TORONTO: Operators with 81 years of combined experience in providing supportive housing and support services have been named for the first phase of the City of Toronto’s modular housing initiative.
The Neighbourhood Group (TNG) and COTA Health (Cota) are the successful proponents of the Request for Proposal (RFP) to operate the first phase of the City’s modular housing initiative.
Together, these two not-for-profit organizations will be operating and providing support services at both at 11 Macey Avenue and 150 Harrison Street for a 35-year term starting this fall.
The Neighbourhood Group, a community-based organization, and United Way Anchor organization, helps over 60,000 vulnerable people by delivering programs and services that create opportunities to improve and enhance lives and help people to live independently and with dignity in the community.
With a 100-year+ history serving Toronto neighborhoods, The Neighbourhood Group has 36 years of experience specializing in owning and operating high-quality affordable and supportive rental housing.
They bring strong property management and housing team dedicated to supporting residents of modular buildings. Cota is an accredited, community-based organization that has been supporting adults with mental health and cognitive challenges to live well within their communities for more than 45 years. Cota is also a member of the Steering Committee of the Toronto Alliance to End Homelessness (TAEH) and is committed to the objectives of ending the experience of chronic homelessness in Toronto, in part through the creation of deeply affordable supportive housing alternatives for people in need.
Jointly, TNG and Cota bring the proven expertise and qualifications needed to support the 100 people who will be moving into the City’s modular housing this fall and help to ensure they have the support they need to transition from homelessness to being successfully housed.
The operators will provide 24/7 on-site staffing and will be able to offer the following supports to tenants at each site:
• Housing stability and eviction prevention
• Personal recovery relating to mental health and substance use challenges
• Establishing Personal Crisis Response Plans with each tenant and the offering of situational crisis supports
• Assistance with medication reminder and safe storage
• Harm reduction and relapse prevention counseling supports
• Support with daily living activities
• Rent collection and arrears payment plans
• Connections with community supports and other services such as:
– Primary care healthcare
– Volunteer and employment opportunities
– Income assistance programs including Ontario Works, Ontario Disability Support Program,
Public Guardian and Trustee as well as banking services Mayor John Tory said: “Supportive housing combines affordable housing with coordinated services, and can truly make a difference in peoples’ lives.
The pandemic has further highlighted the need for supportive housing and I am very pleased to be working with The Neighbourhood Group and COTA Health to provide this as part of our modular housing initiative. Leveraging the experience of these two organizations will be critical to creating positive housing outcomes for our residents.”
Deputy Mayor Ana Bailão, (Ward 9 Davenport), Planning and Housing Committee Chair, said: “Often people experiencing chronic homelessness have more complex challenges and require supports to find and maintain permanent housing. Our goal is to create affordable housing that works for the people who need it most and we know that providing support is part of the equation for many.
That is why our HousingTO 2020-203 Action Plan calls for providing support services to 18,000 individuals and families through supportive housing.”