There’s a new report from an audit company that paints a damning picture of the affordable housing scene in London.
A serious factor in London’s housing crisis is the London & Middlesex Community Housing (LMCH) and its board, which is more representative of an advocacy board, according to KPMG’s Review of Service Delivery for Housing report for the City of London.
Effective governance oversight appears to be lacking, the report suggests,
There has also been an inability to turn over vacant units, the report suggests.
"If our vacancy rates were being looked after properly, we could have had a hundred more people housed then we do right now," says Coun. Shawn Lewis.
In June, 174 units were vacant and based on the provincial average, that number should be closer to 72.
The reasons seem to be repair times. Minor repairs should take one to four days, while the average turnaround time for the LMCH units was 129 days.
The report indicates an absence of data provided “is a symptom of an overall absence of management of the work order process."
The Strategic Priorities and Policy Committee is recommending city administration work with LMCH to investigate, address and reduce the vacancy rate.
The report stems from the city’s request in March to review the delivery of housing programs and services between the city and LMCH.
