The Housing Management program manages more than 250 units within the KDFN Traditional Territory.

Challenges

1. Poor construction
2. Minimal maintenance
3. Mold issues
4. Arrears
5. Not enough staff to meet the needs (only 1 maintenance man)
6. Tenant training
7. No handicap units
8. Time and resources to meet the needs of Tenants in rural areas

Solutions

1. With Northern Housing Trust dollars, KDFN is able to start addressing some of the issues in the houses, such as mold, ventilation and poor insulation of the houses. Other dollars will be accessed to enhance the renovation program.
2. There is only one maintenance man for all the houses. The Northern Housing Trust dollars are helping meet the demand for work orders.
3. The envelope of the houses are being altered to ensure proper insulation and ventilation of homes, Carpets are being removed to get rid of some of the air quality issues.
4. Community Services are proposing strategies to collect rent arrears. The first step is to work with Tenants to define a plan for them to pay off the arrears over a period of time.
5. Community Services is reducing the amount of contractors it uses for renovations and maintenance wherever possible. This frees up dollars to start to hire more staff. The maintenance worker for Operations and Maintenance helps with Housing work orders wherever possible.
6. New Tenants receive training as part of their move in inspection. The Community Services Department is planning a housing conference in the fall to help train Tenants.
7. Through the CMHC RRAP program, Community Services will be adapting one house to become a handicapped unit. As the ground level units become available, more units will be adapted. There are plans for 5 new Elders' units, which will be constructed as handicap units.
8. The O&M maintenance man has been inspecting units in the rural areas, to determine repairs necessary. Emergency repairs are responded to as quickly as possible.