Terms of reference

Tri-Cities Homelessness Task Group Terms of Reference

Vision

A future where all citizens of the Tri-Cities have access to appropriate housing and supports and no one is homeless.

Mission

To provide leadership to create a continuum of housing and supports in the Tri-Cities.

Principles

Collaboration with the Regional Steering Committee on Homelessness; • Collaboration with community and business partners; • Promotion of positive change at the community level and within all levels of government;
Recognition that solutions to homelessness are based on three essential elements: housing, support services and adequate income (“3 Ways to Home”);
Support for a “housing first” approach, which provides stable housing and the support services to end homelessness while meeting emergency shelter needs;
Collaboration on planning for service provision to ensure that essential services meet a wide range of needs. Goals and Objectives
To develop and implement a strategic plan focusing on prevention, advocacy, facilitation and education;
To build government support and work with the three levels of government to promote “3 Ways to Home”;
To increase the political commitment within the Tri-City municipal governments to address issues of housing and homelessness;
To provide for sub-regional coordination and build the community capacity of service providers and local groups to respond effectively and to enhance their services.

Role of Task Group

To be a voice in the Tri-Cities to implement “3 Ways to Home”;
To collect, maintain and disseminate up-to-date information on the prevalence and nature of homelessness in the Tri-Cities and the services and actions which are addressing it;
To facilitate the development of a shelter proposal, cold wet weather strategy and extreme weather response plan;
To identify gaps in services, determine what is needed and advocate for resources;
To increase the engagement of all sectors of the Tri-Cities community in addressing homelessness and foster actions to meet specific needs;
To take non-partisan political action to address gaps in service;
To deliver presentations and provide education to local service clubs, corporate, faith and non-profit groups and the public in general to combat NIMBYism;
To achieve buy in and commitment from sub-regional (Tri-City), regional, provincial and federal governments.
To keep abreast of best practices in addressing homelessness (e.g. US Interagency Council on Homelessness)

Membership

The members of the Tri-Cities Homelessness Task Group have a commitment to achieving the Task Group’s mission, goals and objectives, and include federal and provincial government agencies; municipal governments; federal, provincial and municipal politicians; organizations either providing services to the homeless or having an interest in addressing homelessness in the Tri-Cities, local business and concerned citizens.

The criteria for eligibility for Task Group membership are:

Organizations

oversight at some level of one or more of the 3 “essential elements” (housing, support services, and adequate income) of the solutions to homelessness, or
a provider of services which address one or more of the 3 essential elements, or
an intent to address one or more of the 3 essential elements and potential resources to commit.

Individuals

resident of the Tri-Cities, and
experience and/or expertise in issues related to homelessness, and
time available for Task Group participation, including active participation in at least one subcommittee.

A member who misses 3 consecutive monthly Task Group meetings without notifying the Chairperson of extenuating circumstances will be removed from the membership list. This does not apply to a member who sends a suitably-briefed delegate.

Leadership

The membership of the Tri-Cities Homelessness Task Group will select a Chairperson and a Vice-Chairperson in January of each year to provide Task Group leadership for that year.

Meetings

Regular meetings of the Tri-Cities Homelessness Task Group membership will be held from 9:00 – 11:00 AM on the first Friday of every month. Extraordinary meetings may be held as deemed necessary by the membership. Task Group meetings will be held at the city hall of either Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam and Port Moody on an annually rotating basis.

Reporting

Minutes of the Tri-Cities Homelessness Task Group meetings will be recorded by the Committee Clerk of the municipality providing the meeting space and distributed to the Task Group membership and others who wished to be apprised of Task Group activities.

Decision-Making

Consensus will be sought for all decisions made by the Task Group. Where this is not possible, the meeting chair shall call for a vote by those members present at a meeting. It is recognized that some members might not be able to vote on specific issues given their obligations to the organizations they represent. Therefore, prior to a vote, the number of members who will be casting a vote for a decision to be made by the Task Group will be determined. The quorum for the number of members who will be casting a vote is 10, plus the meeting chair. The issue will be decided by a 2/3rd majority of the members who are voting. The meeting minutes will record the number of votes for and against and the name of each member who abstained from the vote.

Official Communication

The Chairperson will speak on behalf of the Tri-Cities Homelessness Task Group. Requests for comment on Task Group activities and positions will be directed to the Chairperson.

Subcommittee Terms of Reference

Role

The role of a Subcommittee is to carry out specific actions referred to it by the Task Group, in a manner consistent with the Task Group’s Principles.

Leadership

The members of a Subcommittee will select a chairperson in January of each year to provide Subcommittee leadership for that year.

Meetings

Subcommittees shall meet at a frequency established by its members sufficient to meet the timeframe objectives of the assigned actions.

Subcommittees will meet at a location mutually agreed to by its members.

Brief minutes recording Subcommittee decisions shall be prepared after each Subcommittee meeting and forwarded to the Committee Clerk by e-mail for distribution to the Task Group membership prior to the next meeting.