Q2 (April 1 to June 30, 2021) to Board of Directors

NOTE: Effective May 30, 2021, Niagara Regional Housing (NRH) moved to a ‘fully integrated model’ whereby NRH staff joined Niagara Region and became part of the Community Services department. The NRH Board continues to provide governance for Public Housing (i.e. “Owned Units”). As a result, future Quarterly Reports will include only NRH-related information.

Recommendation:

That Niagara Regional Housing Quarterly Report April 1 to June 30 31, 2021 be APPROVED and FORWARDED to the Public Health and Social Services Committee and subsequently to Regional and Municipal Councils for information.

Submitted by:	Approved by:
Donna Woiceshyn Chief Executive Officer	Walter Sendzik Chair

Highlights:

Appliction Activity 680 received & processed	Work Orders 2,449 issued
Capital Program 34 purchase orders issued 6 public tender closed 16 project ongoing	Rent Arrears = $119,774.34 or 9.05% of the monthly rent charges
Community Resources & Partnerships Offered supports to 376 new referrals Had partnerships with 14 community agencies	Non-Profit Housing Programs 61% deemed HEALTHY
Rent Supplement/Housing Allowance 1,742 units 9 new landlords	Niagara Renovates 2021-2022 inspections commenced 17 homeowners are approved for funding
Welcome Home Niagara 3 homeowners received assistance	Housing First Project 3 Individuals / families housed
Appeals = 11 5 upheld 6 overturned	New Development Hawkins/Dell approximately 80% complete

As the administrator of social housing for Niagara Region, Niagara Regional Housing (NRH) works to fulfill our vision and mission through six main areas of responsibility:

1. Public Housing (NRH Owned Units)
2. Social Housing
3. Rent Supplement Program
4. Affordable Housing Program
5. Service Manager Responsibilities
6. Housing Access Centre and Centralized Waiting List

DAY-TO-DAY MAINTENANCE:

In Q2, 2,449 work orders were issued, representing $955,700.80. $3,875.38 of this amount was charged back to tenants who were held responsible for damages.

	2020-Q2	2020-Q3	2020-Q4	2021-Q1	2021-Q2
# of work orders issued	2,303	2,656	2,500	2,532	2,449

Work orders continued to be lower in Q2 due to COVID-19; emergency maintenance continued within COVID guidelines.

CAPITAL PROGRAM:

The Capital Program is responsible for maintaining the Public Housing (NRH Owned Units) asset and planning for future sustainability.

In Q2, 34 purchase orders were issued and six tenders closed.

The Capital Program was responsible for 16 capital projects and 34 purchase orders valued at $2,095,743:

• Projects
  • 479 Carlton Street – window replacements and wall system repairs
  • Scott Street – window replacements
  • 45 Ormond Street – window replacements
  • 15 Gale Crescent – parking lot replacement
  • 30 Robinson Street – exterior insulation and finish system
  • 4278 Huron Street – exterior insulation and finish system
  • 52 Ormond Street North – building renovations
  • 10 Old Pine Trail – bathroom replacements
  • Powerview Avenue/Galbraith Street/Wallace Street – bathrooms
  • 211 King Street – elevator modifications
  • Various locations - upgrading heating systems
• 15 RFPs and RFQs – various consulting services, elevator investigations, health and safety repairs, structural repairs (roofing) and pavement retrofits

As of June 30, 2021, $9,313,961 of the 2020 & 2021 budgets ($15,534,858), excluding emergency, has been committed and or actually spent (59%).

TENANT MOVE OUTS:

Move Outs By Reason

	2020-Q2	2020-Q3	2020-Q4	2021-Q1	2021-Q2
# of move outs	57	90	68	49	77

ARREARS:

NRH Housing Operations actively works to reduce rent arrears but saw a continued increase in 2021-Q2 due to COVID-19 and tenants not paying rent due to the provincial no eviction order.

	Jun 30, 2020	Sept 30, 2020	Dec 31, 2020	Mar 31, 2021	Jun 30, 2021
Rent charges for the month	$1,289,907.00	$1,295,815.00	$1,309,353.00	$1,292,287.00	$1,322,811.89
Accumulated rent arrears	$110,958.69	$113,204.57	$115,555.92	$113,634.13	$119,774.34
Arrears %	8.60%	8.74%	8.80%	8.79%	9.05%

INSURANCE:

Nothing to report for Q2.

COMMUNITY RESOURCES AND PARTNERSHIPS:

Due to COVID-19, in Q2, we had partnerships with 14 community agencies across Niagara. As a result of these partnerships, 203 units¹ of support and enrichment activities were offered to tenants at NRH sites. Each partnership contributes to tenant lives and, in turn, the success of the Public Housing community as a whole:

¹Tracking for support and enrichment activities has changed – we are now tracking it by units. Each time a partner is in a community providing a support and enrichment program or activity, it is counted as one unit.

With the assistance of community partners, staff contacted all NRH senior tenants to facilitate bookings and transportation for both first and second COVID vaccines. Communication materials promoting the vaccine and offering NRH assistance were distributed to NRH communities and included translation documents noting the importance of the information and advising translation if needed.

There was a marked increase in criminal activity and social issues in NRH communities in Q2. This can likely be attributed to a combination of factors including the increase in mental health, addiction and family breakdown during the lockdown, the uncertainty of the pandemic, together with the eviction moratorium that prevented NRH from removing problematic tenants and the lack of positive activities due to the discontinuation of in-person community programs and closure of common spaces.

Also during Q1, CPCs offered supports to 376 new referrals of tenants in need of assistance. Of those new referrals, 51% were considered medium-high need, (e.g. child safety concerns, eviction, social issues, cognitive concerns). In particular, social issues continued to increase in NRH and Housing Provider communities, many of which stemmed from issues regarding noise. With stay-at-home orders, tenants and members are now home and more aware of, and sensitive to, the sounds of living in close quarters. NRH Community Programs Coordinators (CPCs) attempt to mediate as much as possible to prevent these issues from escalating.

Eviction Prevention and supports have been extended to Housing Providers and the Rent Supplement program on a pilot basis through Ontario Priorities Housing Initiative (OPHI) funding. There is one full-time Community Program Coordinator (CPC) for Non-Profits/Co-operatives and one dedicated half to Rent Supplement and half to assisting with NRH-Owned units.

As administrator of social housing for Niagara Region, NRH provides legislative oversight for 56 Non-Profit Housing Programs (non-profit and co-operative). Operational Reviews are conducted to determine the overall health of each.

	2020-Q2	2020-Q3	2020-Q4	2021-Q1	2021-Q2
Healthy	37	38	36	35	34
Routine Monitoring	21	18	18	17	17
Intensive Monitoring	0	2	3	2	2
Pre-PID (Project in Difficulty)	1	1	1	2	2
PID (Project in Difficulty)	1	1	1	1	1
TOTAL	60	60	59	57	56

During Q2:

• NRH/Housing Services continued to support providers by offering many education sessions and opportunities to connect (e.g. stress management, Safer Spaces and a mini virtual forum)
• One provider was lost due to End of Mortgage (EOM)
• The Capital Loan and Grant Program was rolled out with the call for business cases – any recipients will remain a part of Housing Services for an additional 15 years
• The Housing Administrator vacancy was filled to make a complete team who will work together to support the providers in each of their portfolios

Rent Supplement/Housing Allowance

In the Rent Supplement program, tenants pay 30% of their gross monthly income directly to the private landlord and NRH subsidizes the difference up to the market rent for the unit. The Housing Allowance program is a short-term program that provides a set allowance to help applicants on the wait list. In Q2, there were 1,742 Rent Supplement/Housing Allowance units across Niagara.

Canada-Ontario Housing Benefit (COHB)

The COHB is a portable rent benefit that helps applicants on the Centralized Waiting List pay their rent to their current landlord in the private market. In Q3, 230 applications for were sent to the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing on behalf of Niagara residents in need of housing. At the end of 2021-Q2, 311 of these applications had been accepted.

In-Situ Rent Supplement

An In-Situ Rent Supplement program has been developed to engage new landlords and offer applicants on the Centralized Waiting List an opportunity to receive Rent-Geared-to-Income assistance where they currently live. This removes the need for moving related expenses and broadens the network of landlords in business with NRH. In Q2, NRH initiated new agreements with nine new landlords.

	2020-Q2	2020-Q3	2020-Q4	2021-Q1	2021-Q2
Fort Erie	31	31	30	27	30
Grimsby	22	21	21	23	23
Lincoln (Beamsville)	14	12	12	12	11
Niagara Falls	226	220	213	218	215
Niagara-on-the-Lake	4	4	8	10	12
Pelham	17	17	17	17	16
Port Colborne	64	61	60	60	61
St. Catharines	751	712	701	715	716
Thorold	61	61	61	66	68
Welland	259	302	284	270	261
West Lincoln	16	16	16	16	18
COHB Region-wide		206	245	268	311/
TOTAL	1,465	1,663	1,668	1,702	1,742

Variance in the Rent Supplement program are a reflection of fluctuation between agreements ending and new agreements taken up with landlords.

NIAGARA RENOVATES PROGRAM:

The Niagara Renovates program provides assistance to low-to-moderate income homeowners for home repairs, accessibility modifications and the creation of secondary suites in single family homes. NRH received $651,871 through the Ontario Priorities Housing Initiative (OPHI) for all three streams of the program.

Inspections for new applicants for the 2021-2022 funding cycle have commenced. Inspections of completed work are being verified by homeowner photographs. Formal inspections will take place as soon as possible and will include all areas inside and outside of the home to ensure compliance with program guidelines. Issues will be identified and a detailed Inspection Report provided to the homeowner.

As of the New Year, new applications are beginning to be processed in order to begin work as quickly as possible in the spring.

17 homeowners are currently approved for funding and NRH is working toward streamlining the program as we become more proficient at working under the COVID rules.

HOMEOWNERSHIP PROGRAM – "WELCOME HOME NIAGARA":

The Homeownership program assists low-to-moderate income rental households to purchase their first home by providing a down payment loan.

In April 2021, NRH received $280,000 through the Ontario Priorities Housing Initiative (OPHI) program.

In Q2, three homeowners received assistance through Welcome Home Niagara.

	2020-Q2	2020-Q3	2020-Q4	2021-Q1	2021-Q2
# of homeowners assisted	5	7	7	4	3

HOUSING FIRST PROGRAM:

The Housing First program helps people move quickly from homelessness to their own home by providing supports to help difficult to house individuals find and keep housing.

In Q2, three individuals/families were housed through the Housing First program. Since 2012, Housing First has helped 467 individuals/families.

	2020-Q1	2020-Q2	2020-Q3	2020-Q4	2021-Q1
# individuals/families housed	13	9	7	13	6
# of Housing First units (at quarter end)	201	195	187	972	94

17 of these Housing First units were created with NRH’s new development at 527 Carlton Street in St. Catharines.

²Previous stats for Housing First (2012 to the end of 2020) included the original pilot agency numbers. With the New Housing First Agreement, pilot agencies continue to support their clients but are no longer considered Housing First – as a result, those stats have been removed from the numbers reported.

RENTAL HOUSING (NEW DEVELOPMENT & OTHER ACQUISITIONS):

NRH New Development

Project	Description	Managed / Operated by	Current Phase	Timeline	Proposed # of Units	Development Cost
1. Niagara Falls - Hawkins Avenue	Two 3-storey apartments	NRH	Construction – 3rd floor suites are nearly complete; finishes, prep & paint ongoing	Occupancy January 2022	73 total; 55-unit building and 18-unit building	$21 million
2. Welland – York Street & Duncan Street (POA land)	5-storey apartment – Modular construction	NRH	Rapid Housing Initiative (RHI) funding approval pending; anticipated 2021	Mandatory 12-month design-construction schedule	42 units, as per current Schematic Design	$13.5 million
3. Niagara Falls – Victoria Avenue	Retrofit / Conversion of 2-storey historic building to transitional housing with on-site medical services and support programs	NRH / Community Services	Design complete; tender issued for Design-Build contractor	Occupancy required December 2021	20 transitional housing units	$2.9 million
4. Niagara Falls – 5528 Buchanan Avenue	Retrofit / Conversion of 2-storey motel to shelter units	NRH / Community Services	Property acquired by NRH; Building Permit Drawings submitted; Construction phase pending	Occupancy required December 2021	25 units	$3.94 million
5. Fort Erie – Crescent Road	3-storey apartment – modular construction	NRH	Rapid Housing Initiative (RHI) Round 2 funding approval pending; anticipated October 2021	Mandatory 12-month design-construction schedule	18 units, as per allowable zoning	$6.5 million
6. Thorold	5-storey apartment	Thorold Municipal Non-Profit	Full Design Phase & Site Plan Agreement	Break ground May 2021; occupancy December 2022	60 units	$18 million; approved for $4.6 million in funding for brownfield remediation through the PTIF-SCF Small Communities Fund.
7. Fort Erie	10-storey apartment	NRH currently retained as Project Manager	Official Plan & Zoning Amendments approved; Federal Co-Investment funding application in progress	TBD – pending Co-Investment approval	62 units	$22 million
8. Port Colborne	Multi-unit apartment	NRH currently retained as Project Manager	Land acquisition / rezoning; Seed funding approved; Due Diligence work commenced	Break ground April 2022; building completion July 2023	40 units	$14.5 million
9. Smithville	Multi-unit apartment	NRH currently retained as Project Manager	Initiation – Seed Funding application draft complete	Break ground April 2022; building completion August 2023	52 units	$18.5 million
10. Welland	Affordable housing apartment building (CCHN); Condo building (Rankin)	CCHN (Charitable Cultural Holdings Niagara) & Rankin	City of Niagara Falls currently developing RFP	Break ground May 2021; occupancy June 2022	90 affordable units; 30 market condo units	Unknown
11. Regional negotiated RFP	Niagara Region negotiated RFP for housing development	Various owners	Design phase	TBD	Three projects representing 175 units total; 37%, or 65 units, to be affordable	$1.7 million to be divided between three proposed projects
12. Niagara Falls	Affordable housing apartment building	City of Niagara Falls	City of Niagara Falls currently developing RFP; land remediation ongoing	TBD	200 units – NRH to provide 50 subsidized RGI units	$60 million
13. St. Catharines & Thorold	Affordable 4-plex in St. Catharines; Duplex in Thorold	Oonuhseh Niagara Native Homes	Construction	Occupancy April 2021	6 units total	Unknown
14. Welland	3 acres of 5-acre owned land available for “Pocket Neighbourhood”; small, detached units (tiny homes?)	Southridge Community Church	Planning & Funding	TBD	24 units	Unknown
15. St. Catharines	Family townhomes	Local 175	Taking ownership April 30 2021	TBD	70 units	Unknown
16. Niagara Falls	Multi-unit apartment; Non-Profit Provider owns land	NRH currently retained as Project Manager; Niagara Falls Non-Profit Housing Corporation	Initiation	TBD	TBD	TBD

Affordable Housing Unit #'s by Municipality

	NRH Owned	Housing Providers	Rent Supplement	New Development
Fort Erie	116	354	44	0
Grimsby	55	0	23	0
Lincoln (Beamsville)	61	41	14	0
Niagara Falls	884	828	274	140
NOTL	40	0	8	0
Pelham	0	0	20	0
Port Colborne	88	139	71	35
St. Catharines	1,017	1,608	796	346
Thorold	29	85	70	46
Welland	394	425	341	167
West Lincoln (Smithville)	0	86	16	0
Region-wide	2,684	3,564	1,677	734*

as at December 31, 2020
Note: there are no affordable housing units in Wainfleet
*166 New Development units are NRH Owned

APPEALS:

In Q2, NRH continued to hear appeals virtually. In April and May, ten appeals were heard (five upheld, five overturned). On June 1, 2021, NRH appeals were separated from Housing Services appeals. There was one Housing Services appeal heard in June (overturned).

	2020-Q2	2020-Q3	2020-Q4	2021-Q1	2021-Q2
# of appeals	0	15	15	8	11

INVESTMENTS:

See Addendum #1.

APPLICATION ACTIVITY:

CENTRALIZED WAITING LIST:

		2020- Q2	2020- Q3	2020- Q4	2021- Q1	2021- Q2
		# of households
A	Rent-Geared-to-income (RGI) waiting list:
	Niagara resident RGI waiting list	5,264	5,296	5,425	5,507	5,671
	Applicants from outside Niagara	1,078	1,129	1,173	1,204	1,280
TOTAL RGI waiting list:		6,342	6,425	6,598	6,711	6,951
	Housing Allowance: a set allowance to help applicants on the waiting list with affordability in the private market until housed in an RGI unit	723	702	669	648	644
A1	RGI waiting list demographics:
	Seniors	2,487	2,506	2,557	2,564	2,639
	Adults no dependents	2,026	2,049	2,137	2,172	2,252
	Adults with dependents	1,829	1,870	1,904	1,975	2,060
A2	RGI list further segmented (#’s included in A & A1):
	SPP – Special Provincial Priority (Ministry Priority): helps victims of violence separate permanently from their abuser	142	128	132	116	114
	URG – Urgent (Local Priority): for applicants with mobility barriers and/or extreme hardship where their current accommodation puts them at extreme risk and/or causes hardship	144	135	153	152	156
	UHML – Homeless (Local Priority): provides increased opportunity for placement to homeless households	1,119	1,134	1,146	1,132	1,199
	SUP – Supportive/Transitional: provides targeted, provisional services to assist individuals to transition beyond basic needs to more permanent housing	10	11	11	10	18
B	In addition, NRH manages:
	Overhoused: households who are living in subsidized accommodation with more bedrooms than they are eligible for	173	157	145	145	145
	Transfer: households who are currently living in subsidized accommodation and have requested a transfer to another provider	637	660	656	675	683
TOTAL RGI households on waiting list managed by NRH:		7,152	7,242	7,399	7,531	7,779
C	NRH maintains a waiting list for market rent units (62 Non-Profit Housing Programs):
	Market: applicants who have applied for a market rent unit in the Non-Profit Housing Programs portfolio	805	808	829	861	910
TOTAL households on waiting list managed by NRH:		7,157	8,050	8,228	8,392	8,689
TOTAL individuals on waiting list managed by NRH:		14,180	14,429	14,737	15,125	15,741

Note: the above chart includes only those who apply to the Centralized Waiting List and does not capture the full number of those in need of affordable housing in Niagara.

ESTIMATED WAIT TIMES:

CITY	SENIORS Age 55 and older		SINGLES Age 16-54		HOUSEHOLDS WITH DEPENDENTS
	Bachelor	1 Bed	Bachelor	1 Bed	2 Bed	3 Bed	4 Bed	5 Bed
	YEARS
Forst Erie	-	11	3	7	2	2	6	-
Grimsby	-	5	-	-	-	-	-	-
Lincoln	-	6	-	10	6	10	-	-
Niagara Falls	5	7	-	18	5	5	12	16
Niagara-on-the-Lake	-	6	-	-	-	-	-	-
Port Colborne	-	8	-	12	5	3	4	-
St. Catharines	-	5	9	16	3	3	3	11
Thorold	-	7	-	13	3	11	-	-
Welland	-	6	7	16	7	3	8	7
West Lincoln	-	5	-	-	10	6	-	-

- no units of this size available in this community
January 2020

Please note:

• wait time information can fluctuate and is an approximation only
• wait times may not reflect the actual time one may wait for affordable housing