2013 Annual Report for Housing Connections

Your options Your choices Your journey We will work with you to find your way to a housing solution that meets your needs

2013 Annual Report

You have options

About this report

Our Annual Report is structured around three priority areas in our three-year strategic business plan culture of service and continuous improvement business innovation and community engagement This year wersquore shedding more light on what we do and what itrsquos like to work at Housing Connections including stories from staff who work behind-the-scenes and on the front lines

The performance highlights section describes the actions we took in 2013 and what was accomplished with the leadership from our board and through the hard work and dedication of staff partners and stakeholders

The numbers facts and statistics in this document are based on reports ending on December 31 2013

Inside

Who we are 1

Who we serve 4

What we do5

Who we work with11

Performance highlights in 201313

Summarized fi nancial statements16

Leadership and decision-makers 17

wersquoll help you figure them out

Our vision

Decent affordable housing for all Torontonians

A message from the Chair and General Manager

Managing the centralized waiting list goes beyond collecting applications and administering eligibility rules We meet the people who desperately need affordable housing now and we promote the changing needs of this growing population

Our challenges are also complex The social housing policies rules and framework that we work in reflect the needs of Toronto a decade ago The cityrsquos aging social housing stock is not growing in size nor is it reflecting demographic shifts in demand And for many applicants itrsquos a puzzling system that takes time to understand

In this report yoursquoll see the type of data wersquore using to help inform the decision-making process of applicants The work we did in 2013 was critical in positioning us to move forward on

improvements we will implement in 2014 such as redesigning our website launching the My Choice Rental pilot and developing a customer service strategy

Our approach to service reflects the fact that most applicants wait an average of 85 years for subsidized housing While they wait we refer them to services they may need to help improve their situation right now We do this by identifying problems beyond their housing needs and maintaining strong relationships with community agencies

We believe that a stable place to live promotes dignity and is critical for leading an independent healthy life Our work is critical to helping people find their way home

Jennifer Wood Paul Chisholm Chair Board of Directors General Manager

Our mission We provide the pathway to

connect people to affordable and social housing

in Toronto

Who we are

Housing Connections manages the centralized waiting list for subsidized rental housing in Toronto and administers the cityrsquos rent supplement program A centralized waiting list is a system that makes sure all Torontonians have equal access to government-assisted housing options if they need it

We help the City of Toronto provide the public service of administering the centralized waiting list according to the rules set out in the Housing Services Act 2011 The rules determine who is eligible for subsidized housing and qualifies to be placed on the centralized waiting list

Our mandate as Torontorsquos central access point for fi nding and delivering subsidized housing options involves us in a wide spectrum of activities including

1 Housing Connections | Annual Report 2013

bull

bull

Helping low-income families people with disabilities seniors and youth understand their eligibility status and apply to be on the centralized waiting list

Making sure social housing landlords have a steady supply of potential tenants to fi ll their vacancies

bull Connecting every client with local community agencies and partners who offer other services they may need

bull Improving how applicants and the public access information across multiple channels (online over the phone in person) presented in consistent formats that are easy-to-use and understand

Our staff work to help Torontonians improve their living situation and make informed decisions about their housing options They are experts in

bull assessing applicantsrsquo eligibility status for subsidized rental housing

bull working together to make sure the information received from applicants advocates agencies and housing providers is entered accurately in our systems

bull connecting applicants with landlords who provide subsidized housing options and community agencies who can help them in other ways

bull knowing the latest information on the rules and requirements that govern how the social housing access system works This includes adapting and exploring housing programs that test new ways to improve the system

Annual Report 2013 | Housing Connections 2

Kevin Williams Applicant Representative

I grew up in social housing My mom was a single parent We lived through many of the same struggles that applicants do Irsquove also worked in social housing my whole career and Irsquove seen how stable housing gives people a chance at a bett er life

As a teenager I worked as a youth leader in the summers connecting young people with recreational programs Then I worked in a call centre as a maintenance enquiry clerk helping to dispatch fire trucks to buildings where alarms went off or elevators were stuck At Housing Connections I started as an administrative clerk dealing with lots of paperwork and now as an Applicant Representative Irsquom on the front lines answering questions from clients and housing providers to help people find affordable places to live

Itrsquos meaningful work As soon as someone gets their foot into housing they realize that they can pay rent and still have money left over to help their

family send their kids to school and put food on the table The simple things in life are not always so simple until you get a stable place to live

People tell me Irsquom patient My approach is to listen to people pour their hearts out figure out what their underlying problems are and then help address them with what I know

One day a lady in her 30s was having trouble ldquoThe simple things in using a computer in the

life are not always so Resource Centre I saw her frustration I didnrsquotsimple until you get a see that she was deaf I

stable place to liverdquo approached her to offer help but we had to figure out how to communicate

first We wrote notes back and forth It was slow at first but we both understood the barrier After a while it didnrsquot seem like a barrier because we were in a good rhythm It took 45 minutes to complete her application online She was so thankful she hugged me In her final note she wrote that she appreciated my help because she didnrsquot think someone would sit down and take the time to do it

We take the time to help people with all types of struggles every day


Who we serve

Toronto is home to more than 27 million people and almost a quarter live in poverty1 There are 93166 subsidized housing units across the city2 About 77109 active households are on the centralized waiting list today and the number of people that apply to be on the waiting list increases each year

About 5 of applicants accepted housing offers and were removed from the centralized waiting list in 2013 The rate that people move out of subsidized housing units is low This impacts how long people wait

Poverty rates and very litt le new construction means that the demand for affordable rental housing in Toronto will continue to exceed the supply Working low-income families individuals and seniors will continue to live in poverty without more ways to increase their household income

77109 households are waiting including

People who are 59 years and older living alone in couples and with families

People who are experiencing or who have experienced abuse

People who are living in shelters or on the street on any given night

People who have been medically diagnosed with two years to live or less

People who are looking for a wheelchair accessible unit

Households with two or more people

Seniors

24777

Victims of abuse

1568

Homeless 5237

Terminally ill

510

Physical disability

511

Families

23420 Singles or Couples

28912

Households with no dependents (children)

1 According to census data from Statistics Canada as of last July 1 2013 Torontorsquos population was 2791140 2 The number of units under administration by the Cityrsquos Social Housing Unit as of December 31 2013 including 2637 rent supplement units with private landlords


Awareness and education Create new applications

What we do Helping people understand their housing options and how to apply to be on the centralized waiting list is not all we do

As we guide someone through the process of learning how the waiting list system works creating an application

These numbers show the type of work we do while providing service to new and existing applicants

In 2013 we received 18287

new applications

updating their file and answering questions we learn about the needs they have that go beyond housing

Personal stories are full of opportunities to connect applicants to information programs or services offered by other organizations that they may need right now while they wait for a housing offer For example a single parent may need

75415 letters mailed to applicants

65070 callers asking to speak to an agent

5829 e-mail responses

4327 visits to our offi ce

50 presentations to share information with applicants and community partners

help to think through school locations and travel options a new immigrant may be interested in att ending career workshops or cultural services nearby and someone who has a language barrier may appreciate having the phone number for a language line or an interpretation service Wersquore a one-stop-shop for sharing helpful information

21676 applications received were new or existing applications that were reactivated

66 of applications are received by mail fax and in person

34 of applications are received online

44786 supporting documents received by mail fax online and in person


In 2013 we helped house 3702 applicants 1529 1031 772 314 47 9

bachelorsrooms 1-bedroom 2-bedrooms 3-bedrooms 4-bedrooms 5-bedrooms

Above The number of applicants who were housed in 2013 More than 40 were housed in bachelor units which reflects the large number of bachelors that make up Torontorsquos current subsidized housing stock

11902 acknowledgement letters mailed to tell applicants they were made eligible to be on the general waiting list

Eligibility is assessed in two phases once to be on the general waiting list and a second time if the applicant has requested a special priority status

1477 applications made eligible for special priority (SPP) status

82 of applications made eligible for SPP are for victims of abuse

18 of applications made eligible for SPP are for people facing a terminal illness

59993 applications and documents reviewed to maintain files

32014 letters mailed to confirm applicantsrsquo continued interest in being on the waiting list

To remain eligible applicants must notify Housing Connections of any changes throughout the year so that the information on their application is up-to-date Even if there are no changes applicants must contact Housing Connections once every 12 months to make sure their application stays active on the centralized waiting list

21586 letters mailed to applicants to confirm their PIN to log in and update their fi le online

1736 documents or lett ers received from agencies on behalf of applicants

4414 applications deactivated because the applicant cannot be reached

Inactive applications are cancelled after two years For homeless applicants inactive applications are cancelled after fi ve years

852 applications deactivated because the applicant requested it

367 applications deactivated because the applicant refused three housing offers

Assess eligibility Maintain files Deactivate files


Ermira Biba Administrative Assistant

I didnrsquot speak English when I moved to Canada 14 years ago My husband and seven-year-old son were my world I didnrsquot know where to go to send my son to school and how we were going to pay rent each month It wasnrsquot easy at first but I found my path I studied accounting in Albania When I came to Toronto I learned to speak English went ldquoIrsquom alwaysback to school and

Small details can have a big impact Though applicants never see us we are the first step on their journey to finding housing Applicant information comes to us by e-mail mail and fax I pay attention to every detail when entering information in our system to make sure it is accurate and that wersquove received all the right documentation My actions contribute to how fast their application is processed the number of calls

colleagues receive and their ability to provide up-to-date information When I receive someonersquos took every volunteer putting myself in the document I feel like theiropportunity I could applicantrsquos shoesrdquo fate is in my hands

Itrsquos been almost 10 years since I began at this company I started as a volunteer moved around in different positions where I worked directly with people looking for affordable rental housing and now I work behind-the-scenes on the administrative support team

I like working with people In my previous positions I advised clients on how to fill out their application and submit supporting documentation Today I do the detailed work of maintaining files and processing documents to support colleagues in providing service to clients

People donrsquot usually see us but Irsquom always putting myself in the applicantrsquos shoes One day I was asked to help an Albanian couple navigate through housing options for seniors They had applied for subsidized housing but needed another solution to improve their immediate living situation

I was able to help someone who is lost find a little bit of direction and clarity in a language they understand and it made a big difference I know because Irsquove been where they are before they were in the shoes I was wearing 14 years ago


Vincenzo Fazari Resource Centre Facilitator

The best part of my day is when I hear someone utter the words ldquothat makes senserdquo In the housing sector therersquos so much to know and itrsquos not easy figuring out what applies to you At 50 calls per day I spend a lot of time clearing up misconceptions explaining rules and hoping I can replace a callerrsquos frustration with a bit more

One day a man in his early 40s who was new to Canada came in for help He thought once he filled out an application the city would allocate him the next subsidized place that was available to live Thatrsquos not true When you donrsquot have the right information itrsquos easy to become frustrated

First he was living in a shelter and didnrsquot know that he could apply for a homeless disadvantage code Then

once he understood


understanding ldquotherersquos so much how the waiting list works he came in almostOver the past 9 years to know and itrsquos not every day for a month Irsquove worked with social easy fi guring out to update his locationhousing tenants and preferences He did hispeople who hope to be what applies to yourdquo research He wrote downsocial housing tenants

soon In my fi rst role I answered emergency maintenance calls from tenants and was able to give them a precise answer about when a repair person would come by to resolve their problem Today I work as a Resource Centre Facilitator providing information people need to apply to be on the centralized waiting list The difference is that I canrsquot give them a precise answer to when their problem of needing affordable housing will be resolved What we can do is give them as much information as they need to address their unique situation

addresses and looked at neighbourhoods in his spare time to see if they were close to work grocery stores family etc He took control of the process He decided where he wanted to live and how long he was willing to wait

He took the first bachelor unit that came up to get out of the shelter I advised him to get his name on the waiting list for a one bedroom unit right away He has a home now while he waits for a one bedroom unit I provided the options he made the decisions and hersquos living in a better place now

Why am I waiting

The length of time it takes for an applicant to move off the waiting list depends on 77109 the number ofmany factors including the area they want to live in the unit size they need the active households on the centralized number of housing choices they have selected and other housing needs they may have waiting list at the end of 2013

If you qualify for subsidized housing your application is placed on the centralized waiting list in a specifi c order This is called ldquorankingrdquo The government makes the rules about ranking The highest ranking applicant who has been waiting the longest receives a housing off er for the next vacancy in an area theyrsquove selected

Applications that qualify for a special priority status rank highest and receive the first housing off ers in this order

1 Victims of abuse

2 People with a medical diagnosis of two years to live or less

3 Households that live in subsidized units that are too large for them

1 year 2 3 4

65 of special priority applicants 75 of disadvantaged were housed in 6 months and applicants were housed 85 in 12 months within 3 years

Applications that qualify for a disadvantaged status receive one out of every seven housing off ers and include

bull People (including newcomers) who are living in a shelter or on the street

bull Youth who are 16 or 17 years old at the time of applying

bull Parents with children in the care of Child Protection Services because of their housing situation

Applications that are eligible to be on the general waiting list but do not qualify for special priority or disadvantaged status are ranked in chronological order based on the date the application was created

5 6 7 8 9 10+ years

Of the applicants who are still on the centralized waiting list

68 0-5 years have been24 5-10 years waiting for8 10+ years



Location location location

Each housing location has a waiting list These lists are created based on the choices applicants make when creating their applications Applicants can choose individual buildings or a general area they prefer to live in The 15 zonesareas are shown on the map below

Once your application is deemed eligible your name is immediately placed on all the waiting lists you have applied and qualifi ed for Your name could appear on several diff erent waiting lists and you may have a diff erent ranking number on each of

6 - 7 years

8 - 9 years

10 - 11 years

12 - 13 years

Zone map The average waiting time of applicants who were housed in one bedroom units in 2013 This exludes applicants with priority and disadvantaged status The table (right) shows the same data broken down by unit size

Right ldquonardquo means there were less than 5 or no units housed in that zone in 2013

5

1 2 15

13 14 10 6

3

4

7

8 9

11 12

Zone bachelor 1-bed 2-bed 3-bed 4-bed 5-bed

1 5 7 7 8 6 na2 4 10 13 7 7 43 6 9 8 10 7 na

4 6 8 6 18 na na

5 4 9 10 12 na na6 5 10 7 na na na7 6 8 9 2 15 na8 6 13 14 16 na na9 5 7 7 16 7 510 4 8 10 12 na 911 8 8 7 na 12 na12 4 6 8 na na na13 5 10 9 7 10 na14 4 8 6 8 9 na15 7 6 na 15 10 na

those lists Your position on the waiting lists changes as new applicants with diff erent priority status are added and application preferences are updated For this reason Housing Connections cannot tell you what number you are on the centralized waiting list

The fastest way to receive a housing off er is to choose as many locations as possible The more desirable a location the longer the wait The more specifi c or limited the preferences are the longer the wait

We donrsquot know when each applicant will be offered housing

Bloor St W

Lawrence Ave EYong

e St

Vic

tori

a Pa

rk A

ve

Who we work with

Government policy funding and research partners

The municipal government administers the legislation and funding of social housing services in Toronto Housing Connections partners with the City of Toronto to communicate changes to applicants and housing providers about policies and rules that govern how the centralized waiting list is managed This partnership includes supporting advocacy efforts for aff ordable housing testing new ways of improving how applicants access subsidized housing in the current system and coordinating the delivery of time-limited rent support programs when funding is available

A traditional rent supplement agreement is when an eligible household pays a geared-to-income amount to a private landlord and Housing Connections pays the landlord the difference between the amount the household pays and the established market rent for the unit

Rent supplement programs provide long-term rent-geared-to-income (RGI) funding from the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing This funding allows eligible households to pay a subsidized rental rate while living in a private market unit in various locations across the city This program expands the number of units available without the need to build new social housing units in the city It also allows flexibility in terms of matching the number and size of units available with current demographic needs This flexibility is determined by the City of Toronto and Housing Connections delivers this service on behalf of the City In 2013 Housing Connections worked with more than 125 landlords in over 230 developments to deliver this rent supplement service to about 2700 households on the centralized waiting list

At HomeChez Soi was a four-year $110 million research project in five cities that aimed to provide practical meaningful support to Canadians experiencing homelessness and mental health problems Participants were provided with a place to live and then offered recovery-oriented services and supports that best met their individual needs This is referred to as a ldquohousing firstrdquo approach Each city had a different

area of focus In Toronto the focus was on ethno-racialized populations including newcomers to Canada About 286 applicants were housed through participating The research led by the Mental Health Commission of Canada officially ended in March 2013 and the National At HomeChez Soi Final Report was released in April 2014

Housing allowance programs are designed to help address the affordability issues of households in need across the province during economic slowdowns The programs target households currently on the waiting list and a few other groups selected by the City Applicants selected to participate in the housing allowance programs received assistance to pay their market-set rent where they lived while remaining on the centralized waiting list

The latest programs ran between 2005 and 2013 with fi nancial assistance payments to the last participants ending in March 2013 Housing Connections helped transition approximately 800 participating households into the Toronto Transitional Housing Allowance Program administered by the City

Housing Connections | Annual Report 2013 11

Landlord partners

Social housing providers rely on Housing Connections to manage the waiting lists for their properties so they can fill their vacancies with eligible applicants right away

Social housing units are made available at subsidized or geared-to-income rental rates The majority of the subsidized housing stock available is publicly-owned and managed by Toronto Community Housing A smaller number of units are managed by privately-owned charities community-based co-operative or non-profit housing providers In 2013 social housing providers made more than

2 23

8

93166 22 The number of

subsidized units in Toronto 63

15000 offers before 3702 households could be moved off the waiting list

Housing Connections also works with private landlords to make some of their market-priced units available at subsidized rates by entering into rent supplement agreements Private landlords benefit from Housing Connectionsrsquo ready supply of tenants and support in managing tenancies to reduce vacancy loss Itrsquos also an opportunity for private landlords to give back and be socially responsible

Housing Connections inspects the units before a landlord can participate in the program to make sure they are clean fit for living in a satisfactory state of repair

Toronto Community Housing (TCH)

Non-Profit Housing Corporations

Co-operatives

Rent Supplement (Private Landlords)

Affordable Housing (Non-Profit incl TCH)

Affordable Housing (Private)

and in compliance with all applicable Building and Fire Code requirements

During the tenancy there is continuous communication between Housing Connections and the private landlordrsquos site staff to ensure proper payment and program administration This includes an annual review of the responsibilities outlined in each agreement

In 2013 Housing Connections filled 113 units with applicants from the centralized waiting list through the rent supplement program

Community partners

Housing Connections works with community agencies and city-run housing help centres to provide applicants and potential applicants with information about subsidized housing and other aff ordable housing options across the city There are 38 organizations in Housing Connectionsrsquo Community Partners Network (a listing is on page 15) Many partners provide service in multiple languages and specialized support in areas such as emergency housing employment settlement legal health and more

Source The City of Torontorsquos Shelter Support and Housing Administration Division



2013 is the third year of a three-year strategic Culture of service and continuous improvementbusiness plan that focuses on three areas

We strive to provide applicants and housing bull Culture of service and continuous improvement providers with excellent service We go beyond

administering the waiting list We learn about bull Business innovation the unique needs of each applicant behind the

bull Community engagement file A long waiting list means many people These priorities guide Housing Connections wait for years before a subsidized housing in developing organization-wide initiatives that work towards making sure all opportunity becomes available to them We try Torontonians have access to affordable to find ways to connect them to the help they housing options need right now and educate them about the

decisions they can make to have more control over how long they wait

bull Reduced the call centre response time and queue by implementing voicemail technology that provided callers with more automated self-service options

bull Reduced turnaround time for assessing requests for special priority status by redistributing workload amongst staff to a more balanced approach

bull Developed a better understanding of the volume of customer demands and streamlined processes to improve workfl ow in alignment with legislative timelines for processing electronic and paper documents


bull Worked with the city in support of the Cityrsquos Access Review to improve how we manage access to housing by reviewing local rules mandates of buildings and identifying gaps and bott lenecks in the administration of the centralized waiting list This included starting a six-month pilot called My Choice Rental to test a new way of involving applicants in choosing where to live and how long they will wait

bull Developed a customer service survey with support from key stakeholders to better understand customer satisfaction applicant needs and the perception of those recently housed

Business innovation

We are continuously testing new ways to improve how affordable housing is delivered and how applicants access service As a leader in housing program delivery Housing Connections shares best practices and lessons about how housing programs work on the ground Wersquore in a position to suggest how to improve future programs because we deal with the people directly impacted every day

bull Improved the consistency of decision-making reduced administrative burden and improved service by aligning the Annual Income Review process for the Rent Supplement Program with Toronto Community Housingrsquos process

bull Promoted efficiency and a high service standard to landlords and internal business units and reduced redundant work by improving the capabilities of the Housing Management System used to administer the rent supplement program

bull Reduced staff time involved in the annual confirmation of interest process by promoting automated self-service tools

bull Began the procurement process for hiring a vendor to redesign Housing Connectionsrsquo website and make it more accessible with improved self-service features for applicants


Community engagement

We create connections and partnerships in the communities that we serve We work with community agencies advocates and other networks throughout the city to make sure that we provide a high standard of service for applicants Getting information to our community partners who work with applicants and potential applicants every day helps us connect people to aff ordable housing options and additional support services they may need to stay independent healthy or housed

bull Completed the recruitment of a Board Advisory Council which will ensure policy decisions are discussed with a broad stakeholder group representing the views and interests of applicants providers and other key stakeholders

bull Built stronger relationships in the Rent Supplement Program to better support vulnerable tenants and promote improved landlord relationships

bull Worked with the Cityrsquos Affordable Housing Offi ce and developers to provide additional housing options for applicants by mailing information direct to applicants and securing affordable housing units for the Rent Supplement Program

bull Held agency fairs to encourage collaboration cross-sector training and idea-sharing and in turn foster more comprehensive support for applicants and a better understanding of their needs

AWIC Community and Social Services Agincourt Community Services Association Albion Neighbourhood Services Brsquonai Brith Canada Birkdale Residence Bloor Information and Life Skills Centre Catholic Crosscultural Services Community Action Resource Centre

Community Centre 55 COSTI EastThe York Housing Help

Community Centre Elizabeth Fry Toronto

Partners Etobicoke Housing Help CentreNetwork Family Residence Flemingdon

Neighbourhood Services Fred Victor Midaynta Community Services Mid-Toronto Community Services Native Menrsquos Residence Neighbourhood Link Support Services Polycultural Immigrant amp Community Services Robertson House Scarborough Centre for Healthy Communities Scarborough Housing Help Centre Seaton House Sistering South Asian Womenrsquos Centre St Stephenrsquos Community House Streets to Homes Tesoc Multicultural Settlement Services The Assessment and Referral Centre The Redwood Toronto Christian Resource Centre Unison Health and Community Services West Toronto Housing Help Services Womenrsquos Residence WoodGreen Community Services


Summarized fi nancial statements

2013 2012 2011 Revenue $ $ $

Operating Subsidies (City of Toronto) 5540520 5536000 5349951 Housing Allowance Administration 240404 526344 340344 Rental Services 468831 Interest and Sundry 5147 2480

5780924 6067491 6161606 Program Grants Commercial Rent Supplement 12809475 12423144 12250599 Strong Communities Rent Supplement 11432762 11136792 11644122 Housing Allowance Pilot (585) (609) (4494) Housing Allowance Roll Out 319056 2535301 3676775 Mental Health Commission 440008 1848754 1887416 Short Term Rent Support Program 319365 1510383 1659575

25320081 29453765 31113993 Total Revenue 31101005 35521256 37275599

Expenses Salaries and benefits 3874036 4297017 4369190 Landlord payments 25270729 29354414 31039814 Recoverable expense Mental Health Commision 49352 99349 249934 Staff expense 8016 4139 14740 Offi ce 927821 569717 563287 Systems 439024 282188 275457 Professional services 339194 216804 242870 Administrative and other 32301 10016 11651 Interest 75450 75450 75450 Depreciation 38463 38686 67511 Total Expenditures 31054386 34947780 36909904

Excess(Deficiency) of revenues over expenses 46619 573476 365695


Leadership and decision-makers

Board of Directors

The board is responsible for making policy and operational decisions leading shareholder direction and following related legislation and regulations Members as of June 2014 include

Jennifer Wood Chair Jason Gorel Brian Kwan Councillor Cesar Palacio Greg Spearn (interim)

Internal Review Panel

The panel is a group of independent community members who meet regularly to represent various interests including private citizens shelters housing providers and other community agencies Members as of June 2014 include

Judy Berger Bernard Blais Patsy Duffy Iris Fabbro Lynn McCormick Angela Reyes Kevin Speicher Douglas Stuart Jean Teoh

Housing Connections | Annual Report 2013

Board Advisory Council

This council was created in 2013 to provide advice to the Board and General Manager on how business decisions may impact applicants The Councilrsquos reports are intended to support informed positive and proactive decision-making but the council itself does not have decision-making authority Council members represent the interests and perspectives of the City of Toronto social housing providers community agencies advocates of applicants private landlords and other social sector organizations or partners Members as of June 2014 include

Hellen Haziprodromu Chair Monica Cop Vice Chair Brian Davis Morgan Harris Mary Jankulak Gobal Mailwaganam Amy Pothier Michael Ramdharry Marianne Rodrigo Evadne Shirley Vera Voroskolevska

17

The team

Just over 50 people work at Housing Connections Staff work in one of three teams responsible for administering the rent supplement program processing administrative information related to the centralized waiting list and delivering customer service over the phone via e-mail or in person at the Resource Centre


Many ways to get you home

176 Elm Street Toronto ON M5T 3M4 4169816111 askhousingconnectionsca wwwhousingconnectionsca

You have options

About this report

Our Annual Report is structured around three priority areas in our three-year strategic business plan culture of service and continuous improvement business innovation and community engagement This year wersquore shedding more light on what we do and what itrsquos like to work at Housing Connections including stories from staff who work behind-the-scenes and on the front lines

The performance highlights section describes the actions we took in 2013 and what was accomplished with the leadership from our board and through the hard work and dedication of staff partners and stakeholders

The numbers facts and statistics in this document are based on reports ending on December 31 2013

Inside

Who we are 1

Who we serve 4

What we do5

Who we work with11


Summarized fi nancial statements16

Leadership and decision-makers 17


Our vision












in Toronto

Who we are





bull

bull























Who we serve











Seniors

24777

Victims of abuse

1568

Homeless 5237

Terminally ill

510

Physical disability

511

Families


28912









new applications














































once he understood






Why am I waiting




1 Victims of abuse



1 year 2 3 4







5 6 7 8 9 10+ years








6 - 7 years

8 - 9 years

10 - 11 years

12 - 13 years



5

1 2 15

13 14 10 6

3

4

7

8 9

11 12


1 5 7 7 8 6 na2 4 10 13 7 7 43 6 9 8 10 7 na

4 6 8 6 18 na na





Bloor St W

Lawrence Ave EYong

e St

Vic

tori

a Pa

rk A

ve

Who we work with










Landlord partners



2 23

8








Co-operatives







Community partners
















Business innovation




















2013 2012 2011 Revenue $ $ $



25320081 29453765 31113993 Total Revenue 31101005 35521256 37275599





Board of Directors










17

The team






Our vision












in Toronto

Who we are





bull

bull























Who we serve











Seniors

24777

Victims of abuse

1568

Homeless 5237

Terminally ill

510

Physical disability

511

Families


28912









new applications














































once he understood






Why am I waiting




1 Victims of abuse



1 year 2 3 4







5 6 7 8 9 10+ years








6 - 7 years

8 - 9 years

10 - 11 years

12 - 13 years



5

1 2 15

13 14 10 6

3

4

7

8 9

11 12


1 5 7 7 8 6 na2 4 10 13 7 7 43 6 9 8 10 7 na

4 6 8 6 18 na na





Bloor St W

Lawrence Ave EYong

e St

Vic

tori

a Pa

rk A

ve

Who we work with










Landlord partners



2 23

8








Co-operatives







Community partners
















Business innovation




















2013 2012 2011 Revenue $ $ $



25320081 29453765 31113993 Total Revenue 31101005 35521256 37275599





Board of Directors










17

The team















in Toronto

Who we are





bull

bull























Who we serve











Seniors

24777

Victims of abuse

1568

Homeless 5237

Terminally ill

510

Physical disability

511

Families


28912









new applications














































once he understood






Why am I waiting




1 Victims of abuse



1 year 2 3 4







5 6 7 8 9 10+ years








6 - 7 years

8 - 9 years

10 - 11 years

12 - 13 years



5

1 2 15

13 14 10 6

3

4

7

8 9

11 12


1 5 7 7 8 6 na2 4 10 13 7 7 43 6 9 8 10 7 na

4 6 8 6 18 na na





Bloor St W

Lawrence Ave EYong

e St

Vic

tori

a Pa

rk A

ve

Who we work with










Landlord partners



2 23

8








Co-operatives







Community partners
















Business innovation




















2013 2012 2011 Revenue $ $ $



25320081 29453765 31113993 Total Revenue 31101005 35521256 37275599





Board of Directors










17

The team





Who we are





bull

bull























Who we serve











Seniors

24777

Victims of abuse

1568

Homeless 5237

Terminally ill

510

Physical disability

511

Families


28912









new applications














































once he understood






Why am I waiting




1 Victims of abuse



1 year 2 3 4







5 6 7 8 9 10+ years








6 - 7 years

8 - 9 years

10 - 11 years

12 - 13 years



5

1 2 15

13 14 10 6

3

4

7

8 9

11 12


1 5 7 7 8 6 na2 4 10 13 7 7 43 6 9 8 10 7 na

4 6 8 6 18 na na





Bloor St W

Lawrence Ave EYong

e St

Vic

tori

a Pa

rk A

ve

Who we work with










Landlord partners



2 23

8








Co-operatives







Community partners
















Business innovation




















2013 2012 2011 Revenue $ $ $



25320081 29453765 31113993 Total Revenue 31101005 35521256 37275599





Board of Directors










17

The team





bull

bull























Who we serve











Seniors

24777

Victims of abuse

1568

Homeless 5237

Terminally ill

510

Physical disability

511

Families


28912









new applications














































once he understood






Why am I waiting




1 Victims of abuse



1 year 2 3 4







5 6 7 8 9 10+ years








6 - 7 years

8 - 9 years

10 - 11 years

12 - 13 years



5

1 2 15

13 14 10 6

3

4

7

8 9

11 12


1 5 7 7 8 6 na2 4 10 13 7 7 43 6 9 8 10 7 na

4 6 8 6 18 na na





Bloor St W

Lawrence Ave EYong

e St

Vic

tori

a Pa

rk A

ve

Who we work with










Landlord partners



2 23

8








Co-operatives







Community partners
















Business innovation




















2013 2012 2011 Revenue $ $ $



25320081 29453765 31113993 Total Revenue 31101005 35521256 37275599





Board of Directors










17

The team

















Who we serve











Seniors

24777

Victims of abuse

1568

Homeless 5237

Terminally ill

510

Physical disability

511

Families


28912









new applications














































once he understood






Why am I waiting




1 Victims of abuse



1 year 2 3 4







5 6 7 8 9 10+ years








6 - 7 years

8 - 9 years

10 - 11 years

12 - 13 years



5

1 2 15

13 14 10 6

3

4

7

8 9

11 12


1 5 7 7 8 6 na2 4 10 13 7 7 43 6 9 8 10 7 na

4 6 8 6 18 na na





Bloor St W

Lawrence Ave EYong

e St

Vic

tori

a Pa

rk A

ve

Who we work with










Landlord partners



2 23

8








Co-operatives







Community partners
















Business innovation




















2013 2012 2011 Revenue $ $ $



25320081 29453765 31113993 Total Revenue 31101005 35521256 37275599





Board of Directors










17

The team










new applications














































once he understood






Why am I waiting




1 Victims of abuse



1 year 2 3 4







5 6 7 8 9 10+ years








6 - 7 years

8 - 9 years

10 - 11 years

12 - 13 years



5

1 2 15

13 14 10 6

3

4

7

8 9

11 12


1 5 7 7 8 6 na2 4 10 13 7 7 43 6 9 8 10 7 na

4 6 8 6 18 na na





Bloor St W

Lawrence Ave EYong

e St

Vic

tori

a Pa

rk A

ve

Who we work with










Landlord partners



2 23

8








Co-operatives







Community partners
















Business innovation




















2013 2012 2011 Revenue $ $ $



25320081 29453765 31113993 Total Revenue 31101005 35521256 37275599





Board of Directors










17

The team





































once he understood






Why am I waiting




1 Victims of abuse



1 year 2 3 4







5 6 7 8 9 10+ years








6 - 7 years

8 - 9 years

10 - 11 years

12 - 13 years



5

1 2 15

13 14 10 6

3

4

7

8 9

11 12


1 5 7 7 8 6 na2 4 10 13 7 7 43 6 9 8 10 7 na

4 6 8 6 18 na na





Bloor St W

Lawrence Ave EYong

e St

Vic

tori

a Pa

rk A

ve

Who we work with










Landlord partners



2 23

8








Co-operatives







Community partners
















Business innovation




















2013 2012 2011 Revenue $ $ $



25320081 29453765 31113993 Total Revenue 31101005 35521256 37275599





Board of Directors










17

The team





Why am I waiting




1 Victims of abuse



1 year 2 3 4







5 6 7 8 9 10+ years








6 - 7 years

8 - 9 years

10 - 11 years

12 - 13 years



5

1 2 15

13 14 10 6

3

4

7

8 9

11 12


1 5 7 7 8 6 na2 4 10 13 7 7 43 6 9 8 10 7 na

4 6 8 6 18 na na





Bloor St W

Lawrence Ave EYong

e St

Vic

tori

a Pa

rk A

ve

Who we work with










Landlord partners



2 23

8








Co-operatives







Community partners
















Business innovation




















2013 2012 2011 Revenue $ $ $



25320081 29453765 31113993 Total Revenue 31101005 35521256 37275599





Board of Directors










17

The team









6 - 7 years

8 - 9 years

10 - 11 years

12 - 13 years



5

1 2 15

13 14 10 6

3

4

7

8 9

11 12


1 5 7 7 8 6 na2 4 10 13 7 7 43 6 9 8 10 7 na

4 6 8 6 18 na na





Bloor St W

Lawrence Ave EYong

e St

Vic

tori

a Pa

rk A

ve

Who we work with










Landlord partners



2 23

8








Co-operatives







Community partners
















Business innovation




















2013 2012 2011 Revenue $ $ $



25320081 29453765 31113993 Total Revenue 31101005 35521256 37275599





Board of Directors










17

The team





Who we work with










Landlord partners



2 23

8








Co-operatives







Community partners
















Business innovation




















2013 2012 2011 Revenue $ $ $



25320081 29453765 31113993 Total Revenue 31101005 35521256 37275599





Board of Directors










17

The team





Landlord partners



2 23

8








Co-operatives







Community partners
















Business innovation




















2013 2012 2011 Revenue $ $ $



25320081 29453765 31113993 Total Revenue 31101005 35521256 37275599





Board of Directors










17

The team

















Business innovation




















2013 2012 2011 Revenue $ $ $



25320081 29453765 31113993 Total Revenue 31101005 35521256 37275599





Board of Directors










17

The team


















2013 2012 2011 Revenue $ $ $



25320081 29453765 31113993 Total Revenue 31101005 35521256 37275599





Board of Directors










17

The team






Board of Directors










17

The team





The team





2013 Annual Report for Housing Connections

Documents

Transcript of 2013 Annual Report for Housing Connections