SUPPORTS ITEM NO. 3
CS&B COMMITTEE AGENDA
JULY 27, 1995
ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT
Date: July 7, 1995
Dept. File No. 3461
TO: Standing Committee on City Services and Budget
FROM: Manager of the Housing Centre
SUBJECT: Grant - Y.W.C.A. Vancouver Housing Registry
RECOMMENDATION
THAT Council approve a 1995 grant of $126,622 for operation of
the YWCA Vancouver Housing Registry, representing a 3% increase
over the 1994 grant level; source of funds to be 1995 'Other'
Grants Budget.
GENERAL MANAGER'S COMMENTS
The General Manager of Community Services RECOMMENDS approval of
the foregoing.
COUNCIL POLICY
The City supports low and moderate income tenants through the
development of social housing, rate of change and strata title
conversation provisions, and through funding housing informa-tion and
relocation services.
Approval of a grant requires eight affirmative votes.
PURPOSE
This report recommends Council approval of the 1995 request of
$126,622 from the Vancouver Housing Registry.
BACKGROUND
In April 1988, the Vancouver YWCA, responding to a proposal call from
the City of Vancouver and the British Columbia Housing Management
Commission (BCHMC), contracted to establish a housing registry in the
City of Vancouver. This is a service provided to both landlords and
tenants. The funding for the Vancouver Housing Registry (VHR) has
been cost shared 46/54 percent by the City and the Province (BCHMC)
respectively. Despite being a service that the City has contracted
for, the source of the funding has been 'Other' Grants.
On June 2, 1994, a grant of $122,934 was approved by Council as the
City portion of the annual funding for the period January 1, 1994 to
December 31, 1994.
Services Provided
The Vancouver Housing Registry is a free listing service for landlords
and tenants. Landlords are encouraged to list vacancies, at no cost,
with the service. Tenants are able to access vacancy listings, use
telephones provided and speak with housing councillors for assistance
with their housing search.
Information is available on applications for seniors and family non-
profit housing and cooperatives in addition to market rentals. The
service works on a self-help model, supported by Registry staff. The
vast majority of tenants who use this free service are low income and
have special needs. Many live near the margin of homelessness.
The City is getting good service from the Vancouver Housing Registry.
The City's original proposal call was based on a service estimated at
300 client contracts per month. The use of the service has grown
every year of operation and currently is averaging well over 3,000
client contacts per month.
The services provided by the Housing Registry are used by a wide range
of government and community-based service organizations. A partial
list of agencies the VHR works with includes: various emergency
shelters, transition houses, health units, Persons With Aids, MOSAIC,
Ministry of Social Services, seniors' centres, mental health workers,
native agencies.
There is a growing trend toward greater complexity of problems
presented by Registry clients - particularly clients with physical
and/or mental disabilities and multiple lifeskill problems. The
Registry has been especially useful to clients for whom discrimination
or illiteracy is a barrier to finding housing. Many clients do not
own telephones and cannot afford public transit.
Staff from the VHR have made presentations and lead discussion on
housing and tenants' rights with Project Parent, Immigrant Services
Society, the Downtown Eastside Women's Centre, and Elizabeth Fry
Society.
VHR maintain a strong working relationship with the Tenant Assistance
Program and the other City supported relocation services, sharing
listings of vacancies, accepting referrals of tenants and providing
backup when Tenant Assistance staff are unavailable.
Funding Request
The registry originally sought a budget increase greater than the 3%
ceiling set by the BCHMC for its share and by the City for its. The
registry has revised its budget to comply with the 3% maximum
increase, and can operate successfully within the revised budget.
The 1994 and 1995 registry budgets, and the provincial and City
shares, are as follows:
1994 1995
BCHMC $151,476 $156,020
City $122,934 $126,622
TOTAL $274,410 $282,642
BCHMC has approved the provincial share of $156,020 of the 1995
registry budget, and it is recommended that the City's share of
$126,622 be approved as well.
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