Tenants First Team | City of Hamilton

CityHousing Hamilton is formally embedding tenant feedback in decision making through a new partnership, the Tenants First Team. This ten-member group of tenants helps inform strategic organizational decision making to improve quality of life for tenants.

“Our purpose is to partner with CHH to make sure it offers a high-quality tenant experience,” says Lisa Burton, chair of the Tenants First Team. The group does this “by sharing its diverse perspective on decisions that impact our communities and what is needed to improve overall quality of life for tenants.”

The Tenants First Team bring lived experiences to lead change, influence policies and programs, and represent tenant voices across CityHousing Hamilton to shape the present and future of CityHousing Hamilton. Members represent all tenants, and not just those in their buildings.

The Tenants First Team provides support to CityHousing Hamilton through:

Reviewing policies and procedures,
Identifying areas of improvement and service gaps
Acts as a link between tenants and CityHousing Hamilton

In their first year, the Tenants First Team laid its foundations and established a recruitment plan for new members. They gave feedback on policies and plans, like CHH’s Communication and 25-year Development Strategies. They also looked at ways to improve safety, security, and community wellbeing.

The transitional team members are Lisa Burton (Chair), Kim Cruz (Vice-Chair), Jim Shao, Marie Dynes, Mike Hallman, Terry Daily, Tesha Sylvester, Malcolm Purdy, and Marylou Purdy.

Recruitment for new members will begin in the summer of 2025.

To learn more or apply, please email [email protected] or complete the application form below.

Tenant First Team Members are appointed by a Selection Committee. The Selection Committee oversees the application and interview process and identifies new members.

The Selection Committee will include one to two Tenants First Team Members (can include the Chair and/or Vice Chair) and one to two CHH Board Members. CHH staff will coordinate with the Tenants First Team Members to identify one or two representatives, and the CEO will coordinate with the CHH Board to identify one or two representatives.

Conflicts of Interest:

If a Tenants First Team Member or Board Member has a known conflict of interest related to their participation on the Selection Committee, it is to be declared as soon as possible.

Tenants interested in applying for Membership on the Tenants First Team must do so in writing by completing an application form. Application forms will be available in hard copy (by request) and online. Accommodation or support for completing the form will be provided by CHH staff upon request.

Application forms are to be submitted to CHH staff who will ensure applicants are current tenants 16 years of age or older and do not have disqualifying tenancy issues.

CHH staff will forward eligible applications to the Selection Committee.

The Selection Committee will select applicants qualifying for an interview with consideration given to representation based on property type, geographic location, and diverse experiences, backgrounds and perspectives.

Interviews will be held by the Selection Committee.

The Selection Committee will finalize interview questions and scoring.

Upon request, CHH staff will support the Selection Committee with interview scheduling, space booking, printing, arranging translation, and developing scoring rubric and/or tools for the interview process.

The Selection Committee Members will collectively determine successful applicant(s). The selection of new Members will be based on:

Interview score (note: if an applicant does not pass the interview, they cannot be selected as a Member of the Tenants First Team); and
Representation based on property type, geographic location, and diverse experiences, backgrounds and perspectives.

Note: To ensure meetings have the full spectrum of tenant and community perspectives, attendance at regular meetings is required by all Tenants First Team Members. Therefore, applicants who are unable to participate in meetings every other month (given accommodation where required) are ineligible for Membership on the Tenants First Team.

The Selection Committee will contact the successful and non-successful applicant(s) to inform them of the outcome of their interview.

The Selection Committee will provide the Tenants First Team Chair and CHH Staff with contact information of the successful new Member(s).

Tenants First Team

Application

Contact Information

First

Last

Address

Address 2

City/Town

Province

Postal Code

Phone number

Email address

Date of birth

Which gender do you identify as?

Do you require English translation?

Yes

No

Which language?

Do you have accessibility requirements?

Yes

No

Please explain what accommodations are needed

Eligibility

Term Requested

Two year term

Three year term

Four year term

Length of tenancy with CityHousing Hamilton

Are you able to attend meetings at 181 Main Street West every other month for two hours?

Transportation is available upon request

Yes

No

Why are you interested in joining the Tenants First Team?

The Tenants First Team aims for its membership to be diverse in terms of property type, geographic location, experience, background, and perspective.

What does equity, diversity, inclusion mean to you?

How would you embed equity, diversity, and inclusion into the Tenants First Team’s work?:

Notice of Collection

The City of Hamilton collects information under authority of Section 227 and Section 10 of the Municipal Act, 2001. Any personal information collected by CityHousing Hamilton (CHH) for the Tenants First Team Application will be used for the purpose of recruiting and appointing tenants to serve on the CHH Tenant Advisory Board. By providing your email address and phone number, you are consenting to receiving emails from the City of Hamilton and/or their agents/contractors to arrange and conduct interviews. Information collected for this initiative may be stored on servers located in Canada and the United States and may be subject to Canadian and/or American laws. Questions about the collection of this personal information can be directed to the Manager of Strategy & Quality Improvement, CityHousing Hamilton, 181 Main St W, Hamilton, ON L8P 4R8, [email protected], 905-870-8342.

Date modified

August 12, 2025