Market Rent Households Re-applying for RGI Assistance (H-20-10)

Date: July 1, 2020

This Directive is to be implemented by Housing Providers listed under the following programs in Schedule 1 of Ontario Regulation 367/11:

• 1 (a) – Local Housing Corporation
• 2 (a) and 2 (b) – Rent Supplement Programs
• 6 (a) – Non-Profit Program
• 6 (b) – Non-Profit Co-Op Program
• Social Housing Registry Program

Directives archived and replaced with this directive

• Directive H-07-13, Market Rent Households Requiring Rent Geared-To-Income (RGI) Assistance
• Directive H-13-13, Market Rent Households Re-applying for RGI Assistance

Background

O. Reg. 367/11, section 48 states that a Service Manager’s system for selecting households must include rules that allow a Housing Provider, with the approval of the Service Manager, to select a household that already occupies a unit managed by the Housing Provider as a household to receive rent-geared-to-income (RGI) assistance.

In consultation with Housing Providers, the Service Manager established the eligibility criteria for market rent households to re-apply for RGI assistance in their current unit.

With the revocation of O. Reg. 298/01 and the introduction of O. Reg. 316/19, O. Reg. 367/11 section 30, and Cessation of eligibility – period of normal rent, now reads that a household remains eligible for RGI assistance for 24 (twenty four) consecutive months of paying market rent.

Action to be taken

This Directive applies only to market rent households that wish to re-apply for RGI assistance in their current unit and meet the following criteria:

• The household was originally housed as an RGI household; and
• The household has been paying market rent for at least 24 consecutive months due to an increase in household income; and
• The household has a decrease in household income.

All other market rent households that do not meet the criteria above, must apply to the Social Housing Registry (Registry) to be deemed eligible for RGI assistance in the same manner as all other applicants.

Housing Providers must take the following steps:

1. Accept a notice of change and supporting documentation from the household indicating a decrease in household income.
2. Confirm that the household meets the criteria set out in this Directive and that the household is eligible for RGI assistance.
3. Forward former tenant arrears check form to the Registry.
4. If the Housing Provider has market and RGI units, must obtain written approval from the Service Manager to switch the unit from market to RGI.
5. If the Registry advises that the household has former tenant arrears the Housing Provider must ensure the household enters into a repayment agreement as required to be deemed eligible for RGI assistance.
6. Once the household has been deemed eligible for RGI assistance and Service Manager approval is received (if applicable), calculate and notify the household of the RGI rent payable effective the first day of the following month.  If the Housing Provider is of the opinion that extenuating circumstances exist, the Housing Provider may reinstate subsidy retroactively.
7. Report changes in the status of the unit, market rent to RGI, on the Service Manager’s Annual Information Return (AIR) form.

Reference

• O. Reg. 367/11, section 48 - System requirements, selection of already accommodated households
• O. Reg. 367/11, section 31 a) – Cessation of eligibility – period of normal rent

Ruth Noordegraaf
Director, Housing & Social Services Department

The following have received a copy of this Directive:

• Lanie Hurdle, Chief Administrative Officer, City of Kingston
• Jannette Amini, County of Frontenac
• Alan McLeod, Acting Director, Legal Services & City Solicitor
• Mitchell Grange, Manager, Housing & Early Years Programs
• Housing Programs Administrators, Housing & Social Services Department

If you have any questions, please contact a Housing Programs Administrator, Housing and Social Services Department.