Lana Mitchell, executive director of Low Income People Involvement of Nipissing (LIPI) believes a proposed rent relief program — designed to help local residents behind on their rent stay in their homes — could lead the way as a model for the rest of the province.
Mitchell and Tricia Marshall, president of the Near North Landlords Association pitched the joint LIPI–NNLA program to members of the District of Nipissing Social Services Administration Board's community services committee during its meeting, Wednesday.
The program is based on three parties contributing one-third each.
"We'll have a contract with the landlord, with the tenant, with LIPI. A third of the rent arrears will be funded by landlords willing to write that off until they get some assistance," from government programs Mitchell shares.
"There needs to be joint ownership," she adds. "Landlords are contributing. Tenants have to make contributions, too. We know that some people won't be in a financial position to do that. They can do it in other ways, with say, an earned grant. So, each month you pay your rent in full and on time, we'll forgive, say, $200 of what you owe in arrears," an amount LIPI will pay on your behalf.
They concluded their presentation with an ask of $483,000 from DNSSAB to fund the program, saying the program is designed to eventually trigger $519,400 of arrears payments.
Committee chair Dan Roveda indicated the proposal had only just recently been received and staff would examine it more closely before coming back with recommendations.
"We will get back to you, you'll be part of the discussion," promised Roveda.
"We need to start looking at long-term sustainability," Mitchell told the committee. "We need to make sure we have the housing infrastructure, the financial resources, and programming capacity to be able to support people."
The "Housing and Homelessness Covid Recovery Response Plan," is touted as a viable rent relief program that includes government, the charitable sector, the public sector, and the private sector.
A rise in evictions is expected with a government moratorium lifted as of March 8 and utilities can be shut off for non-payment at the beginning of May.
Marshall shared survey results with responses from one-quarter of NNLA membership that show 1,100 people living in some 600 units face imminent homelessness.
"When you look at keeping people supported to stay in their housing, we're supporting private businesses, we're supporting individuals, and it's the best way we can meet the needs of people throughout Nipissing district," Mitchell says.
Findings from an ongoing LIPI survey had received 94 responses from renters to date. Mitchell shared 10 per cent of households in the private rental market are at imminent risk of homelessness. The average arrears for rent is $4,200 plus hundreds in utilities — with some reporting being up to $15,000 behind.
Mitchell adds another concern sure to crop up is "household income that is dependent on crisis, time-limited government funding," such as CRB or its predecessor CERB.
"Landlords have taken a bit of a hit this past year. There have been a lot of programs for a lot of different situations," says Mitchell. "There hasn't been one for landlords."
Mitchell says despite the efforts of many to bolster the shelter system and rapid rehousing groups, a wave of homelessness due to rent and utility arrears is on the horizon that will challenge the current model to keep up.
"We won't be able to pull this off," she advises.
