Housing

Could #MeToo happen in your organization? Consider a Human Rights workshop

February 8th, 2018 by Celia Chandler

From Hollywood to Queen’s Park, every employer is thinking about how to make sure that employees are free from sexual harassment in the workplace.  This includes non‑profits which employ staff.  And it goes double for housing providers which must make an environment free from harassment and discrimination  for their employees and for their tenants or co‑op members.  No easy feat.  Our clients are educating themselves to be on top of this stuff.

Last weekend I spent a couple of hours with a housing co‑op board in Brampton delivering a workshop on human rights and the duty to accommodate;  next week I’m off to a Hamilton co‑op to do the same, this time for the board, staff and interested members.

If you’d like someone from our firm to come to your next board meeting for training on human rights or any other area of law where we practise, please ask.   We think our fees for these tailor‑made presentations are pretty reasonable.  And you know what they say ‑‑ an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

Free co-buying workshop: Jan 25th

January 2nd, 2018 by Iler Campbell

Co-buying is becoming an increasingly common means of accessing the real estate market for those who might otherwise not be able to afford a house of their own. A house co-purchased with with friends, acquaintances or family members can have segregated living spaces with all the privacy of apartment style living. Others might structure their co‑ownership with communal living ideals in mind – complete with shared household responsibilities. No matter how you do it, there are many considerations that go into co-buying a home.

Join us on Thursday, January 25, at the Centre for Social Innovation’s  Annex location for a discussion on what it takes to make housing co-ownership work.

We ran a similar workshop a year ago that sold out so be sure to claim your spot soon: See full details and register to attend here.

Our panellists are:

Safia J. Lakhani and Lauren Blumas
Lawyers, Iler Campbell LLP

Lesli Gaynor
Sales Representative with the Fridman Team
Forest Hill Real Estate Inc.

Lesley Tenaglia
Mortgage Agent – License # M10002427
Ultimate Mortgage and Finance Solutions Inc.

 

National housing strategy affirms that housing rights are human rights

December 14th, 2017 by Shelina Ali

This article was first published on rabble.ca

Last month, the federal government released what it is calling the country’s first national housing strategy(NHS). Some highlights include establishing a National Housing Co‑Investment Fund, providing support to provinces and territories to build a community-based housing sector, developing a First Nations National Housing and Infrastructure Strategy, and creating a portable rent supplement to assist families who are waiting for social housing.

Given the dismal outlook in Canada for access to affordable housing, there are many reasons to look skeptically at the commitments in the NHS. But from a legal perspective, the government has actually made a very significant acknowledgment that housing rights are human rights, and through the NHS, has affirmed Canada’s commitment to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, a multilateral treaty adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1966. This acknowledgment opens up a very real path to push for recognition that positive rights under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms exist. Achieving this would be a dramatic change to the human rights landscape in Canada.  Continue reading “National housing strategy affirms that housing rights are human rights”

Can a housing provider require disclosure of Henson trusts when considering rental assistance?

December 1st, 2017 by Elliot Fonarev

The Court of Appeal for British Columbia has just released a decision about asset verification for rental subsidy applicants who are beneficiaries of trusts. Though this decision is not binding in Ontario, it will be of interest to affordable housing providers here, as some of the same principles may apply.

The decision in S.A. v Metro Vancouver Housing Corporation (MVHC), helps shed light on the circumstances in which BC housing providers are allowed to request information about the contents or value of discretionary trusts (often called Henson trusts) when determining whether to grant or continue rental assistance. Henson trusts benefit disabled persons without affecting their ability to receive government benefits. Though the B.C. government does not consider Henson trusts as assets for the purpose of eligibility for disability assistance, the court said that MVHC was entitled to require the applicant provide information regarding a Henson trust when determining eligibility for a rental subsidy. In Ontario, Henson trusts are also not considered assets for determining eligibility for disability assistance under the Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) Act, 1997. But if the Ontario courts are swayed by this case, housing providers could seek information about Henson trusts for their internal discretionary rental assistance programs. This could be an important source of data for housing providers to help make decisions about how to allocate discretionary funds and determine eligibility for internal and external rental assistance or Rent Geared to Income (RGI) programs.

Continue reading “Can a housing provider require disclosure of Henson trusts when considering rental assistance?”

Catch us at the 2017 ONPHA Conference and Tradeshow!

October 30th, 2017 by Iler Campbell

Are you attending the 2017 ONPHA Conference and Tradeshow this weekend? Be sure to stop by our tradeshow booth! We’ll be at booth number 124 on Friday from 8‑3. We love seeing faces new and old. Chat about your legal needs and learn about the free legal education opportunities we have on offer. Plus, fill out a ballot for a draw prize!

We’re also participating in several sessions at the conference:

Lauren Blumas is co‑leading a session as part of Education Day on Friday November 3rd. Titled, “Consent, capacity and substitute decision-making: A housing perspective” the ½ day session will address how to help elderly tenants maintain successful tenancies in a way that respects their dignity and autonomy.

Lauren is also co‑presenter of session 501 on Saturday November 4th, titled “Breathing easier: Smoke-free non-profit housing” Learn the rationale behind establishing smoke-free buildings (including within individual units), and hear practical advice on implementing policies and legal guidance on creating and enforcing the policy.

Finally, Michael Hackl and Katie Douglas are presenting session 502 on Saturday on End of Operating Agreements titled, “EOA: Ensuring legal readiness.” They’ll address the many legal matters to consider as you prepare for your EOA.

Lessons for housing providers from the 2017 National Conference on LGBTTQIA2S Lives

October 3rd, 2017 by Elliot Fonarev

Montréal Pride (Fierté Montréal) hosted the 2017 National Conference on LGBTTQIA2S Lives in August. I had the privilege of attending as a student bursary recipient. The acronym, “LGBTTQIA2S” stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, transsexual, queer, intersex, asexual, and two-spirited – in this blog I also use the term “sexual and gender minorities” to refer to members of this community.

The conference brought together community and cultural partners, university researchers, and government representatives for a discussion of the important issues facing sexual and gender minorities across Canada today.  The workshops highlighted how different civil society groups, academics, businesses, and governments have approached civil and human rights, health and family rights, social and cultural issues, employment and workplace inclusion, migrant and refugee issues, and international issues and movements.  The topics focused on different realities and identities within the LGBTTQIA2S umbrella, raising a broad range of issues affecting different people in the community.  The overall theme that emerged from discussions was that although there have been many recent gains with respect to legal recognition and formal protections of sexual and gender minorities in Canada, many members of the LGBTTQIA2S communities continue to experience high levels of insecurity and marginalization and remain vulnerable in every sector of life.

One community in particular should be of interest to our clients who house and employ individuals from the LGBTTQIA2S communities: migrants and asylum seekers who are sexual and gender minorities.  One panel featured settlement workers who work exclusively with sexual and gender minorities in Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver, spoke of the difficulty that many of these individuals, particularly transgender migrants, experience in finding housing.  These individuals are at risk of encountering multiple kinds of discrimination due to the intersection of their status as migrants and sexual or gender minorities, and often race or ethnicity.  Many sexual and gender minorities who are not migrants and live in social housing communities also report feeling unwelcome and unsafe due to their sexual orientation or gender as well as other intersecting identities.

Continue reading “Lessons for housing providers from the 2017 National Conference on LGBTTQIA2S Lives”