Welcome to Housing Connections

What do we do?
Weconnectpeopletoaffordableandsocial housinginToronto. Assesseligibilityforrentgearedto incomesubsidyinToronto Determineeligibilityforpriorityonthe waitinglist Managehousingprogramswithprivate landlordsinthecityofToronto

Who is eligible for subsidized housing in Toronto?

Basic eligibility for rent-geared-to-income:

YoumusthavelegalstatusinCanadaforallhousehold members(Canadiancitizenship,landedimmigrant status,refugeestatusorclaimantorletterconfirming applicationforoneofthesedocuments)Seeourwebsite formoreinfo. Youmustbeatleast16yearsofageorolderandbeable toliveindependently,withorwithoutsupports Nohouseholdmembercanowearrearstoasocial housingproviderinOntario(unlessthereisa repaymentscheduleinplace)

What do I need to show my status in Canada?

Youwillneedtosubmitoneofthefollowingdocuments foreachhouseholdmember: aCanadianbirthcertificate; avalidCanadianPassport; aCanadianCitizenshipcard; landedimmigrantstatuspapers;or PermanentResidentCard.

Ifyou(oranotherhouseholdmember)donothaveoneof thesedocuments,youwillneedtosubmitaletterfromImmigration CanadaconfirmingthatyouhaveappliedforPermanentResidentstatus, RefugeestatusorRefugeeClaimantstatus.

How do I show my legal status in Canada if I do not have status documents?

Ifyou(oranotherhouseholdmember)arehomelessanddonot haveyourstatusdocuments,youcanreapplyforyourdocuments usingtheP.A.I.D.Clinicbycalling4166917407. Ifyourchildisunder4yearsofage andyoudonothavetheir statusdocuments,youwillneedtosubmit: aStatementofLiveBirthforchildrenage4orunder;or asignedformfromaregisteredI.D.clinicconfirmingthatyou haveappliedforabirthcertificateorStatementofLiveBirth.

How do I apply for subsidized housing?

Completeanapplicationonlineat www.housingconnections.ca Downloadanapplicationformandinstructions (EnglishorFrench)fromwww.housingconnections.ca PickupandgethelpwithanapplicationatoneofHousing Connections CommunityPartnerslocatedacrossthecity FilloutanapplicationatourResourceCentreat 176ElmStreet Callandrequestanapplication

What do I need to include with my completed application?

legalstatusinCanadadocumentsforallhouseholdmembers yourhousingchoices(useouronlinehousinglistingsto choosewhereyouwanttolive) signedDeclarationformandsignedCollection,Useand DisclosureofPersonalInformation(signedbyall household members16yearsofageorolder) Ifyouapplyonline,remembertoprintandsignbothformsandsend themtoHousingConnections.

Are there applicants that get priority on the waiting list?

Yes,theprioritiesarefor: 1)victimsofdomesticabuse forapplicantswhohavebeen subjecttoabuseandcandemonstratecommonaddress withtheabuser 2) terminallyill forapplicantswhohavelessthantwo yearstolive 3)overhoused forsubsidizedtenantswhoarelivingina unitthatislargerthanaunitforwhichtheyqualify

Disadvantaged applicants
Inadditiontothepriorities,housingprovidersoffer oneineverysevenvacanciestothefollowing households: homeless/newcomerswhoarehomeless separatedfamilieswithachildincareof ChildrensAidSociety youthwhoare16yearsoldatthetimeof applying

How much rent will I pay in rent-geared-to-income housing?

Eachhouseholdisdifferent,sohow yourrentiscalculatedwilldepend onyourhouseholdssituation. Ifyouareworking,orreceivea pension,yourrentwillbeabout 30percentofthatincome. IfyouareonOntarioDisabilitySupportProgram (ODSP)orOntarioWorks(OW), yourshelter allowanceisadjustedtocovertherent.

How do I select where I want to live?

Building choices
Gotowww.housingconnections.ca forthe interactiveHousingListings. Eachbuildinghasitsownwaitinglist,soyoushouldlistasmany choicesaspossible,butonlychoosebuildingsinwhichyouarewilling tolive. Thedateyouaddabuildingchoicetoyourapplicationisthe housingchoicedate. TorontoCommunityHousinghasmanylocations.Itusesthefirstdate youaddedoneoftheirbuildingstoyourapplicationforanybuildings addedlater. YoucanchoosefromthemapofRentSupplementzonestoaddRent Supplementzonestoyourbuildingchoices.

What is the Rent Supplement Program?

rentgearedtoincomehousingwithprivate landlords rentsupplementclientsarehousedfromthe centralizedwaitinglist applicantscanapplyforrentsupplementby addingrentsupplementzonestotheirlistof buildingchoices

What unit size am I eligible for?

Spouses/partnersshareabedroomandcanrequesttosharea bachelorunit Twosamesexchildrenunder18shareabedroom Children18oroverareentitledtotheirownroom(oryoucan requestthattheysharearoomwithanotherchild) Childrenoftheoppositesexaregivenseparatebedrooms(unless yourequesttohavethechildrenshareabedroom) Parentcanrequesttoshareabedroomwiththeirdependentchild

What happens after I apply?

Aletterismailedtoyouwhenwehavereceived yourapplication(within68weeks) Anotherletterwillbemailedwithapersonal identificationnumber(P.I.N.)sothatyoucanuse thewebsiteandtheautomatedtelephonesystemto makechangestoyourapplication KeepyourP.I.N.safeandconfidential.

What do I need to do while I wait?

UpdateyourinformationatleastonceayearandletHousing Connectionsknowwheneverthereisachangein: name,address,phonenumberand/orcontactperson incomeorassets healthorspecialneeds householdcomposition housingchoices

Online services
Withan applicationnumberand personalidentification number(P.I.N.) youcanmakeapasswordtouse ApplicationUpdateto: viewandupdateyourapplicationinformation viewandprintasummaryofyourapplicationandhousing choices viewHousingUpTo datesonthefirstcome,firstserved waitinglist replytolettersaskingforconfirmationofinterestinbeingon waitinglistorrequestinganinformationupdate

Keep your application active!

Ifwedonothearfromyoufor12months,aletteris senttoyourlastknownaddressaskingyouto contactus. Ifthemailisreturned,orifthereisnoresponse, yourfilebecomesinactive. Ifyourfileisinactivefortwoyears,itwillbe cancelled,andyouwillneedtoreapply.

How long is the wait for subsidized housing?

Thewaitinglistischronological andworksonafirstcome,first servedbasis.Specialpriority applicationsareofferedhousing beforethechronologicalwaitinglist. Howlongyouwaitforhousingmayvarydependingon: turnoverratesforthebuildingsyouselected thenumberofhousingchoicesyouhavelisted theunitsize(s)forwhichyouarelisted

Estimated average wait times:

SpecialPriority1218months Bachelor Onebedroom Twobedroom Threetofourbedroom 15years 710years 510years 1012years

Fivebedroom46years

Other housing programs

HousingConnectionsworkswiththeCityofTorontoandotherfunderson housingprogramsforeligibleapplicants.Keepyourapplicationuptodateso youcanreceiveinfoonhousingprogramsforwhichyoumaybeeligible. housingallowanceprograms andShortTermRentSupport Program designedtomakerentmoreaffordablewhileyouwait AtHome/ChezSoi supportivehousingprojectfundedbytheMental HealthCommissionofCanada,forpeoplewhoarehomelessand experiencementalhealthissues AffordableHousingPrograms HousingConnectionsisworkingwith developerstoofferaffordablehousingunits(fundedbytheCityofToronto) toeligibleapplicantsonthewaitinglist Someprogramsmaybeavailableforalimitedtime.Pleasecheckwithstafffor moreinfo.

Short-term housing solutions

Ifyouhaveanimmediatehousingneed,pleasecontact: Shelters foremergencyhousing call4163975637 RentBank mayprovidealoantohelpyoupayyourrent call4169242543 HousingHelpCentres thatcanhelpwithyourhousingsituation,prevent eviction,andhelpyoufindhousingifyouarehomeless call4166989306 211 findacommunitylegalclinicthatcanhelpyouifyouhavebeenserved legaldocumentsbyyourlandlord call211 311 ifyourcurrentbuildingisnotwellmaintainedbyyourlandlord,get infoonhowtofileacomplaint,scheduleaninspection,etc. call311

What happens when I am offered subsidized housing?

thehousingproviderwillcontactyoudirectlywhenyou reachthetopofthelistforoneofthebuildingsyouhave selected makesureyouviewtheunitbeforeyouacceptthehousing offer youwillneedtoprovideyourlegalstatusinCanada documentsandproofofincome(forallhouseholdmembers) youmaybeaskedtocompleteanapplicationandyouwill signalease

What if I do not want the unit I am offered?

youshouldnotacceptahousing offer withtheexpectationof transferringlater yougetamaximumofthree refusalsofhousingoffersbefore beingremovedfromthewaiting list

Accepted housing offer

Congratulations. Onceyouhaveacceptedahousingofferandmove intotheRGIunit,youareoffthecentralized waitinglist. Ifyouwanttogetbackonthewaitinglistfor subsidizedhousing,youwillneedtoreapply.

Many ways to keep in touch

Useourselfservetoolsavailable24/7: Visit ourwebsitetoapplyonlineortoupdateyourapplicationat www.housingconnections.ca Call ourautomatedtelephonesystemat4169816111toaccessyourfile usingyourP.I.N. VisitHousingConnectionsResourceCentreat176ElmStreet Speaktoarepresentativeat4169816111 (duringregularbusinesshours) VisitaHousingConnectionsCommunityPartner seeourwebsiteforinfo Sendusanemail atask@housingconnections.ca Sendusafax at4169816112 Sendusinfoordocumentsbymail: 176ElmStreet Toronto,ONM5T3M4