IHM News Magazine - Fall 2023

Volume 89, Fall 2023

ENHANCING THE KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS OF PROPERTY MANAGEMENT PROFESSIONALS

How More Homeless Encampments in Ontario Signal a Housing Crisis out of Control Inside President’s Message ........................................................................................................................................ 2

IHM Course Completions & New Accredited Members .............................. 12

Winter Safety Message ................................................................................................................................ 3

Welcome to IHM’s Newest Accredited Members.......................................... 12

How More Homeless Encampments in Ontario Signal a Housing Crisis Out of Control ........................................................................................................ 4

Members IHM Mentorship Program ........................................................................................ 13

Mental Health Challenges ........................................................................................................................ 9

What is Hoarding Disorder?........................................................................................... 14 Carbon Monoxide Safety................................................................................................... 16

5 Reasons Why You Would Select a Non-Penetrating Rooftop Guardrail System.................................................................................................................................................. 10

IHM 2023-24 Board of Directors ................................................................................................... 17

Upcoming Events......................................................................................................................11

Corporate Members ....................................................................................................................................... 18

IHM News • Fall 2023

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P r e s i d e n t ’s M e s s a g e

It always seems challenging to determine what to write about whenever Beth emails me and nicely reminds me it is time for the next message.

Recently, we have had some great success in uniquely offering our core courses. These course runs over five weeks. One day a week, we join the students via Zoom to review course materials and discuss the chapters being reviewed. This is done in the mornings, and then the students have until the following week (on the same day each week) to complete the chapter reviews and read the chapters for the next Zoom Meeting. We complete the course in four weeks; the students write the exam in the fifth week. It takes some commitment, but the feedback on completing a course quickly has been very positive. Check out the website https://ihmcanada.net/events/2023/11/10/tenancy-lawin-ontario-5-day-online-course to see what courses will be offered soon.

We continue to welcome new accredited members each year. It seems people are trying to complete their courses and apply for their designation. More members have applied in the last few years than in the previous five years. It is very encouraging to welcome the increased number of our accredited Members. A reminder: if you have finished your courses and meet the property management experience requirement, we encourage you to submit your application.

Our monthly Chat Room sessions continue to grow in the number of participants joining each month and are becoming part of the discussions and learning. We try to bring exciting subjects essential and relevant to our daily activities within the property management sector. If you have suggestions on future topics, please let us know. Our goal is to provide the information that you want to learn about. Just a reminder – our December 13 session is always an Open Forum, so if you have questions, comments, or experiences (good or challenging) you would like to discuss with the participants, just let us know.

This month’s message is all about education. IHM continues to investigate possible new delivery methods to meet the needs of our students. We try to develop these various methods to give you the best options that work for you and your busy schedule. The IHM will always consider any suggestions, so if you have any ideas on how to offer the courses, please let us know.

I end with this – IHM has incredible news to announce, but we have to wait a little bit longer so the joint announcement is coordinated within various sectors of the housing industry. All I will say is it will have a significant impact on IHM. Stay tuned.

Yes, I know it is early, but as this is the last issue in 2023, on behalf of the Board of Directors and the staff at Association Concepts, we wish everyone a very healthy and Happy Festive Season. Enjoy the celebrations with family and friends.

Jimmy Mellor, FIHM IHM President IHM News • Fall 2023

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WINTER SAFETY MESSAGE Now that winter weather is upon us, how about being extra careful when outside. l

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As cold temperatures approach use caution and assume that all wet, dark areas on pavements are slippery and icy.

During bad weather, avoid boots or shoes with smooth soles and heels. Instead, wear shoes or boots that provide traction on snow and ice.

Use special care when entering and exiting vehicles; use the vehicle for support.

Walk in designated walkways as much as possible. Taking shortcuts over snow piles and other frozen areas can be hazardous.

Look ahead when you walk; a snow or ice covered sidewalk or driveway, especially if on a hill, may require travel along it’s grassy edge for traction.

Walk like a Penguin! Point your feet out slightly like a penguin! Spreading your feet out slightly while walking on ice increases your center of gravity. n Bend slightly and walk flat -footed with your center of gravity directly over the feet as much as possible. n Extend your arms out to your sides to maintain balance . n Watch where you are stepping and go SLOWLY .

Winter Driving... Be Prepared and Be Safe MTO’s Survival Kit - Recommended items include: • Ice scraper/snowbrush • Small tool kit • Shovel • Extra clothing and footwear • Sand or other traction aid • Blanket • Tow rope or chain • Non-perishable energy foods – • Booster cables e.g., chocolate or granola bars, juice, • Road flares or warning lights soup, bottled water • Fuel line antifreeze • Candle • Flashlight and batteries • Matches or lighter • First aid kit • Fire extinguisher It’s a good idea to keep a winter survival kit in your vehicle. Having essential supplies can provide comfort and safety for you and your passengers should you become stranded.

Be safe during the winter season!

IHM News • Fall 2023

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Feature

How More Homeless Encampments in Ontario Signal a Housing Crisis Out of Control

By Don Mitchell & Jackquelyn LeBel Global News

H

omeless encampments have been multiplying across Ontario since the pandemic, but experts say this visible symptom of the national housing crisis has been a long time coming.

With limited shelter space, a lack of social housing, increasing cost of home ownership and ballooning rents, more and more people are left with few options but to pitch a tent in a public space.

But how did we get here? And what can be done?

A deep-dive into the City of Hamilton’s experience with homeless encampments and its journey from a law enforcement response to a housing-led approach shows just how complicated it will be to address the issue – and how the circumstances resulting in the proliferation of encampments touch all of us.

How did we get here?

Hamilton’s plight around mitigating encampments is certainly not unique.

In late 2022, Statistics Canada revealed more than 235,000 people across Canada experience homelessness in any given year. As of the summer of 2023, the IHM News • Fall 2023

number of actively homeless people in Hamilton has grown to 1,700 with approximately 165 individuals “truly finding themselves unsheltered,” according to the city’s housing services division.

That number continues to grow, up 12 per cent from just over 1,550 in January and up 69 per cent in three years (June 2020).

Abe Oudshoorn, a researcher focusing on healthcare and homelessness out of Western University, says when looking only at those sleeping outside (and not using shelters or couch-surfing), the number in the city of London has ballooned from roughly 30 people to over 200 in the span of 15 years.

In an interview about the city of London’s use of artificial intelligence in its homelessness response in May, Kevin Dickens, deputy city manager of social and health development, said that there were 38 active encampments in the city.

The rise in visible homelessness, however, has been decades in the making.

“If we go back, even as far as the 1960s and 1970s, (there) was a time where all across Canada we did what’s called social housing or public housing,” Oudshoorn says.

“These were funded by governments, they were owned by the government, and they were provided at what’s called rent geared to income.”

Typically, in a rent geared to income unit, rent would be fixed at roughly 30 per cent of the tenant’s income. Oudshoorn says the public housing model with rent geared to income was popular across the Northern Hemisphere following WWII. “Then in the 1980s, we had a global recession, a deep recession. And at that time, the idea was to stop spending in a recession. And that’s what countries did. And part of that was cutting social housing and even in some countries they began to sell off the social housing they had just built.” That disinvestment in housing was the start of a rise of homelessness “like we know it today,” Oudshoorn says, with charities soon stepping in to build shelters as homelessness became more visible.

“The majority of the shelters that we know of today were developed through that period of the ’90s and into the 2000s.” At the same time, the responsibility for social housing moved from the federal to the provincial level, and finally to the municipal level.

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Ontario took over the administration and funding of social housing through an agreement signed in 1999 and in 2001. The province then offloaded the responsibility to 47 municipal services managers, according to the Ontario Non-Profit Housing Association.

Joe Hermer, a professor with the University of Toronto’s department of sociology who’s authored several case studies, says the “visibly poor” and unhoused now seen in municipalities began building up in the mid-1990s. By the early 2000s, it had become enough of an issue that Ontario and B.C. adopted some of the first enforcement legislation targeting panhandling.

“The catalyst was the beginning of the housing crisis, which has been a long time in the making, as well as the overdose crisis and the poison drug crisis,” Hermer explains.

Around 2005, Oudshoorn says governments returned to housing but instead of rent geared to income, it’s “affordable housing.”

“Affordable housing is offered at usually 70 or 80 per cent of market rent, which of course is more affordable but it’s not as deeply affordable because as rents go up, that number is further and further from the 30 per cent of people’s income.”

The “bomb went off” with the pandemic Hermer says the proverbial encampment “bomb went off ” during the pandemic as COVID-19 restrictions forced shelters to cut back on the number of beds they could offer proliferating tents in parks and public spaces as people tried to find a safe place to sleep.

“The pandemic was disproportionately damaging to a lot of vulnerable people, and that continues to be the case,” Hermer explains.

IHM News • Fall 2023

“In a nutshell, … you have the intersection of all those things in the last decade with obviously housing as the big issue.”

It’s believed more foreign investment in housing and steady drops in interest rates by the late 1990s started the rise in Canada’s house prices since they were considered a stable investment.

Breakneck price appreciation, once a problem limited largely to areas around Vancouver and Toronto, became a national emergency during the pandemic, with Canada’s average home price rising by more than 30 per cent between July 2019 and July 2021, according to data from the Canadian Real Estate Association.

Meanwhile, renters in Canada are facing the toughest market in decades with low vacancies, higher prices and surging demand, according to the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation.

In Ontario, the province does set limits on annual rent increases but units first occupied after Nov. 15, 2018, are exempt. As well, landlords subjected to the limit can still apply to the Landlord and Tenant Board for increases above the cap.

However, despite access to washrooms, showers, media lounges and medical treatment rooms, not all accepted the support and instead opted to keep living rough in tents across city parks and other public spaces.

“Shelters aren’t always right for everyone. We have some communities where all shelters, for example, are what we call a dry shelter, which means people can’t have a substance use challenge to stay in that shelter,” Oudshoorn says.

Local researchers keeping track of life expectancy among people living rough in Hamilton believe that number is likely half as much as the typical Hamiltonian based on Statistics Canada data recorded between 2014 and 2016.

Of 70 known deaths over two years, reported by health and social service workers as well as hospitals, the Hamilton Homeless Mortality Data Project says more than half of those unhoused fell between the ages of 30 and 49.

The overwhelming cause of death was by overdose, with about half of the 70 passing to the affliction since June 2021.

The high cost to own or rent a dwelling coupled with a lack of inventory — not to mention the rising cost of living — results in an increasing number of people at risk of homelessness.

Tents in public spaces became more visible in Hamilton and increased in size during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

With widespread service restrictions, the existing affordable housing crisis and income loss, matters became exacerbated, spurring the city to drop some $1 million into makeshift shelters at hotels and the floor of the arena at First Ontario Centre downtown.

McMaster University internal medicine resident physician Dr. Inna Berditchevskaia admits their numbers are 5

not the complete picture since they don’t receive information from the province’s coroner.

As far as they know, fatalities among the unhoused are not happening at any government-sanctioned or regulated safe consumption sites.

“These people are dying in the community, either at a friend’s home or in unsheltered circumstances or outside,” Berditchevskaia says. “So we need to be bringing … harm reduction mechanisms to where the people are.”

What the experts are saying Across the board, experts studying homelessness agree solutions to end that way of life begin with housing.

“A criminalization approach … doesn’t match the reality of people’s lives,” Oudshoorn says.

“When you’re sleeping rough, you’re already facing every possible disincentive to your current situation. It’s uncomfortable, it’s unhealthy, it’s dangerous. … it’s already a terrible situation that they’re in and so you can’t change people’s behaviour by making it worse.”

Shabeeh Ahmed, HAMSMaRT’s director of community engagement and mobilization, says that the “only cure for being unhoused is having a home, there’s no other way around it.”

Lisa Nussey, strategic director of the outreach group, which has been at ground level with Hamilton’s encampments, says the health and well-being of those living in tent cities simply hinges on stable housing, which is a political problem, not a clinical one.

“That is to say, the health problems that are faced by people living in encampments also need to be addressed through accessible health care, but primarily through housing,” she says.

IHM News • Fall 2023

Close to 1,000 people turned out to a community meeting on June 27 in Hamilton to learn more about the city’s ongoing encampment issue. Global News

The Canadian Human Rights Commission’s Office of the Federal Housing Advocate — an independent, nonpartisan watchdog — announced in February that it had launched a formal review of encampments in Canada.

structure and Communities and will include recommendations for all levels of government.”

“The Advocate is very concerned that some governments are not taking the necessary steps to protect people experiencing homelessness, particularly during severe weather,” a release states.

Responses have varied from London’s integrated Whole of Community System Response to Barrie’s attempt to prohibit the distribution of items like food, clothing, tents or tarps in public parks or on public lands without a permit.

“All levels of government have an obligation to end this crisis. The conditions in encampments, coupled with the underlying failure of governments at all levels to ensure people can access adequate housing, are a violation of fundamental human rights, including the human right to housing.”

A spokesperson for the advocate says that an interim report is expected by the end of September. Consultations and public engagement will continue through the end of the year as it continues work on its final report, expected in early 2024.

That report “will be presented to the federal Minister of Housing, Infra-

Transforming the approach in Hamilton

In Hamilton, city staff initially responded with an enforcement-based approach in the summer of 2020 but have since shifted to a more “housing-led” approach.

The city became embroiled in a legal battle in July 2020 when a coalition of doctors, lawyers and street outreach workers secured a court injunction barring the city from moving people from tents.

HAMSMaRT and partners Keeping Six, a harm reduction organization, accepted legal aid that led to Ontario’s Superior Court granting an injunction 6

to council in August, allowing tents in public spaces with conditions.

Only groupings of five tents at least 50 metres apart would be accepted as long as they were 10 metres away from private property, 50 metres from parks and 100 metres from schools, daycares and playgrounds.

An encampment site on Ferguson Avenue North in Hamilton ON in June 2019. Global News

that prevented the city from “involuntarily removing” encampments from public spaces, based on the argument that “proper supports” were not being offered to the city’s homeless residents.

Days after a Superior Court judge ruled against a permanent order to halt the dismantling of tents in November 2021, the city said it would be resuming enforcement of park bylaws, sparking demonstrations in support of those unhoused and creating conflict with city officials aggravated by a tent

Additionally, it provides provisions for public washroom and shower facilities at yet-to-be-determined locations for those who are unhoused and a two-year Tiny Shelter pilot project in the city’s north side.

fire in a city centre park and a demonstration at police headquarters.

At the request of council, Hamilton’s housing division staff proposed an updated protocol this spring offering a “housing first” approach involving zoned sites for shelter. Nussey described that plan as one that would not end encampment enforcement but “merely complicate it.”

The proposed updated plan was voted down with a revised draft coming back

A sample of a tiny cabin for Hamilton’s homeless residents unveiled in April of 2022 in front of Christ’s Church Cathedral on James Street North.

- Lisa Polewski / 900 CHML

The Hamilton Alliance for Tiny Shelters (HATS) pilot project, which initially endured resistance from council over a suitable space where the community could reside, will see some 25 mini-houses built near the harbour.

Some residents and businesses have expressed concerns over site selection, arguing that little to no notice nor consultation was given by the city.

A local councillor and organizers would hear opposition from several north-end residents minutes after the start of a late August neighbourhood meeting at a school gym laying out the HATS plan.

Several Hamilton residents experiencing homelessness were displaced after a fire tore through an encampment at a downtown Hamilton, Ont. park on Nov. 24, 2021. @HamOntESN on Twitter

IHM News • Fall 2023

City staff say the small parking lot on the city’s northside was chosen for the small homes since it provided a paved area with separation from businesses and residents, yet close to social services.

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“If they were funding based on needs, there would be way more money coming into this municipality and we would have more buildings with more shelter beds.”

As a result of Hamilton’s actions to mitigate its current housing and encampment predicament, housing services will require an annual increase of about 30 per cent to its budget — equating to an additional $16 million for 2023.

In mid-August, Angie Burden, general manager of the healthy and safe communities division, submitted that high interest rates, increasing utility bills, precarious employment and inflation created those conditions and are now draining the city reserve funds.

“The bottom line is our incomes are not keeping pace with rising costs of living,” Burden said during a general issues committee meeting.

So far in 2023, close to $22 million have been absorbed by reserve funds covering “in-year costs” needed to put money into the city’s shelter system and affordable housing-related projects.

Close to $2.9 million plus some $255,000 in capital costs will be needed in 2024 to execute a revised encampment protocol, covering mainly staff and vehicle purchases. Nearly $1 million of that is earmarked for security at washroom and shower sites alone.

Provincial, federal government support needed Burden insists partnerships with the federal and provincial government will be “critical” going forward since the municipality “can’t bear” the costs through existing revenue streams, including those from taxpayers.

It’s a call echoed by the city’s general manager of finance, Mike Zegarac, who says that with COVID emergency fundIHM News • Fall 2023

ing now “drying up,” and even some that being “clawed back” by Queen’s Park, it would require more dips into reserves ultimately “depleting them” within three years at the current rate.

Over the next three years, Ontario is expected to spend close to $700 million through its Homelessness Prevention Program (HPP), which targets homelessness and adds community and housing support.

Since 2021, the province says it has provided over $123 million under various programs to support vulnerable people in Hamilton.

Under the HPP, the city has received over $51 million, including some $27.9 million in 2023 — an increase of over $4.3 million from the year before.

Hamilton is set to see roughly another $28 million annually over the next two years to cover homeless prevention services in the city’s shelter system and residential care facilities.

Coun. Brad Clark suggests the money is not nearly enough to assist with ongoing turnover and retention issues he’s seen at some local shelters requiring additional cash to cope with “real demands” in the community.

“They’re underfunding us dramatically,” Clark says.

“If they were funding based on needs, there would be way more money coming into this municipality and we would have more buildings with more shelter beds.”

A spokesperson for Ontario’s Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing says “underfunding” from the federal

government, by about $480 million, through its National Housing Strategy has hampered the province’s efforts to alleviate housing and homelessness.

“These are dollars that are urgently needed to fund housing and homelessness programs,” ministry spokesperson Conrad Spezowka says.

“Ontario continues to advocate for and alongside municipalities and our most vulnerable by calling on the federal government to pay their fair share.”

Meanwhile, a spokesperson from the Office of the Minister of Housing and Infrastructure and Communities in Ottawa says it “will not rest until everyone in Hamilton and right across the country has access to affordable housing.”

Of $4 billion in federal homelessness funding, the ministry says it has provided around $7.5 million over two years to the city.

“We know the federal government can’t solve the housing crisis alone. We need everyone at the table with us on this,” the office states in an email.

Oudshoorn stresses that encampments will continue until “we deal with the bigger structural issues … which is that we need housing that is truly affordable and that has the right supports.”

“Until we get there, I think the best a strong municipality can do is keep things stable. The more likely, as most municipalities are seeing, is we keep going further behind.”

Reprinted with permission from Global News, with a file from Global News’ Saba Aziz and Erica Alini. u

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Feature

Mental Health Challenges

By Carola Mittag

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fter effects of COVID, worker fatigue, and workplace harassment and violence are certainly not declining. In fact, 53% of property managers say they struggle with mental health and have a hard time switching off after work. They also said that upset tenants and landlords contributed to their increased stress levels, making this a major property management problem. Organizations are slowly realizing that they need access to more than a 1-800 helpline number. Mental health is a growing issue that needs a plan and a strategy like any other business function.

Mental health is an essential aspect of overall well-being. Recognizing the need for support is crucial. The workplace environment can significantly impact mental health. Managers, who prioritize support for mental health, help in creating a positive, healthy work culture. It is critical to find excellent mental health support that addresses mental health concerns successfully.

Resources available to employees can include Employee Assistance Programs EAPs, mental health counseling, and peer support groups. Owners and employers can also provide mental health training to managers and employees to recognize and respond to mental health concerns.

Life as a property manager isn’t just surviving from one fire drill to the next.

Minimizing stress involves practices to help you maintain a healthy work-life balance. The following tools may help

IHM News • Fall 2023

paramount for taking care of residents, business, and yourself.

you to regain a peace of mind and find that perfect balance for a healthy working/personal life: • Time management. You provide great service to your residents with expertise; however, that doesn’t mean you don’t need a break. Allow yourself to take time away to recharge and refresh your mind.

• Employer-employee support. When you know that your employer and your teammates support you, coming to work becomes much easier. TEAM – Together, Everyone Achieves More.

• Confidence in your systems. Managing a community has changed drastically in the past several decades. While there are more challenges, there are exponentially more tools to help you overcome those challenges. Choosing the right ones for your particular circumstances is

As a property or facility manager, it is crucial to recognize the importance of mental health support for yourself as well as your employees. Investing in mental health support can lead to increased productivity, better decision-making abilities, and a healthier work culture. Finding such support can be challenging, but resources are available. Look for organizations that specialize in mental health support for managers and seek out training programs and resources that focus on stress management and self-care. By prioritizing mental health support and your own mental health, you can become a better manager and create a more positive and productive work environment for your team.

Carola Mittag is the former owner of Workplace Safety Group and currently advisor to Mentor Safety.

MSCI offers professional safety consulting services and Chief Prevention Officer (CPO) – approved certifications for joint health and safety committees (in-class and virtual) and Working at Heights, as well as customized training programs.

MSCI has developed auditing tools to ensure that facilities and property managers meet all legislative health and safety compliance requirements. Email Carola at wpsgceo@gmail.com u

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Feature

5 Reasons Why You Would Select a Non-Penetrating Rooftop Guardrail System

By Vincenzo Cutrone, Skyline Group

B

oth penetrating and non-penetrating systems will keep roof workers (contractors, maintenance staff, and service teams) safe while working on a commercial flat roof, minimizing the risk of injury.

Why do facility managers and roofing contractors prefer installing a non-penetrating roof barrier system? Here are 5 common reasons why you would select a non-penetrating rooftop guardrail.

IHM News • Fall 2023

Flexibility A non-penetrating solution gives you the flexibility to install the system wherever you need it on the roof, regardless of any load barring or structural concerns. This type of system also enables you to reuse the same equipment once a roof is reroofed. Yes, you can do so as well with a fixed guardrail, although the simplicity of just moving the system to the side for a repair to the roof and

putting it back in place without making more holes is usually underestimated.

Quick & Easy While Reducing Costs Our line of RoofBarrier guardrails require less installation time and labor due to their modular design! For contractors, this means you’ll be saving on installation time, labor, and costs. If you are a facility manager, the reduction in

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labor will contribute towards reducing your overall budgetary requirements.

NO ROOF REPAIRS REQUIRED If you plan on fastening the system to the roof, once the installation is complete you will need to repair and/or reseal those sections of the roof. Often the cost of resealing and repairing the flat roof is not taken into consideration when choosing between a fixed guardrail vs non-penetrating guardrail solution.

No Structural Concerns At times, due to where the barrier needs to be located in order to ensure rooftop safety compliance, fastening a guardrail may not be an option. We have also come across this scenario when working on older buildings and/or historical

sites where preserving the site is of utmost importance.

Modular – Growing with Your Roof Needs As your rooftop grows in either square footage and/or safety requirements, you may require an upgraded HVAC system to meet your growing needs.

With a non-penetrating guardrail, you can move the system to a different location on the roof with ease or add onto an existing unit with basic hand tools, ensuring rooftop safety compliance.

system. With a non-penetrating system there is no need for any re-work to be done to the roof after installation is complete, unlike fixed systems where you need to repair and reseal the roof, potentially voiding your roof warranty.

Vincenzo Cutrone, Marketing Manager, Skyline Group +1 438 368 4710 www.skylinegroupintl.com u

Summary Ultimately, it comes down to how quick and easy the installation process is with a modular non-penetrating guardrail

UPCOMING EVENT

Best Practices in Rooftop Safety & Compliance

Thank You to Our Event Sponsor

November 15, 2023 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM via Zoom Moderator: Jim Mellor, FIHM, IHM President Presenter: Vernon Ghinn, VP Safety Specialist,, Skyline Group

IHM News • Fall 2023

Details and to Register

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Education

Course Completions in Property Management Administration

Tenancy Law

Christina Gervais Ashley Massey Matthew Solomon Clair Stanley

Penny Boileau Ryan O’Hearn Andrew Swan Joan Wi lson Jena Oneil Melissa Mercer Danielle Stinson

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Finance Danielle Stin-son Debbie Craig Emma Ryan Karen Ribble Stacey Sanelli Daniel Lungu John Hartling Shreya Kirolikar

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Calling All Property Managers…

We know that a Property Manager’s job can be both challenging and interesting. How often have you come to work with your day all planned in your head only to have something unexpected come along? We are looking for some stories to share with your colleagues in the Property Management field.

If you have an interesting story that you would be will to author, please contact the Newsletter Committee at info@ihmcanada.net

Maintenance Danielle Stinson Jason Ruffolo Brock Powell Gregory With

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Human Relations Jen Kroh John Lee Penny Boileau uuu

Welcome to IHM’s Newest Accredited Members Jason Ruffolo, AIHM Joan Wilson, AIHM

INSTITUTE OF HOUSING MANAGEMENT

Join the Institute of Housing Management on

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THE LEADER IN PROFESSIONAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT EDUCATION

Accessible through at-home, in-class and on-line learning.

Start on your journey to the AIHM designation today!

416-493-7382 / 1-866-212-4377 • www.ihmcanada.net

IHM News • Fall 2023

Visit our website at: ihmcanada.net to gain access

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IHM News • Fall 2023

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Feature

What is Hoarding Disorder?

By Urge To Purge Inc.

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oarding Disorder occurs when a person has difficulty discarding items that have no apparent use or value to them. The retention of these possessions results in excessive clutter and impairs the functioning of the person’s living space and, as a result, can harm relationships with others, especially those in the home or wanting to visit.

Typically, there are three reasons people save these items – sentimental value, an intended use or function, and intrinsic beauty. Although these valuations underlie the rationale for why most people save things, for people with Hoarding Disorder, the value attached to possessions is applied more broadly and experienced more intensely and can reach a point where the individual items are lost within the clutter and the individ-

IHM News • Fall 2023

ual’s worry about their possessions has overtaken their ability to live comfortably.

In many cases, people with Hoarding Disorder also struggle with acquiring, whether it’s collecting free items, making purchases at discounted prices, or inheriting possessions from others.

What is Animal Hoarding?

Animal hoarding is the continued accumulation of pets despite being unable to provide the necessary space, nutrition, sanitation, or veterinary care to keep the animals—or you—healthy and safe.

Hoarding Coalitions Hoarding isn’t just a mental health disorder—it’s also a public health problem.

Pest management can be difficult in the homes of people who hoard. Their windows and doors can become blocked and walkways impassible, making their homes unsafe not only for themselves but also for first responders such as firefighters. That’s why many cities have formed task forces to address the public health risks. Such task forces often involve social services, public health, housing code enforcement, and even animal control in cases where people hoard pets.

For over a decade, Urge to Purge has been serving Niagara and the GTA to help with Hoarding Disorder, Pest control and many other associated services.

We have end to end solutions for Housing Management and Property Managers. Complimentary site visits 24/7 with full report assessment.

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Hoarding Remediation Urge to Purge started out with a team of two, their main focus, de-cluttering clients homes. As the company grew exponentially, so did the services offered!

Hoarding isn’t just a mental health disorder — it’s also a public health problem.

Urge to Purge specializes in ‘Hoarding Remediation’. No matter the size or location, we can remedy and restore homes that have been effected.

Urge To Purge Inc. Market Square Welland, ON. L3B 4C4 905-732-8382 www.urgetopurge.ca www.facebook.com/UTPNiagara/ www.instagram.com/urgetopurgewelland/ www.linkedin.com/company/urge-topurge/ u May 8

Institute of Housing Management

48th Annual Educational Conference May 8 - 10, 2024 STRATFORD, ON Arden Park Hotel

Mark your Calendars for IHM’s 48th Annual Educational Conference May 8 - 10, 2024 Arden Park Hotel, Stratford Ontario

IHM News • Fall 2023

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Carbon Monoxide Safety

Often called the invisible killer, carbon monoxide is an invisible, odorless, colorless gas created when fuels (such as gasoline, wood, coal, natural gas, propane, oil, and methane) burn incompletely. In the home, heating and cooking equipment that burn fuel can be sources of carbon monoxide.

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CO alarms should be installed in a central location outside each sleeping area and on every level of the home and in other locations where required by applicable laws, codes or standards. For the best protection, interconnect all CO alarms throughout the home. When one sounds, they all sound.

Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for placement and mounting height.

Choose a CO alarm that is listed by a qualified testing laboratory.

Call your local fire department’s non-emergency number to find out what number to call if the CO alarm sounds.

Test CO alarms at least once a month; replace them according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

If the audible trouble signal sounds, check for low batteries.

If the battery is low, replace it. If it still sounds, call the fire department.

If the CO alarm sounds, immediately move to a fresh air location outdoors or by an open window or door. Make sure everyone inside the home is accounted for. Call for help from a fresh air location and stay there until emergency personnel declare that it is safe to re-enter the home.

If you need to warm a vehicle, remove it from the garage immediately after starting it. Do not run a vehicle or other fueled engine or motor indoors, even if garage doors are open. Make sure the exhaust pipe of a running vehicle is not covered with snow.

During and after a snowstorm, make sure vents for the dryer, furnace, stove, and fireplace are clear of snow build-up.

A generator should be used in a well-ventilated location outdoors away from windows, doors and vent openings.

Gas or charcoal grills can produce CO — only use outside.

HOME HEATING EQUIPMENT

Have fuel-burning heating equipment and chimneys inspected by a professional every year before cold weather sets in. When using a fireplace, open the flue for adequate ventilation. Never use your oven to heat your home.

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FACTS

! A person can be poisoned

by a small amount of CO over a longer period of time or by a large amount of CO over a shorter amount of time. ! In 2010, U.S. fire departments responded to an estimated 80,100 nonfire CO incidents in which carbon monoxide was found, or an average of nine calls per hour.

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NATIONAL FIRE PROTECTION ASSOCIATION The leading information and knowledge resource on fire, electrical and related hazards

www.nfpa.org/education ©NFPA 2017

IHM News • Fall 2023

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2023-2024 IHM Board of Directors

www.ihmcanada.net

EXECUTIVE President Jimmy Mellor, FIHM Director of Operations, Precision Property Management 22 Goodmark Place, Suite 22, Toronto, ON M9W 6R2 Tel: 416-887-9253 | Fax: 416-675-0170 Email: jimmym@ppmgmt.ca

DIRECTORS Co-op Accreditation Program Member Ed Cipriani, FIHM ecpm@skylinc.net

Vice President Marketing/Membership Committee Kevin McCann, FIHM Email: kevinmccann98@hotmail.com

Co-op Accreditation Program Chair Phil Eram, B.Sc., FIHM Precision Property Management Inc. 22 Goodmark Place, Suite 22, Toronto, ON M9W 6R2 Tel: 416-675-2223 Email: pgsd@cogeco.ca

Membership/Marketing Committee Chair Marissa Zuliani, AIHM Property Management Solutions Inc. 3542 Walker Road, Windsor, ON N8W 3S4 Tel: 226-961-3323 Email: info@propertymanagementsolutions.ca

Membership/Marketing Committee Member, Conference Committee Member, Co-op Accreditation Program Member, Communications Committee Member Deborah Filice, MEd, RSSW, FIHM, CIHCM, CMMIII DAF Property Management Services Inc. Tel: 289-244-8269 Email: dfilice@dafpmservices.com

CANDIDATE MEMBER Conference Committee Member Stacey Sanelli Precision Property Management Inc. 22 Goodmark Place, Suite 22, Toronto, ON M9W 6R2 Tel: 416-887-1251 | Email: staceys@ppmgmt.ca

Secretary-Treasurer Conference Committee Chair Lynn Alexander, FIHM Region of Durham Housing Services P.O.Box 623, Whitby, ON L1N 6A3 Tel: 905-666-6222 | Fax: 905-666-6225 Email: Lynn.alexander@durham.ca

IHM Office:

Carolyne Vigon, Operations Manager Beth McKenzie, Program Manager

IHM News • Fall 2023

Communications Committee Member Tracey Csordas, AIHM Manager, Student Housing Programs Conestoga College Email: traceycsordas@yahoo.com

Communication Committee Chair, Conference Committee Member Francesca Filice, B.A., AIHM Property Manager Victoria Park Community Homes Tel: 289-244-8059 | Email: ffilice@vpch.com Communication Committee Member Sandra Herrera, AIHM Email: windsor.ihm.sh@gmail.com

2800 14th Avenue, Suite 210, Markham, Ontario L3R 0E4 Tel: 416-493-7382 / 1-866-212-4377 • Fax: 416-491-1670 • Email: info@ihmcanada.net

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IHM Corporate Members Thank you to Appollo Pest Management, 2023 Event Sponsor and Corporate Member.

Thank you to all IHM Corporate Members.

IHM News • Fall 2023

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