SWAP thrives and struggles-- REAL STORIES

SWAP Thrives and Struggles

"We had become frustrated with the staff at M.T.H.A. (Metropolitan Toronto Housing Authority)," said a Lawrence Heights resident. "Many of us needed a transfer to a different unit and there was one delay after another. At a meeting at the local elementary school in 1991, we expressed how difficult it was to talk with M.T.H.A. staff and how we didn’t feel respected. So we spoke to some of the workers at the health centre and things began to change."

Three workshops were planned and facilitated by Lawrence Heights Community Health Centre staff - one on the topic of transfers, one on rent cost and the third on alternative types of housing within the M.T.H.A. community. Out of these workshops the S.W.A.P. (Switching With Another Person) program was born.

A committee of five residents, the LHCHC case coordinator and an M.T.H.A. representative met twice a month to review and update the SWAP membership list, match potential residents and organize community information sessions and community outreach. Once a year, the five residents and the case coordinator organized a door-to-door recruitment campaign to increase SWAP membership and to build awareness of the program. The steering committee members would share tasks such as telephone calls to members, arrange matches, do move out inspection of apartments and houses, help other residents fill out SWAP application forms, link with M.T.H.A. staff to set dates for leases to be signed and many other related tasks.

"SWAP strengthened and enhanced the community’s belief that they could directly affect change in their individual and community life."

"The program was effective," says Yasmin Aarons, Case Coodinator at Lawrence Heights CHC, "because it was run by residents in the community. SWAP strengthened and enhanced the community’s belief that they could directly affect change in their individual and community life. And as a direct result of the work that was done by the SWAP committee of Lawrence Heights, SWAP was formally included on all M.T.H.A. transfer forms."

But the most important strength of the program was that it helped move people to the most appropriate size accommodation in the community. Resident Elizabeth Ambrose remembers that between 1991 and 1993 the SWAP committee had 20 SWAPS, about one per month. "That really made all our hard work feel very worthwhile," she said.

And when MTHA stopped being involved,
so did the community residents.

But in the past two years, the SWAP program has had some real challenges, the main one being the restructuring at MTHA. Job positions have been changed and there are fewer staff to do the work.

Judy Johnson is a Property Assistant with the ‘new’ MTHA and she says that SWAP is the fastest way of moving people from one place to another. "I would hate to see it disappear. I’m a strong believer that communities are built when people can pick their own homes. Unfortunately, we just don’t have the staff time to support SWAP the way we used to."

And when MTHA stopped being involved, so did the community residents. They didn’t want to expend all that energy to arrange moves and then run into a blank wall at the housing office. But Yasmin Aarons is determined to get that MTHA support back.

"We’re in the middle of a four-way SWAP right now. It’s been a nightmare but MTHA has finally agreed to do all the paperwork and the four families are excited about their moves. I know how motivated community members are to be involved in the SWAP program again and we hope to keep it alive."