The eviction and death of social housing tenant Al Gosling made national headlines. Gosling died in October 2009 after having lived for 21 years at a Toronto Community Housing Corporation (TCHC) building. At age 81, Gosling was evicted for failure to pay rent. He subsequently became homeless and died of an infection five months later.

The case spurred a close examination and overhaul of TCHC’s internal, eviction and mental health policies:

• Mental Health Framework
• Eviction Prevention Policy for Non-payment of Rent (Arrears)
• Report on the Eviction of Al Gosling and the Eviction Prevention Policy of Toronto Community Housing Corporation.

The recommendations in the report highlighted a troubled relationship between the role of social housing landlord and tenants with mental health issues. And the events themselves have left housing providers wondering about the right way to go. While these policies have been implemented within TCHC they illustrate the complicated dynamic faced sector-wide by social housing landlords.

Social+Housing: The Extra Responsibility of the Social Housing Provider

The first recommendation made in the Report on the Eviction of Al Gosling is that “TCHC must better communicate its mandate. It is a landlord, not a direct provider of social work services.”

While this may seem straightforward, it is often not the case for two key reasons.

First, social housing is home to a high percentage of vulnerable residents, many having mental health issues. In housing this population, the role between being strictly a landlord and providing a support service becomes, at times, difficult to navigate.

Second, the responsibility of the social housing landlord is not restricted to providing housing. The same recommendation also notes that TCHC “must assist tenants to identify, locate and contact appropriate support services.”

The result is that social housing landlords do not play the same role as a commercial landlord, nor are they support workers; instead in addition to their building-related responsibilities, they are responsible for identifying those with mental illness and connecting them with the appropriate service.

Challenges and Possibilities

The current system depends heavily on the social housing landlord’s ability to initiate connections with existing services and organizations while juggling their day to day responsibilities. There are also other challenges:

• Support services are often funded by a different level of government, adding complexity to the landlord’s connecting job
• Residents may not accept the services provided by an outside agency
• Outside services may simply not exist within the area

For any of the policies or recommendations to be successful, the disconnect between support services and the population living in social housing must be remedied. Rather than relying exclusively on the social housing landlord to initiate the connection, it seems logical that support services should also initiate interactions with social housing landlords.  The differing needs of residents require a policy approach that is multifaceted and versatile, one that promotes relationships with relevant supportive agencies and clarifies the role confusion that social housing landlords often face.

It is important to note that out of the recent influx of mental health and eviction prevention policies and recommendations there is no singular benchmark for success. However what is apparent within these policies and recommendations is that by expanding what it is to be a landlord, while continuing to function as a landlord, tenants with mental health issues can receive both the help they may need and a stable place to live.

Image Credit: Melissa Goldstein

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about how lucky I am to experience being both a resident and a change agent in my neighbourhood of Alexandra Park. As our neighbourhood goes through community consultations, design charrettes, and meetings related to the Revitalization of Alexandra Park, I reflect on how working with communities has allowed me to meet great people, learn new things and has given me the great feeling of knowing that I’ve made a difference in someone’s life.

My real-life experience working in my own community and several other communities combined with my background in Urban Planning has strengthened my belief of the importance of an inclusive, bottom-up, participatory approach to developing and strengthening communities.

Building strong communities means going beyond “bricks and mortar” to ensure individual well-being, economic and social inclusion, financial and environmental sustainability, and building on the capital that already exists.  A comprehensive, inclusive approach must be taken in order to ensure healthy communities and shared ownership.  Working with communities is something I truly value and I’ve learned some simple lessons I’d like to share.

I’ve compiled a list of 10 tips that I’ve found to be effective in building strong relationships within communities.

1. Introduce yourself in a friendly way:

• Let people know who you are, where you’re from and why you are there; be yourself

2. Take your time and observe your environment:

• When you are in a new environment, take the time to understand your surroundings. This is important to getting to know the people you are working with

3. Use connecting language and tone:

• Use language that is clear, straightforward  and easily understood by everyone

4. Look for informal leaders in the community:

• Take advantage of this asset. Informal leaders already have the trust and respect of the community, even if they don’t have a formal role

5. Learn from local expertise:

• Though you may be a subject matter expert for the project, be sure to incorporate the knowledge and strengths of the people you are working with – you can learn from the experiences they share with you

6. Work with the community:

• It’s a partnership, where everyone is equally valued
• Have an idea of what you will be working on, but leave room for the community to plan with you
• If there are aspects of the project you want to include, ensure that the people you are working with are onside
• Make sure you are all working together with mutual intentions
• If your partners want to make any changes, be flexible and work together to find alternatives

7. Ensure everyone feels that their voices are heard:

• It’s important to pay attention and listen actively to your partners; wait for them to finish speaking before voicing your view

8. Be honest, accountable and well-intentioned:

• Be truthful and straightforward with your ideas and keep in mind that you will be held accountable for the ideas and actions you put forward

9. Value working with communities:

• Recognizing the value and importance of working with communities depends on  your genuine support and understanding of the positive benefits

10. Use professional judgment:

• Working with communities requires professional judgment; while theory is important, unforeseen circumstances may require that you be practical and use good judgment and common sense to deal with difficult matters as they arise

These tips work. Using them can save time, improve relationships, ensure a seamless and successful partnership and create positive successful outcomes for everyone involved!

Every summer, London & Middlesex Housing Corporation (LMHC) run a residential Garden Project to brighten up the common and family spaces in their community. This year 116 participants at 20 different properties took park in the Project. With their gardening supplies in hand, as provided by LMHC staff, residents select the area in which they wish to work and undertake the planting, watering and weeding themselves.

Social Housing Today interviewed Michelle Lynne Goodfellow, LMHC’s Development Coordinator and project lead of the Garden Project, to learn more about the project.

Q: When did the garden project begin and how did the idea to integrate community gardens come about?

The Garden Project started four years ago; we wanted to challenge the stereotype of public housing as being uninviting and barren. With a limited budget for landscaping and beautifying our properties, we invited tenants to tend the gardens themselves. We gave our avid gardeners an opportunity to exercise their green thumbs and allow the community to benefit from the beautiful gardens.

Q: Can anyone participate in the garden project?

All interested tenants are invited to participate in groups of two or more at our high rise buildings. This year, for the first time, tenants from our family sites were not required to work in teams tending to gardens in the common areas. They could also order plants for their own yards.

Q: How is it decided what gardening supplies and plants will be provided to residents?

The tenants are given a modest plant budget within which they may choose the plants and supplies that they wish. Over the years they’ve ordered everything from the usual annuals and perennials to rose bushes, ornamental grasses, herbs and grass seed.

Q: Do any of the gardens grow fruits or vegetables? If yes, what do you do with it?

A couple of the tenant groups have chosen to grow vegetables in their garden areas. They harvest and use the vegetables themselves, or share them with other tenants.

Q: Who judges the gardens and what criteria are they judged on?

Two LMHC staff members and one member of the LMHC Board of Directors have judged the gardens every year. Criteria for judging include the choice of plants for the individual growing conditions (shade, sun), the design of the gardens/placement of plants, how well the gardens have been maintained (weeding, watering, trimming or dead-heading) and overall impression.

Q: Has the garden project made an impact on the community? If so, how?

The gardens have improved the appearance of all the participating sites. It has also increased tenant pride in their homes, as well as beautifying our neighbourhoods.

At our Limberlost family site, a team project located at one of the common areas on an outer boundary of the property immediately attracted positive community attention. The tenants worked hard to make the area attractive, and even asked for paint to touch up a property sign within the flower bed they were tending. We later learned that community members passing by the area on daily walks also assisted by removing any litter present.

Q: What tips would you give other housing providers who are interested in starting a similar garden project?

As with all projects of this size, the Garden Project requires a lot of behind-the-scenes staff time to coordinate the notices, plant orders, judging and prizes. So you should make sure to plan your schedule and time accordingly to accommodate project activities.

Now that the contest has ended, the LMHC Garden Project participants will continue to maintain the gardens throughout the entire growing season. Congratulations to the team from 10 York Street in Newbury for winning first place for a third year in a row.

See this year’s Garden Project Results