Manager clarifies housing centre’s work

Looking for a home and earning only a modest income? Elis Ziegler, the manager of housing programs and services for East York East Toronto Family Resources, works with her staff to help people find affordable housing in the area through the East York Housing Help Centre, headquartered presently in the Holy Name Church, 71 Gough Avenue, 416-698-9306, www.eastyorkhousinghelp.ca

A story in the April 19 edition of this website’s companion hard-copy newspaper, the East York Observer, outlined the centre’s work in the community, but Ziegler clarified some of the article’s points in a follow-up letter to the Observer. Among the points she emphasized are that: the centre is completely funded by the City of Toronto, and it is one of nine in the city, including Thorncliffe Park (the Flemingdon Park Housing Help Centre), which is not technically part of East York under the former borough boundaries.

Also, Ziegler said, “service plans” that factor in clients’ wants or needs are not a feature of the housing help worker’s role, but are a part of the portfolio of another agency staffer. In addition, the centre works to find good, affordable housing for low-income residents in the area — whether that housing is in detached homes or in other forms of accommodation. But assisting them in making monthly payments for that accommodation is not the primary purpose of the centre’s housing stabilization services. There is a City Rent Bank program, however, which helps address that need.

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By: Observer staff
Posted: May 10 2013 9:36 am
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Filed under: Community