Miguel Avia Velarde: A Voice for TCHC Tenants

On April 15, 2025, the Tenant Services Committee (TSC) of the Toronto Community Housing Corporation (TCHC) convened its latest meeting, providing a crucial platform for tenant voices on matters directly impacting their communities. Among those who addressed the committee was long-time tenant advocate and Regent Park resident Miguel Avila-Valarde, who made no fewer than eight deputations on a wide range of issues affecting TCHC tenants.

Dimitrije Martinovic – Local Journalism Initiative

A resident of 220 Oak Street, a 27-storey high-rise on the edge of Regent Park, Miguel has witnessed firsthand the challenges that come with life in aging public housing stock—fragility shaped by years of institutional neglect and bureaucratic inaction. Despite these conditions, he has tirelessly advocated for marginalized tenants, Indigenous communities, and public housing residents across the city.

At this meeting, Miguel raised urgent concerns ranging from tenant safety to administrative processes. In his first deputation, he addressed the growing issue of e-bikes in TCHC communities, followed by a call for accountability within the Community Safety Unit (CSU), a TCHC-run service tasked with non-emergency safety concerns.

Miguel also tackled the financial burden of mandatory tenant insurance for low-income residents and questioned why long-standing tenant leaders like himself are excluded from engagement roles after years of dedicated service. Speaking on the Violence Reduction Program, he linked recurring violence in buildings like 220 Oak Street to chronic underinvestment in infrastructure and social supports.

Another key issue was the Tenant Transfer Policy, with Miguel citing his personal experience navigating the red tape and delays facing tenants in unsafe or unsuitable living situations. He further advocated for noise monitoring in TCHC buildings and highlighted the underreporting of incidents handled by CSU.
Miguel concluded by proposing the development of a mobile app for tenants to access building updates, service requests, and transfer applications—an innovation he believes could improve communication and transparency within TCHC communities.

His passionate, lived-experience-driven advocacy remains a powerful example of grassroots civic engagement, pushing for tenant rights and system reform from within.