Housing Rights Advisory Committee - February 20, 2026

City Council Meeting – Structured Summary

High-level summary - The meeting focused on housing access and protections, the evaluation and expansion of supportive and affordable housing programs, Rent Safe signage and remedial action, and opportunities for public input. Administrative steps included confirming minutes and advancing items to invite external presentations on housing barriers, with ongoing discussions on signage, audits, and data-driven housing decisions.

Five Most Important Topics Discussed

1) Barriers to housing for women, gender-diverse people, and survivors - Focus: Administrative and policy barriers to housing access, referencing the Breaking Barriers position paper and culturally appropriate, affordable housing solutions. A key move was to invite external expertise to present findings. - Direct quotes: - “The recommendation would be that the housing rights advisory committee request the executive director housing secretariat to invite Nelly's to provide a presentation... with particular focus on opportunities to improve access to housing within the municipal context.” - File/Bylaw notes: No city file number provided for this item; relates to the invitation and context of Breaking Barriers.

2) Provincial regulations under Bill 6 and related housing safety concerns - Focus: Concerns about provincial regulations under the Restricting Public Consumption of Illegal Substances Act 2025 and the expansion of policing powers on public transit, framed as potentially punitive toward people experiencing homelessness. - Direct quotes: - “This proposed regulation effectively criminalizes addiction and homelessness. It is contrary to the TTC's own community safety, security, and well-being plan.” - File/Bylaw notes: Mentions of Bill 6 and related Bill 10; TTC safety planning referenced; no specific City file number listed in the excerpt.

3) Supportive housing evaluation, Stage Two/bridging models, and data collection - Focus: Updates on evaluating supportive housing programs, the HousingTO framework, and bridging/Stage Two housing to transition from shelters to stable housing; emphasis on data collection and stakeholder engagement. - Direct quotes: - “These models provide transitional housing between shelters and fully supported housing, offering tailored support to individuals whose needs may not yet align with traditional supportive housing.” - “We’ve pursued a number of strategies to quickly create new supportive housing... including new modular construction and conversion of non-residential properties.” - File/Bylaw notes: No specific file number cited; discussion centers on program models and evaluation.

4) Evictions, supports, and data gaps in supportive housing - Focus: How supports relate to eviction risk, gaps in data about exits from supportive housing (positive exits vs other exits), and the need for better understanding of tenancy transitions. - Direct quotes: - “Evictions are treated with a great deal of gravity. It is a big deal...traumatic for the individual and also traumatic for staff.” - “There is a small segment of clients who may be experiencing crisis...showing up with behaviors that jeopardize the safety of other residents and sometimes staff.” - “We need to understand when someone leaves supportive housing... why? Because it absolutely could be that they move on to more independent living.” - File/Bylaw notes: References to the Residential Tenancies Act as the governing framework for evictions; no city file number specified.

5) Rent Safe program, color-coded signage, and remedial-action framework - Focus: Debates on a color-coded signage system (green, yellow, red) for building safety, messaging, stigma concerns, and the interaction with remedial-action processes and bylaw placement. - Direct quotes: - “People are confused by red, and red signals quite... we're hardwired to see red as a no-go.” - “The bylaw amendments... say that it has to be placed near the entrance of each building in a conspicuous location.” - “We’re gathering feedback still to inform the staff report intended to go to PHC in April... we have a survey open until the end of the month to hopefully get feedback from rent safe building owners and tenants.” - File/Bylaw notes: Rent Safe program updates; apartment building bylaw placement; Dine Safe referenced for messaging context; no numeric file number provided.

File Numbers / Bylaws Discussed - HS8.2 (referenced in relation to COHB funding and homelessness impacts) - Residential Tenancies Act (governing eviction processes) - Apartment building bylaw amendments (sign placement; numeric bylaw not provided) - Dine Safe (contextual reference; no file/bylaw number provided)

Opportunities for Public Input - Public input options mentioned: - Hybrid meeting participation (in person or YouTube) - Registered speakers from the online speaker list - Deputations or written communications when items proceed to Planning and Housing Committee - Public feedback on Rent Safe signage via a survey (QR code and online link; survey open through the month) - Ongoing opportunities to comment on signage design, messaging, and remedial-action processes

Motions Passed, Rejected, or Deferred (titles and outcomes) - Confirm Minutes – November 19, 2025: Passed unanimously - Invite Nelly’s to Present Findings on Housing Barriers: Passed unanimously - Approve Recommendation to Invite Nelly’s to Present Findings on Housing Barriers: Passed unanimously - Receive the Supportive Housing Evaluation Item: Passed unanimously - Excuse Absences (February 20, 2026): Passed unanimously - Receive Diana’s Report (Homelessness/Housing Working Group Update): Passed unanimously - Receive Anne Marie’s Report (Improving Access to Housing Working Group Update): Pending - Implement Color-Coded Signs (Rent Safe signage): Previously passed; ongoing monitoring and public feedback to be incorporated - Place Signs Near Building Entrances: Passed - Open Floor for Questions and Feedback: Approved - Hear from Miguel Aila: Approved - Enhance Data Sharing on Eviction Outcomes (HASH priority): Passed - Increase Awareness of HASH Priority System: Passed - Evaluate Cost-Effectiveness of Supportive Housing: Deferred - Receive Item on Color-Coded Signage: Passed - Receive Diana’s and Anne Marie’s Reports: Diana’s item Passed; Anne Marie’s Pending

Councillors Present - Councillor Perks - Councillor Diana - Note: Other councillors are not consistently named in the excerpts; Perks and Diana are explicitly identified as council participants.