[homeles_ot-l] Fwd: HNO action alert! Help ensure Ontario's social housing system changes for the better!

[Rob MacDonald]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Yutaka Dirks (ACTO) <dirksy at lao.on.ca>
Date: Thu, Mar 17, 2011 at 5:33 PM
Subject: HNO action alert! Help ensure Ontario's social housing system
changes for the better!
To: "Yutaka Dirks (ACTO)" <dirksy at lao.on.ca>




Please forward widely:



The government is changing the social housing system in Ontario:

Let’s make sure it changes for the better!



On November 29, 2010, the Ontario government introduced its long
awaited Long Term Affordable Housing Strategy.  The government failed
to make any new investments in affordable housing, but did agree to
replace the troublesome Social Housing Reform Act, which sets out the
rules for social housing tenants and housing providers.  The
Government promised that the new Housing Services Act would make sure
the affordable housing system ‘put people first’.  The new law does
not do nearly enough.



If the government is serious about a housing program that focuses on
positive results for low-income Ontarians, the new Housing Services
Act must be changed to:



1. Prevent the privatization and sell-off of social housing:

Affordable housing strengthens the foundation of communities and is an
important public asset. The Housing Services Act should make it
illegal for municipalities to reduce the number of units of social
housing.



2. Restrict punitive rent-geared-to-income rules:

Tenants on social assistance who live in social housing should not be
worse off if they find a job. The Housing Services Act should protect
tenants from rapid, unfair rent hikes if their income rises.



3. Improve fairness for tenants:

Tenants need an independent review process when disputing decisions
made by housing providers, such as cancelling a rental subsidy.  The
people reviewing the decisions should not be the co-workers of the
people who made them in the first place. The Housing Services Act
should mandate the creation of an independent panel to consider these
disputes.



4. Introduce Inclusionary housing:

One of the fastest and fairest ways to create stable, equitably
accessible, affordable housing is to ensure that it is built into any
new development.  The government needs to amend the Planning Act to
allow municipalities to introduce inclusionary housing policies.



5. Social Housing providers need a fair appeals process:

Under existing legislation, co-ops and non-profits have not had the
ability to seek an independent review of Municipal Service Manager
actions or decisions that did not involve costly court proceedings.
The Housing Services Act must introduce an independent, fair and
transparent appeals process for housing providers.



Tell the government that this opportunity to improve Ontario’s
affordable housing system cannot be wasted.



Take Action NOW:



1. Copy this email and add your own reasons for the government to make
these changes, then send it to the Standing Committee on Justice
Policy , BEFORE MARCH 31, by emailing the clerk at:
trevor_day at ontla.ola.org



2. Call/email your MPP and tell them that the new Housing Services
Act, must be changed to better protect tenants and promote affordable
housing.



Even with these changes, the Housing Network of Ontario knows that the
Ontario government needs to meaningfully address the housing crisis by
improving the long-term affordable housing strategy by introducing
bold targets and timelines and funding for:

New affordable housing units and repairs to rundown housing.
A housing benefit and rent regulation to close the gap between low
incomes and rising rents.
Supports and services to help people access and maintain housing they
can afford, and to ensure equitable, inclusive communities.



You can view the proposed legislation at:

http://www.ontla.on.ca/web/bills/bills_detail.do?locale=en&BillID=2440&detailPage=bills_detail_the_bill&Intranet=



For more information on the Housing Network of Ontario visit:

www.stableandaffordable.com



or email: dirksy at lao.on.ca




-- 
Rob MacDonald,
Advocate for Tenants

"Warriors, warriors we call ourselves.  We fight for
splendid virtue, for high endeavour, for sublime wisdom,
therefore we call ourselves warriors."
Aunguttara Nikaya