Housing Programs

Social Housing Programs

In 1999, the federal and provincial governments signed the Social Housing Agreement that allowed for the transfer of funding and administration of federal housing programs to the Province. With the enactment of the Social Housing Reform Act, 2000 (SHRA) the Province in turn transferred the funding and administration of its social housing programs as well as those transferred to it under the SHRA to the TBDSSAB, for a total of ten (10) social housing programs, approximately 4,300 units, owned and managed by 24 non-profit housing providers located throughout the District of Thunder Bay. The SHRA has now been replaced by the Housing Services Act, 2011. The Social Housing programs are as follows:

Public Housing Programs

The Public Housing Program refers to housing formerly owned by the Province of Ontario and managed by local housing authorities. Under this initiative, 84,000 units were developed across the Province. The public housing units are owned by the TBDHC and managed by TBDSSAB.

Rent Supplement Programs

Private (formerly referred to as Commercial) Rent Supplement Programs

These programs provide subsidy to pay the difference between a tenant’s RGI rent and the full rental rate negotiated between the private landlord and TBDSSAB (or agent). Prospective tenants are obtained from the centralized wait list maintained by TBDSSAB. The successful applicant is required to sign a lease entering into the same landlord/tenant relationship as other tenants in the building.

Non-Profit Rent Supplement Programs

These programs enable non-profit housing corporations to offer additional RGI units where TBDSSAB determines there is a definite need. Applicants are selected from the centralized wait list maintained by TBDSSAB and pay rent geared to their income. Housing providers receive monthly subsidy payments based on the difference between RGI payable and actual market rent.

Strong Communities Rent Supplement Program

The Ontario government provides 100 percent subsidy to TBDSSAB for this program. Funds are used for targeted households to bridge the gap between RGI and market rent as capped by the Province. This program is administered by the TBDHC under the direction of TBDSSAB and is available until 2023.

Non-Profit Housing Programs

Non-Profit Full Assistance Housing Programs

These programs are federal/provincial initiatives that help municipal and private non-profit housing corporations produce modest, cost-efficient housing for persons with low to moderate incomes. TBDSSAB provides operating subsidies to each non-profit housing corporation to enable them to operate their housing portfolios.

Special-needs housing provides residential accommodation that has been modified to meet the needs of someone with a physical disability and/or where provincially funded support services are available to help someone to live independently. There are approximately two hundred and sixty-three (263) special needs units within the social housing portfolio (public housing, rent supplement, and non-profit housing programs) that are owned and managed by various social housing providers.

Federal Housing Programs

Under the Social Housing Agreement, Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) transferred to the Province the management and administration of a number of federal housing programs along with all rights and responsibilities of existing operating agreements.

Under the Social Housing Reform Act, 2000, the Province transferred its responsibilities under the federal programs to TBDSSAB. It is TBDSSAB’s responsibility to ensure that these programs are administered as per the operating agreements with individual federal housing providers. Federal units will not be included in Ontario’s service level standards and provincial rules for RGI do not apply. The federal housing programs administered by TBDSSAB are as follows:

Section 27 Non-Profit Municipal and Private Housing Program

This program provides assistance for the construction, purchase, or improvement of affordable rental housing projects developed by charitable societies and municipalities between 1964 and 1978 for low and moderate income households. Non-profit corporations received preferential CMHC first mortgage financing and an equity contribution. Targeted households are subject to ingoing income limits and rents are geared to income.

Section 95 Pre-1986 Non-Profit (2% Write Down) Program

This program was established to enable non-profit corporations to provide affordable housing for low to moderate income households. From 1978 to 1985, project commitments included a blend of households paying RGI and market rents. The actual ratio was dependent upon the availability of subsidy dollars. Non-profit corporations receive federal assistance through TBDSSAB for up to thirty-five years. Assistance reduces the loan amortization cost to an interest rate of 2-percent. TBDSSAB monitors, reports, and manages the mortgage renewal process, budget, year-end, and other duties as contained in the operating agreements.

Section 95 Pre-1986 Urban Native and Post-1985 Programs

These programs were established to enable Native non-profit or co-operative corporations to provide affordable housing to families, senior citizens, and individuals with special needs of Native ancestry. Depending on the program, housing projects may be a blend of RGI and market or may be 100-percent RGI. Native non-profit corporations receive federal subsidy through TBDSSAB for up to thirty-five years. Assistance reduces loan amortization costs to an interest rate of 2-percent. Urban Native Additional Assistance (UNAA) is available.

Affordable Housing Programs

Since 2003 the provincial and federal governments have provided significant investment in new affordable housing programs. These programs provide:

¨      forgivable loans to homeowners to repair their homes and bring them up to health and safety standards and improve accessibility for persons with disability
¨      down payment assistance to eligible Habitat for Humanity families that would otherwise not be able to afford homeownership
¨      capital funding to develop rental and supportive housing for seniors where the rents are at affordable rates
¨      capital funding for essential repairs and renovations that improve the health and safety of residents living in social housing
¨      short-term rent support while households secure affordable housing
¨      grants to assist tenants that due to an emergency or unforeseen circumstance, are in short-term rental arrears and at risk of homelessness
¨      one-time grant to assist low to moderate income households with utility arrears

Affordable housing programs that are currently available include:

Investment in Affordable Housing (IAH) for Ontario Program

Building on the success of the Canada-Ontario Affordable Housing Program, the province has developed the Investment in Affordable (IAH) Housing Program which will provide $480.6 million in provincial and federal funding for the creation and repair of affordable housing over four years beginning in 2011.

TBDSSAB received a notional allocation of $4,487,472 divided by fiscal year and through the development of a take up plan has allocated funding to the following IAH program components:

Ontario Renovates (previously referred to as Northern Home Repair)

Ontario Renovates is designed to assist low to moderate income homeowners to make urgently needed home repairs to address home health and safety problems or to make modifications to their home to accommodate members with disabilities.

Please contact TBDSSAB at (807) 766-2111 ext 4070 for more information about Ontario Renovates.

Rental Housing Component

The Rental Housing component will increase the supply of rental housing for households on, or eligible to be on a social housing waiting list and ensure that safe adequate and affordable rental housing is available to Ontario households.

TBDSSAB issued an Expression of Interest in December 2011 to obtain proposals from community members or proponents seeking to develop affordable rental housing in the District of Thunder Bay. Approximately $3,000,000 of the notional allocation will be focused on the development of affordable housing

Homeownership Component

The Homeownership component aims to assist eligible Habitat for Humanity families with down payment assistance in the form of a forgivable loan.

Rent Supplement Component

The Rent Supplement component provides subsidy to a landlord on behalf of a household in need of rental assistance. The subsidy will bridge the difference between the rent that a household can afford to pay and the actual market rent for the unit.

This component will be available in 2014. Please check back on this website for further updates.