 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Peel Room 10 Peel Centre Drive, Brampton Members Present: Candace Marston Ivy France John Osmond Roman Spektor Therese Baduria Vera Taylor Jacqueline Cooper Janice Peters Homestarts Incorporated(Co-Chair) (Acting Co-Chair) Ontario Non-Profit Housing Association Pathway Non-Profit Community Developments Inc. of Peel Precision Property Management Inc. Edenwood Seniors Village Tannery Gate Tower Co-operative Homes Inc. Supportive Housing in Peel Resource People and Other(s) Present: Natalie Evans Laura McCallum Ray Farrugia Susan Wilkin Member Regrets: Bruce Hynes Brenda Parris Lisa Mulholland Bruno Colavecchia Jerry Reitsma Paulette Vassell Diane Englehardt Judy Shaw Mary Jane McGinn Sophie Taylor-Donalds (Co-Chair) Catholic Cross-Cultural Services Peel Living Peel Living Forestwood Co-operative Homes Inc. Supportive Housing in Peel Homestarts Co-op Housing Federation Homestarts Incorporated Peel/Halton Co-operative Housing Federation of Canada
1. Call to Order The meeting was called to order at 2:00 p.m. Ivy France acted as Co-chair in Bruce Hynes absence. 2. Introductions All those present introduced themselves. The Co-Chair welcomed Vera Taylor, Edenwood Seniors Village. 3. Adoption of Agenda The agenda was adopted. 4. Approval of Minutes of Meeting June 7, 2005 The Minutes of June 7, 2005, were approved. 5. Business Arising from Previous Minutes Services for Homeless Nancy Duff will be sending a web link to Angela Laing to distribute to all housing providers concerning this information. RGI Vacancy Loss Incurred Meeting not yet scheduled due to Regional budget priorities. Housing Subsidy Fraud Confidentiality Deferred to next meeting. 6. Peel Region Housing Department Update New Rent Supplement Program (IF) Not much detail is available as yet. More information is expected by Fall. Benchmarks (LMc on behalf of JP) The Business cases were approved by Council on June 30, 2005. The Region prepared 19 business cases in total: seven business cases in Stage 1, (providers with December year ends), and twelve business cases in Stage 2, which were submitted to MMAH on July 8, 2005. Any feedback received from these providers was considered and if an agreement was reached, the business cases were modified accordingly. A few weeks ago, the Region advised MMAH that it could release benchmarks for all of the providers except those that have business cases, because at that time Council had not approved the business cases. The Region learned on July 8 that MMAH had not released benchmarks for any of the providers as it had misunderstood the Region s instructions. On July 8 the Region advised MMAH to release all of the providers benchmarks as soon as possible. MMAH advised the Region that its next scheduled mailing would be on July 15, 2005. Therefore,
MMAH will mail out all of the providers benchmarks on July 15, except for the 12 Stage 2 providers. For these providers, MMAH will send out their benchmarks either on July 29 or August 12 depending on how quickly it reviews the business cases. MMAH is currently working on an appeal process for providers. More information on the appeal process is expected to be forthcoming from MMAH by the end of July, 2005. CWL Update (IF on behalf of ND) PATH is carrying out an update of the Centralized Waiting List. 10,400 requests for updates have been sent out to applicants. The process should be finalized by October, 2005, and then updating will continue on an ongoing basis. MMAH Special Priority Policy Task Force (IF) There is nothing yet that can be provided to you, but the group is very active. ROP New Web Site Peel Builds (IF) Housing and Property is proud to launch Peel s newest web site, www.peelbuilds.ca Peelbuilds.ca profiles and updates the public and our stakeholders about Peel s new social housing initiatives. Currently featured on the site are Peel s four new affordable housing buildings recently completed or near completion: Millbrook Place, Summerville Pines, Peel Youth Village and Angela s Place. The link for this site will be forward to all housing providers by Angela Laing. For further information, please contact Drew Goursky 905-453-1300 Ext.3571. Fluctuating Employment Income (IF) The draft Fluctuating Employment Income evaluation report will be sent out to STAC within the next two weeks, and comments will be requested at the September meeting. Surveys (IF) Two surveys will be sent out to housing providers within the next two weeks. They are: 1. Training needs - from the Education and Training Strategy Subcommittee 2. Medical Priority Policy evaluation survey. STAC requested that these be sent via email as opposed to being mailed. 7. ONPHA Update 2005 ONPHA Conference, November 3-6 in Niagara Falls
The Conference Guide will be available by the end of this month. Registration and hotel booking can be done on-line at www.onpha.on.ca, and it is recommended that the hotel room be booked as quickly as possible. On-line Benchmark Analysis Tool A minor adjustment has been carried out to this on-line tool to make it compatible with final benchmarks, and it is now available for housing providers to look at. Surprisingly, although final benchmarks were sent to approximately one-half of our members, few comments or questions have been received regarding the impact of the benchmarks. Guide and Spread Sheet for Preparing Budget Under the New Funding Model This resource will be available in the near future to members at a minimal cost. 8. CHF Update CHF Conference Jacqueline Cooper reported that the CHF Conference held in June had been very successful and a great deal of information had been passed along to board members and providers. 9. Provider Updates and/or Issues No updates or issues were submitted for discussion. 10. Policies and Procedures Interim Overhoused Policy (IF) It was agreed that Geoff McIlroy will contact the volunteers from STAC (i.e. Therese Baduria, Mary Jane McGinn and Roman Spektor), and invite them to be part of a group that will discuss revisions to a proposed interim overhoused policy. Insitu Eligibility Policy (SW) Susan Wilkin provided a brief overview of the draft HIP Policies and Procedures #14. Candy Marston suggested the draft be sent to the providers, with a brief summary of changes, for final comments and back to Bruce Hynes as soon as possible. Sue Wilkin will work with Angela Laing on sending the draft to the providers. 11. General Discussion Energy Management Workshop (IF) There has been discussion at previous STAC meetings about holding a fall energy management workshop. The Education/Training Strategy sub-committee discussed this further and decided that it was premature to conduct this workshop. Preventative Maintenance Workshop (IF)
The Education/Training Strategy sub-committee suggested the potential of conducting a preventative maintenance workshop in the fall instead of an energy management workshop. The topic of workshops will be covered in the survey referred to earlier in these minutes. Following discussion, it was decided by STAC that no workshops will be held in the fall and Ivy France will advise the Education/Training Strategy subcommittee. 12. Other Business New Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (JO) This new Act has recently been proclaimed. The goal of the legislation is to have a barrier-free Ontario in 20 years. Several sub-committees have been formed to design the various standards that will address the full range of disabilities. More information is available from the Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration. 13. Future Agenda Items o False Fire Alarms (BH) o Pet Policy (BH) o Misrepresentation of Income o Eligibility Review Office o Education Strategy and Energy Management (Spring 2006) o SHPC Purpose and Guiding Principles (IF) 14. Next Meeting September 13, 2005 The next meeting will be held on September 13, 2005, 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. at Tannery Gate Tower Co-operative in Streetsville. No STAC meeting will be held in August, 2005. 15. Termination The meeting terminated at 3:00 p.m. :al Aug.11/05