Providing the Basics
Ensuring that one of life's basic needs – shelter – is available to all citizens of York Region was once again the mandate of the Housing Committee. Through a wide variety of programs and services, York Region's Housing Committee, the Region of York Housing Corporation and the Department of Community Services and Housing continued to make inroads in addressing the challenges associated with affordable housing.
Building New Relationships
In preparation for the devolution of social housing responsibility to the Region anticipated for January 1, 2001, the Region undertook a number of initiatives to strengthen relationships with social housing providers in York Region.
In November of 1999, the Housing Committee hosted a forum for Housing Providers in order to offer an opportunity for information sharing, dialogue and consultation around devolution issues. A great deal of information and ideas were shared at this forum and the information will be very helpful in the future.
Another new relationship began in 1999 when the City of Vaughan's Non-Profit Housing Corporation contracted out its property management services to the Region of York Housing Corporation.
Federal Transfers
Local services realignment contemplated a transfer to the Region of over 5,000 units of provincially-administered social housing. In November of 1999, the Province of Ontario and the federal government reached a new social housing agreement that will result in the additional transfer of approximately 800 units of federally-administered social housing to the Region for administration.
This transfer is anticipated to take place in early 2001.
Homelessness Initiatives
In July of 1999, Regional Council approved the formation of the York Region Homelessness Task Force, under the chairmanship of Regional Councillor Tony Wong. The mandate of the Task Force is to identify long-term strategies to address and prevent homelessness in York Region.
Work Teams were created to provide recommendations in the areas of building community capacity, services and supports to the homeless and increasing the affordable housing supply.
The Region also provided direct assistance to several community agencies serving those at risk of homelessness through the Homelessness Initiative Fund. The Fund supported a wide variety of programs, including: a new youth drop-in centre in the Richmond Hill area; a mobile outreach van service operated through a partnership of community agencies, including the Region's Health Services Department; and a public information telephone line linking people to available beds.
The Costs of Pooling
The Region continued to send significant financial resources to the City of Toronto for social housing costs, as legislated by the Province of Ontario. In 1999, the Region sent $37.6 million for social housing. In 1998, the Region sent $34.8 million.
Regional Council passed several resolutions in 1999 asking for an end to the pooling of social housing costs and more accountability as to how the funds are assessed and spent.
Caring for the Elderly
One of the highlights in 1999 was the official opening of a new facility for seniors in Keswick Gardens, a municipal non-profit seniors' apartment building operated by the Housing Corporation. The new Keswick Gardens Adult Day Centre, operated by the Health Services Department, provides supervised activities in a group setting for cognitively impaired individuals.
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