Whereas the Near North Landlords Association (NNLA) surveyed its members and found that 11.7%, or 492 people, of its member's housing stock are facing eviction due to rent arrears; when this modest percentage is applied across the total number of units in all the private rental housing stock across Nipissing District, it is estimated that 600 units are in arrears with the possibility that up to 1100 people are at imminent risk of eviction;
And Whereas the NNLA has formed a partnership to find a solution to address the rent arrears issue, a proposed program for qualifying tenants was developed; this would include a negotiated repayment plan that would see the landlord forgive 1/3 of the arrears, the District of Nipissing Social Services Administration Board (DNSSAB) to fund 1/3, and the final 1/3 would be paid by the tenant; program eligibility will also include ongoing monitoring of the landlord and tenant relationship to ensure housing is retained;
And Whereas the DNSSAB would use Federal and/or Provincial Funding Programs to finance their share.
Therefore Be it Resolved that the Council of the City of North Bay lobby the Federal and Provincial Governments to finance this program to avert an additional major homelessness crisis.
And Further that a copy of this resolution be sent to the Honourable Anthony Rota MP Nipissing-Temiskaming; the Honourable Marc G. Serré, MP Nickel Belt; the Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development; the Honourable Victor Fedeli, MPP Nipissing; the Honourable Steve Clark, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing; all Municipalities in the District of Nipissing; the Federation of Northern Ontario Municipalities, the Association of Municipalities of Ontario, the Rural Ontario Municipal Association, and the District of Nipissing Homelessness and Housing Partnership.