Toronto Community Housing says it admits that errors were made in the case of a senior who was evicted from his subsidized apartment and then later died in a homeless shelter.

 

"Toronto Community Housing deeply regrets Mr. (Al) Gosling's eviction and we are very sorry at his subsequent passing," David Mitchell, chair of the public agency, said Friday in a statement.

 

As a result of the recommendations in report by former judge Patrick LeSage, which was released on Friday, the social housing agency will work to improve direct, face-to-face contact with tenants -- especially with seniors, the disable and the mentally ill.

 

It will also:

  • provide comprehensive staff training in eviction prevention
  •  
  • make dealing with the agency easier for tenants
  •  
  • build better relationships with social services agencies

 

Gosling had been a tenant of the agency for 21 years.

 

The agency evicted Gosling on May 28, 2009.

 

Gosling hadn't responded to written letters and notices about providing the documents necessary to show he needed a rent subsidy. After his rent went up to market levels, Gosling fell into arrears, leading to his eviction.

 

He died five months later. Gosling was one month shy of his 82nd birthday at the time of his death.

 

"It appears he may have lived in a stairwell at Arleta Manor (his former building) for some short period" between his eviction and being taken to Humber River Hospital on June 6, 2009, LeSage wrote.

 

Gosling developed an infection in September 2009. Community Housing staff were making arrangements to return him to Arleta Manor, but his health deteriorated. He died on Oct. 11, 2009 at Toronto General Hospital.

 

LeSage noted that eviction prevention shouldn't reward those who are deliberately not meeting their obligations as tenants.

 

However, LeSage said he heard many stories about people who found themselves frustrated by TCH