Peggy Revell
FORT FRANCES—Members of the Rainy River District Social Services Administration Board were presented with results from surveys sent out to tenants in its social housing units across the district at last Thursday evening’s meeting.
The Tenant Maintenance Survey was distributed to units across the district last spring, with one survey for seniors’ apartment buildings and the other geared towards family units.
Out of the 219 surveys sent out to buildings for seniors, 63 percent were returned, noted Sandra Weir, DSSAB’s manager for non-profit housing, who made the presentation to the board alongside tenant liaison officer Michelle Shute.
Weir noted this return rate was a high one (just 41 percent of the surveys for the family units were returned).
The surveys asked tenants to rank and comment on areas in their buildings, such as the common area, building exteriors, parking lot, individual units and suites, property management, and upgrades.
The overall results were positive, noted Weir, with the large majority of tenants ranking all these areas as “good” and “excellent.” But she also took time to highlight areas where tenants saw that improvements needed to be made.
These areas included such things as changing the colour scheme in common areas away from an “institutional” colour, flooring, weather stripping and window seals, better lighting in parking lots, ensuring that parking lots are kept clean from garbage and glass, needing cabinets that are more accessible to disabled and shorter people, and the need for storage through smaller outside buildings (such as sheds).
Now that the survey results are in, Weir said they will be developing a preventive maintenance plan, as well as looking at the survey when putting together the capital plan for 2009.
Many of the issues raised by tenants already were being dealt with prior to the survey results being looked at, Weir remarked.
“We have seen patterns throughout this survey, which we actually already have started looking at and started dealing with, such as flooring, painting, windows,” she explained. “We have been aware that these are issues that need to be done and we have started making plans to get those things in place.”
Addressing the needs of the tenants also comes down to priorizing and creating both a “needs list” and a “wish list,” she added.
“Some things we will be able to address, some things we won’t be, but it’s good to be aware of the different concerns that we have.”
As well, a new move out inspection form was developed this summer, noted Weir, so that when someone moves out, problems with the unit can be corrected before a new tenant moves in.
Continuing communication with tenants through tenant meetings and newsletters also is something that will be focused upon, Weir pledged.
“One of the things that we’ve really been trying to do is that we’re trying to take care of our units a little bit better so people feel that ‘this is home’ and that they’ll take pride in it, and so they’ll be able to take care of it,” she stressed.
Weir also said they’re trying to monitor the social housing more, such as through giving warnings and having garbage fees if yards aren’t kept clean, so that problems can be addressed right away.
“We’re also doing a complete overhaul of all the social housing policies,” added DSSAB CAO Donna Dittaro, noting this overhaul has been in the works for many months and the policies will address a lot of the issues raised.
In other news, an open house for the new DSSAB building on Scott Street is slated for Friday, Nov. 14 from 1-4 p.m.
“As people come, if they’re interested in going throughout the building, one of the staff members will take them through,” Dittaro said, noting many people coming into reception, and residents throughout the community, have expressed interest in seeing the newly-renovated building.
Also last Thursday, Dittaro announced the hiring of Mildred Beck as DSSAB’s new children’s services manager. Beck, who formerly was the assistant manager of finance, is taking over duties from Kim Gardiman.
