Simcoe County Housing Corporation Agenda
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To: Simcoe County Housing Corporation Agenda Section: Matters for Consideration Division: Social and Community Services Department: Social Housing Item Number: HCB - 2018-307 Meeting Date: June 12, 2018 Subject: Beeton Accessibility Meeting Follow-up Recommendation That Item HCB 2018-307, dated June 12, 2018, regarding the Beeton Accessibility Meeting Follow-up, be received; and That staff engage the residents of the Beeton Seniors’ Apartment Building with regard to alternative options for assistance with mobility issues. Executive Summary In 2017, the tenants at the seniors apartment building owned and operated by the Simcoe County Housing Corporation (SCHC) requested a meeting to discuss the possibility of installing an elevator in the 24-unit apartment building. During the meeting, it was acknowledged that the cost and physical limitations of the building would make it impractical for an elevator installation. The tenants suggested that consideration be made to installing a dumbwaiter to assist tenants with physical limitations, in bringing groceries and other items to the second floor. Staff has investigated and obtained prices for a dumbwaiter installation. Item HCB 2018-307 outlines cost estimates that have been obtained, as well as other considerations and options. The installation of a dumbwaiter is not recommended. Background/Analysis/Options SCHC operates 26 apartment buildings throughout the Simcoe County. Originally, one building had an elevator and later, two other buildings added elevators when additions were constructed in Barrie and Bradford. The design of the remaining buildings requires that tenants on the upper floor have the mobility required to walk up a flight of stairs. This situation applies to approximately 345 units in the SCHC properties. June 12, 2018 Simcoe County Housing Corporation - HCB 2018-307 Page 2 The Simcoe County Housing Corporation (SCHC) has recognized the need for better accessibility at the buildings and over the years has taken many steps to increase accessibility at properties. These measures have been taken wherever possible and include but are not limited to ramps, handrails, wider doors and automatic openers. The larger issue for tenants has always been the lack of elevators for second floor tenants. SCHC building design and the properties in general reflect the time-period when they were built, and lack the space for elevators to be installed. The cost to add an elevator is extremely high, especially when the number of elevators required due to the number of buildings is taken into consideration. Typically, when a tenant experiences mobility issues, they apply for a transfer and are given the first unit available on the main floor. While this sometimes takes time, tenants usually experience a relatively slow decline in their mobility, and are generally able to remain in their unit until a ground floor unit becomes available. In recent years, elevators have been added when putting an addition on existing buildings such as Barrie and Bradford. New construction designs for the SCHC always include elevators, and as such when the new builds in Collingwood and Wasaga Beach are open, they will provide another transfer option for tenants who wish to transfer for accessibility reasons, while staying in their communities. SCHC is currently applying for Federal funding to add elevators to buildings in Midland and Orillia, and a separate report will be brought for Housing Corporation Board consideration. The estimated costs for these projects are $2.1 million and $1.5 million respectively, and if approved, the projects would include enhanced accessibility features of common areas in addition to elevators. These properties were selected based on being two of the largest buildings in the SCHC portfolio (40 units in Midland and 70 units in Orillia), as well the designs for both buildings require the least renovation and provide enough space to build elevator shafts, etc. These two properties would also provide a building with an elevator in communities that currently do not have any within the SCHC portfolio, therefore expanding the transfer possibilities for tenants with mobility issues for all properties in the area. Even with the installation of an elevator, this solution only helps those with fairly minor mobility issues such as difficulty with stairs. The units themselves cannot be reasonably renovated to be wheelchair accessible due to their size, and age and style of construction. While the above solution helps the larger communities, the issue remains complicated with smaller communities. This is especially so in communities such as Beeton where there are no other non- profit Social Housing buildings, and where properties do not have the space to add an external elevator shaft, or to add an internal elevator without reducing the number of units. Even where a building may have the space, the cost as noted above is prohibitive based on the number of tenants it would help, i.e. the building in Beeton would benefit a maximum of thirteen units that are on the second floor. During the tenant meeting in Beeton, the discussion reflected a reasonable acknowledgement that an elevator installation was not practical. Tenants suggested the possibility of a dumbwaiter being installed in the building instead to assist tenants in taking items such as groceries to the second floor. There is space available in the building where the garbage chute is located which potentially could be used to install dumbwaiter-type equipment. SCHC staff looked into the costs related to the dumbwaiter installation and received two quotations in the range of $50,000 to $63,000. These costs do not include other required work such as June 12, 2018 Simcoe County Housing Corporation - HCB 2018-307 Page 3 architectural design, engineered drawing, permits, sprinkler relocations, TSSA fees and other minor changes to the existing room. It is anticipated that these cost will add another $10,000 to $15,000 to the installation costs. This would bring the total cost to approximately between $60,000 and $70,000 per installation. Ongoing costs would be approximately $2,000 per year for quarterly inspections, in addition to funds required for repair costs going forward. The dumbwaiter would be 2 feet x 2 feet x 30 inches in height. Keys would be required by each tenant to operate the dumbwaiter. Benefits to installation of a dumbwaiter: Tenants could, at their convenience, take heavier items to and from their second floor apartments, including items that they may not currently be able to handle. There would be a reduced risk of falls on the stairs resulting from hands being full. Drawbacks to dumbwaiter installation: Cost of installation is approximately $4,600 to $5,400 per unit based on maximum usage by second floor tenants in Beeton. This would set a precedent for other buildings; even if elevators are installed in Midland and Orillia based on a successful funding application, there are still eight other buildings similar to Beeton with no elevators. Total cost would be approximately $540,000 to $630,000 for installation for all nine buildings. Ongoing maintenance costs of at least $2,000 annually plus repairs for each installation as well as costs related to future replacement. Liability of improper use for the equipment. Requirement to train each individual on the use of the dumbwaiter annually. This would create logistical issues as tenants frequently would want their children or others to help them, and they would then require the dumbwaiter key and training as well. It would not be possible to guarantee that only trained people would use the equipment. Cleanliness and sanitary issues would likely arise. The building staff is not there full time, any spills would remain in the equipment for a substantial amount of time, possibly limiting the use by others. Frequently, tenants who begin to have issues carrying items upstairs eventually have difficulty with stairs even without carrying items, rendering the dumbwaiter as a temporary solution. In consideration of the costs and the benefits and drawbacks analysis, staff does not recommend the use of a dumbwaiter. Other Options: Tenant assistance is available through LOFT Community Services (LOFT). LOFT is permanently funded through the Local Health Integration Network (LHIN) and is available to assist tenants in Alliston, Beeton and Bradford, including vulnerable seniors and persons with mental health and addictions challenges. LOFT can provide, on a regular basis, assistance for tenants with moving items upstairs. This approach is less convenient for tenants, as time would need to be co-ordinated with LOFT staff, however, this service is readily available at no cost to the tenants or SCHC. The practice of a priority move to the first floor has been utilized by tenants with mobility challenges and will remain in place. June 12, 2018 Simcoe County Housing Corporation - HCB 2018-307 Page 4 In situations where mobility issues are severe and/or happen quickly, it may be possible to assist the tenant by providing a rent supplement unit at a private building that may have a more accessible apartment. Financial and Resource Implications Installation of a dumbwaiter in Beeton would have a cost of approximately $60,000 to $70,000 for the one location in Beeton, with annual inspection cost of $2,000, and unknown future repair costs. All related costs for a dumbwaiter to be installed in Beeton are outside of the approved SCHC 2018 budget but could potentially be funded with in-year operating/capital surplus, should it exist, or alternatively, through the Social Housing Reserve. If the addition of dumbwaiters was applied to all SCHC buildings in nine communities that do not have elevators the cost would be approximately $540,000 to $630,000. Each building would then have an annual cost for inspection of $2,000 per year per device, plus any repair costs that are unknown at this time, resulting in a minimum annual increase in the Simcoe County Housing Corporation (SCHC) budget of $18,000, not including repairs.