Body: RULAC Type: Document Meeting: Regular Date: Date unknown Collection: Documents Municipality: Frontenac County
[View Document (PDF)](/docs/frontenac-county/RULAC-JM/Joint Management/12/01/30/Report 11-265 Extreme Clean Program.pdf)
Document Text
CITY OF KINGSTON
REPORT TO COUNCIL
Report No.: 11-265 TO:
Mayor and Members of Council
FROM:
Lanie Hurdle, Commissioner, Community Services
RESOURCE STAFF:
Lee Campbell, Acting Manager, Housing Department
DATE OF MEETING:
November 1, 2011
SUBJECT:
Extreme Clean Program – Approval to enter into a Service Agreement with Housing Help Centre, Kingston Home Base Non-Profit Housing Corporation
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: In response to recent situations involving residents of social housing who have disabilities giving rise to hoarding behaviours, the City of Kingston has undertaken an Extreme Clean Program (ECP) as part of overall efforts to avoid eviction. This program is developed and funded through the Service Manager which administers housing for both the City of Kingston and Frontenac County. To this end, the Program has been developed to assist both private sector and social housing renters residing within the City of Kingston and Frontenac County. Eligible applicants must have a disability which is the primary cause of living with hoarding behaviours and due to such behaviours are at risk of losing their rental accommodation. Funding assistance will be provided on a case-by-case basis, to assist eligible tenants who have been confirmed to meet ECP eligibility criteria. Approved funding is used to cover reasonable costs to remove debris and clean the rental unit to a level of health and safety which allows for continued and sustainable occupancy by the tenant. Persons participating in the ECP must meet ECP eligibility criteria. Access to funding is one time only within a 12 month period. Participation in this program is voluntary. For the fiscal period 2011, the City of Kingston approved program funding in the amount of Twenty Thousand Dollars ($20,000). The County of Frontenac’s share of this program is 4% which is based on the percentage of RGI units is in the County compared to RGI units in the City. Funding levels for subsequent years is annualized and will be adjusted based upon statistical information, experience and program refinement.
REPORT TO COUNCIL Extreme Clean Program Service Agreements November 1, 2011
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Report No.: 11-265
Delivery of this service will be through the Housing Help Centre, Home Base Housing as this agency delivers an eviction prevention program. The Housing Help Centre, Home Base Housing, is deemed to be the most appropriate agency to deliver the Extreme Clean Program as it has a sufficient number of staff who are knowledgeable about hoarding behaviours and are currently providing eviction prevention services. RECOMMENDATION: That the City of Kingston enters into an Extreme Clean Program Service Agreement with Housing Help Centre, Kingston Home Base Non-Profit Housing Corporation in a form satisfactory to the Director of Legal services, and that the Mayor and Clerk be authorized to execute the Agreement.
REPORT TO COUNCIL Extreme Clean Program Service Agreements November 1, 2011
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AUTHORIZING SIGNATURES:
Lanie Hurdle, Commissioner
Gerard Hunt, Chief Administrative Officer
CONSULTATION WITH THE FOLLOWING COMMISSIONERS: Cynthia Beach, Sustainability & Growth
N/R
Denis Leger, Transportation, Properties & Emergency Services
N/R
Jim Keech, President and CEO, Utilities Kingston
N/R
(N/R indicates consultation not required)
Report No.: 11-265
REPORT TO COUNCIL Extreme Clean Program Service Agreements November 1, 2011
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Report No.: 11-265
OPTIONS/DISCUSSION: In response to recent situations involving residents of social housing who have disabilities giving rise to hoarding behaviours, the City of Kingston has undertaken an Extreme Clean Program (ECP) as part of overall efforts to avoid eviction. As this program is developed and funded through the Service Manager which administers housing and homelessness services for both the City of Kingston and Frontenac County, it was deemed essential to provide extreme clean service to both private sector and social housing renters residing within the City of Kingston and Frontenac County. To enhance effectiveness, program development was done in conjunction with the Kingston Hoarding Coalition and is supported by over thirty (30) community agencies. Delivery of this service will be through the Housing Help Centre, Home Base Housing. The Housing Help Centre, Home Base Housing, is deemed to be the most appropriate agency to deliver the Extreme Clean Program as it has a sufficient number of staff who are knowledgeable about hoarding behaviours and are currently providing eviction prevention services. Eligible applicants must have a disability which is the primary cause of living with hoarding behaviours and due to such behaviours are at risk of losing their rental accommodation. Eligibility is determined by an ECP Assessment Team consisting of the Housing Help Centre, Frontenac Community Mental Health Services and sometimes a referring agency. Medical information in the form of a signed referral from a physician, psychologist, Frontenac Community Mental Health Services Worker or Community Agency with medical history/documentation is required. Confirmation that the tenancy is at risk of termination may be in the form of a copy of a Notice to Vacate the Premises (N4) issued by the Landlord, and/or a letter from the landlord confirming their intent to terminate the tenancy or an Order from the Fire Department to return the unit to a safe condition by a specified date. For eligible applicants, the Housing Help Centre will arrange for a contractor to access the unit and remove all items that are not deemed essential for the day-to-day living. Items will be removed to a degree that the unit is returned to a safe and healthy environment suitable for the continued occupancy of the tenant. The tenancy must be deemed to be sustainable by the ECP Assessment Team with regard to: The tenant’s willingness to access ongoing supports to address hoarding behaviours, The cost to make the accommodation suitable to sustain a tenancy is reasonable, (i.e. if there is continued risk of eviction due to actual or potential damage to the rental unit, which may be uncovered upon unit clean-up and it precludes that such high repair costs for the landlord or tenant would make the tenancy unsustainable for the purpose and intent of the ECP, the tenant would not be considered eligible for the ECP)
REPORT TO COUNCIL Extreme Clean Program Service Agreements November 1, 2011
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Report No.: 11-265
Only those units which can be cleared of unnecessary items and cleaned to a reasonable condition to meet adequate health and safety levels so that it can be considered suitable for continued occupancy will be considered for the ECP eligibility. If relocation to an alternate accommodation is considered to be the best solution ECP eligibility will be denied. Tenants who do not meet the above criteria will not be considered eligible for ECP services. Program access is available on a one-time -only basis within a twelve (12) month period. External Consultation Susan Beckel, Deputy Clerk, County of Frontenac EXISTING POLICY/BY LAW: N/A NOTICE PROVISIONS: N/A ACCESSIBILITY CONSIDERATIONS: N/A FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS: For the fiscal period 2011, the City of Kingston approved program funding in the amount of Twenty Thousand Dollars ($20,000). The County of Frontenac’s share of this program is 4% which is based on the percentage of RGI units is in the County compared to RGI units in the City. Future budgetary commitments will be based upon historical data, statistical information, ongoing program requirements and program refinements. CONTACTS: Lanie Hurdle, Commissioner, Community Services
613-546-4291 ext. 1231
OTHER CITY OF KINGSTON STAFF CONSULTED: Alan McLeod, Senior Legal Counsel Desiree Kennedy, Director, Financial Services Mary McIntyre, Housing Programs Administrator, Housing Department Rob Rowe, Housing Programs Administrator, Housing Department EXHIBITS ATTACHED: n/a
