N.W.T. public housing changes already underway: minister

Improvements are already in the works at the Northwest Territories Housing Corp. following a critical report from federal Auditor General Sheila Fraser, said the minister responsible for the corporation.

Michael Miltenberger said he was not surprised by Fraser's audit, which uncovered systemic flaws, including the failure to monitor its local and regional housing boards, leading to improper approvals for some housing applications.

Fraser's report, released Friday, found local authorities also need help with collecting overdue payments from residents under home ownership programs — 81 per cent of those mortgages were in arrears in January 2007, her report found.

"The housing corporation bears a large responsibility for allowing things to lapse and not being followed up on," Miltenberger said Monday.

"So we have to sit down client by client, community by community, district by district, to look at how do we arrange repayment schedules with the folks. We have to be very clear that we are in the process of recovering this. That this is not just free money."

Fraser's audit also pointed to the lack of an overarching plan to ensure the housing corporation meets the territory's housing needs.

Miltenberger said that comprehensive plan is now finished and subject to approval by the legislative assembly. As well, he said he has already made changes to provide better support to the local and regional housing boards.

"Over time, in the past, things evolved and they needed tightening up. Clearly that's been identified by the auditor general, and as well it's been identified by the housing corporation," Miltenberger said.

"As minister, I've been pushing the [re-organization], the strategic plan, and all these things that are going to help address that."

In examining 74 applications for rental housing, Fraser found that five applicants were given priority even though they were less qualified than other people seeking housing. As well, 14 applicants were given housing without being properly assessed, according to the report.

As a result, government officials often hear complaints from applicants like Annie Thrasher, who believed she was treated unfairly by the housing corporation.

"It's been 2½ years now, I've been debt free. I applied again … in October and I was refused for the same reason," said Thrasher, who said she finally found a place last January.

"I was later on told in December that they won't make any exceptions, even to get me on a waiting list."

Miltenberger said he is thinking of launching an appeals process, based on one of Fraser's recommendations.