Page 3 - Defining New Ways - CHC Annual Report 2018

MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR, MARINA CLEMENS

I am pleased to submit the 2018 Windsor Essex Community Housing Corporation (CHC) Annual Report to the Shareholder on
behalf of CHC. We are committed to providing safe and well-maintained homes within Windsor and Essex County. This means
sourcing investments that keep units in good repair, working together with our community partners and agencies to enhance
community safety, assisting residents in becoming more involved in their communities and being accountable as Windsor and Essex
County's largest affordable housing provider.
2018 has presented many highlights and challenges for our Board and staff. We are at a turning point in our organization, especially in
light of aging stock. We laid out priorities in a 15-year plan for the Regeneration of our buildings. This included how to: reposition our
housing stock to meet current and future housing demands; handle an ever-growing waiting list for both subsidized and affordable
units; work together to reduce homelessness; manage and refurbish units; utilize our capital assets and to engage and empower
present and future residents, to choose CHC buildings and call them home. This plan is a strategic road map that will reposition our
assets and business activities over the next 15 years.
This is a shared, ongoing journey that requires continuous dialogue between the board, staff, residents and the city of Windsor and
county of Essex as our shareholder. I thank CHC executive management team and all staff who work diligently to provide affordable,
quality housing to our residents.

The current boards' terms were up in December of 2018. Thank you to our Board members for their commitment to CHC over the past
four years.
It has been an honour to serve as the Board Chair over the past four years and to work side by side with the board, CHC staff and our
CEO, that every day says a resounding "YES" to their individual work positions. I extend a sincere thank you to the Service Manager
and her team who always find ways to reach a common goal to enhance the lives of people trying to secure affordable, accessible and
inclusive units within both the city and the county.

MESSAGE FROM THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER JIM STEELE

This 2018 Annual Report highlights CHC's demonstrated resilience amidst a harsh operating environment and period of significant
change. The physical assets built five decades ago no longer meet the requirements of todays applicants or residents. Our housing is
ageing, and this has resulted in the deterioration of our physical assets. There is an increase in our Facility Condition Index from 7% to
24% in 2030 if we do not take action now. Repairs and regeneration investments are required to sustain and improve the existing
affordable housing supply in our service area.

Major capital retrofit programs were completed or commenced in 2018 through provincial funded programs like Social Housing
Apartment Improvement Program (SHAIP), Social Housing Apartment Retrofit Program (SHARP) and Social Housing Improvement
Program (SHIP).

In 2018, we contended with a 15% increase in the number of households waiting for housing on the Central Housing Registry –
Windsor Essex County (CHR) wait list to over 5,000 households and rising from 2017. Local growing housing affordability pressures
coupled with local priorities as identified in the Windsor Essex County Housing and Homelessness Plan points to an increasing number
of applicants and residents with complex needs in our communities.
We adapt our business models to sustain our organization by working together with our volunteer Board of Directors, our Service
Manager and Shareholder who provide ongoing guidance and stewardship. Through the efforts of our staff, we engaged in business
and organizational transformation to expand our services while being innovative and responsive to the needs of our community.

We define different by distinguishing new ways to solve problems and providing an initial strategic framework to work through new
challenges every day.
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CHC ANNUAL REPORT