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Historical

The Tenant Advisory Committee is a product of the Hamilton Tenant Education Project. Its membership included a number of tenants who collectively had a multitude of issues. It was hoped the Tenant Advisory Committee would provide political leverage and access to those people, including Hamilton City Council, who could help TAC members find solutions to their concerns.

It was determined that the committee could best achieve its objectives by becoming an advisory committee to Hamilton City Council. In the spring of 2003, council determined that a tenant advisory committee would be worthy of consideration and this committee was established and five members were declared.

Once established, it was clear that the mandate of the committee needed to be clarified. Many of the original issues no longer applied, if they ever did. The committee became mired in emerging into a City advisory group. Of the original five members, only two attended monthly meetings in the winter of 2005. Despite this inertia, City liaison people recommended that the committee remain and be re-constituted with newly appointed members. Applications for membership were called for and applicants were interviewed.

The Tenant Advisory Committee meets on the second Friday of every month. Dates and times are available by calling the Housing Help Centre Resource Desk (905)526-8100.

The committee currently has four community members and a staff community development worker.
The following Terms Of Reference for TAC are in draft form and under review.

Terms of Reference (Draft)

Mandate

A volunteer citizens committee of the City of Hamilton reporting to the Social Services Committee of City Council. The Committee will provide information, advice, recommendations and advocacy regarding residential tenancy issues and policies that would improve the overall well-being of tenants in Hamilton.

Objectives

  • To identify systemic and policy issues facing tenants and provide advice and recommendations to the City regarding these matters.
  • To advocate for and provide recommendations to the City on policy issues affecting tenants that require further action with the municipal, provincial and federal governments.
  • To develop strategies for information dissemination and education to tenants regarding tenant issues including legal rights and obligations of tenants.

Membership

  • The Committee will comprise seven members as follows:
    • A majority (at least four members) will be tenants. Ideally tenant members represent as wide a cross section of the community as possible (e.g. social housing, private market housing, seniors housing etc.
    • A maximum of three members will be representatives from community agencies/groups that work with tenants and have common interests with tenants (e.g. legal clinics, Housing Help Centre etc.). Ideally community members will be tenants as well.
    • Membership will not include individuals who represent landlords or property management companies.
    • The Manager of Tenant Support Services, Housing Branch will be the City Staff liaison to the Committee and will participate as an ex-officio member of the committee. Other City staff will be invited to participate on an as needed basis.
    • The Committee may decide to invite other guests/participants to attend, but guests would not be permitted to vote or participate in the decision making process affecting Committee business.
  • A membership term expires with the term of Council
  • Vacancies will be filled in one of the following ways:
    • Committee passes a motion to recruit more members through a public advertising mechanism; or
    • Committee identifies an interested individual and passes a motion to request their appointment.
      In either scenario, once individuals are identified, they must be appointed to the Committee by Council through the Social Services Committee of Council.

Committee Chair

Members will decide and appoint a chair of the Committee from its own membership.

Agenda

The Chair will prepare the agenda and request items for the agenda two weeks prior to the meeting. The agenda will be distributed to members in advance with attached minutes of the previous meeting.

Minutes

  • Minutes will be compiled and distributed at least one week prior to the meeting.
  • Approved minutes will be forwarded to the Social Services Committee of Council.

Frequency of Meetings

Approximately eight to ten meetings will be held during the year. Additional meetings may be held or scheduled meetings cancelled at the discretion of the Chair.

All Tenants have:

  • The right to housing that is affordable, 30% of a family’s gross income.
  • The right to freedom from harassment and discrimination in housing.
  • The right to be heard by housing management.
  • The right to safe, secure, sanitary and humane housing.
  • The right to fair and accountable management.
  • The right to be treated with courtesy and respect in one’s housing.
  • The right to be a member of a tenants’ association that is supported by the city.
  • The right to have property by-laws followed and enforced.
  • The right to access all government services and financial assistance programs, including Community Start-Up Benefit.
  • The right to fair and equitable housing legislation and an objective body to enforce it.

Call for Members

TAC is looking for people interested in forwarding our work. If you are interested in participating, please email Tenant-Ed@housinghelpcentre.ca.


Tenant Organizing Links

  • Advocacy Centre for Tenants Ontario (ACTO) www.acto.ca/
    ACTO works to better the housing situation of Ontario residents who have low incomes including tenants, co-op members and people who are homeless.
     
  • Centre for Equality Rights in Accommodation (CERA) www.equalityrights.org/cera/
    CERA is a non-profit human rights organization that promotes human rights in housing.
     
  • Social Planning and Research Council (SPRC) www.sprc.hamilton.on.ca
    SPRC 's goal is to improve the quality of life for the citizens of Hamilton through strengthening the community's understanding of social problems, developing strategies and the community's capacity for addressing these problems and assisting community groups to implement these strategies.

Last Revised July 31, 2009