view the BATH Applicant Information Guide PDF - City of Brantford

Brantford Access to Housing - Applicant Information GuideBRANTFORD ACCESS TO HOUSINGApplicant Information GuideCity of Brantford - Housing Department[ 1 ]

Brantford Access to Housing - Applicant Information GuideContentsAbout Brantford Access to Housing 2Who is Eligible for Rent-Geared-to-Income (RGI) Housing? 2I Need a Wheelchair Accessible or Modified Unit 3Keeping Your Application Current 3I Do Not Have an Income. Am I Eligible for Social Housing? 4What Types of Housing Can I Apply For? 5What Happens When BATH Receives My Application? 6How Much Rent Will I Pay? 7Do I Get to Choose Where I Want to Live? 7How Many Bedrooms Can I Have? 7How Are People Chosen for Housing? 8How Will I be Contacted for an Offer? 8How Long Do I Have to Wait? 9Are You Interested in a Market Rent Unit? 9I Need a Subsidy But I Am Willing to Pay Market Rent 10Important Information for Applicants & Tenants 10What If I don’t Agree with a Decision That Was Made? 10Rules for Overhoused Residents 11What if I Want to Move to Another Housing Provider? 12Your Right to Privacy 12BATH Online 13Housing Provider Listings 14Notes 16City of Brantford - Housing Department[ 1 ]

Brantford Access to Housing - Applicant Information GuideAbout BrantfordAccess to HousingBrantford Access To Housing(BATH) is a one-window accesscentre to most social housingproviders’ waiting lists in the City ofBrantford and the County of Brant.The BATH system is administeredby the City of Brantford’s HousingDepartment and is the only placeyou have to contact to apply for mostRent-Geared-to-Income Housingand to update your application.The housing providers who contactthe BATH system to fill their vacantunits are included in this bookletstarting on page 14. The housingproviders who are not required touse the BATH system are also listedon pages 14 and 15. You need tocontact them directly to apply.Who is Eligible for Rent-Geared-to-Income (RGI)Housing?You may be eligible if:••You are at least 16 years old.••All members of the householdare legal residents of Canadaor refugee claimants. You willbe required to provide proof ofCanadian citizenship (i.e. copy ofbirth certificate, notice of birthregistration, copy of passportetc.)••No member of the householdowes money to any social housingprogram••No member of the household iscurrently under a deportation,departure, or exclusion order toleave Canada.• • No member of the householdhas been convicted of an offencein relation to RGI assistance orfound to have misrepresentedtheir income for the purpose ofreceiving RGI assistance.City of Brantford - Housing Department[ 2 ]

Brantford Access to Housing - Applicant Information Guide••If you own a home or a principleresidence elsewhere, you mustagree to sell it in order toreceive rent-geared-to-incomeassistance. The sale must takeplace within six months of beinghoused and the proceeds ofthe sale will be considered indetermining your rent.••When it is closer to the time youare offered housing, you mustbe able to live independently,with or without support services(which you must arrange). Anindividual is considered to be ableto live independently if he or sheis able to perform the normalessential activities of day-to-dayliving; or can do so with theaid of support services anddemonstrates that those supportservices will be provided whenthey are required.I Need a WheelchairAccessible or ModifiedUnitSeveral housing providers have unitsthat have been modified to accommodatewheelchairs or other equipmentbecause of a physical disability.To be eligible for one of these unitsyou must supply information fromyour doctor that you require amodified unit. You must be able tolive independently in this unit withsupports provided by communityagencies. It will be up to you toretain these supports.Please look for this symbol besidethe building selections that indicatewhat locations have modified unitsand the size of these units.Keeping Your ApplicationCurrentIt is very important that you keep theinformation on your file up to date.City of Brantford - Housing Department[ 3 ]

Brantford Access to Housing - Applicant Information GuideIf we cannot get in touch withyou, you may lose your chancefor a unit and you may have toreapply, which means going tothe bottom of the list.Once a year you will receive anUPDATE form. You must respondby the date indicated on the formor your application will be cancelledand you will need to reapply.If you change your address or phonenumber you must let us knowbecause we may try to call you orwrite to you.If you want to add or deletelocations where you want tolive, you must notify our office.This is important because if youwere offered a building where youdo not want to live this would betreated as a refusal. You can onlyrefuse three offers of housing.If the number of people in yourhousehold changes, you mustnotify our office.This is important because the numberof people in your household determinesthe number of bedrooms youqualify for. Waiting lists are sortedby bedroom size at each location, soyou want to make sure you are onthe right waiting list.I Do Not Have an Income.Am I Eligible for SocialHousing?Before being offered housing youmay be required to pursue incomefrom one or more of the followingsources:••Ontario Works••Ontario Disability SupportProgram (ODSP)••Support Payments, ChildSupport, Employment Insurance,any pension or support paymentsrequired under a sponsorshipagreementFailure to pursue a specific type ofincome within the required time framewill result in a decision of ineligibility.City of Brantford - Housing Department[ 4 ]

Brantford Access to Housing - Applicant Information GuideWhat Types of HousingCan I Apply For?Co-operativeCo-operative housing is non-profithousing, but is run by the peoplethat live there who are referred toas members. On a voluntary basis,co-op members work togetherto share the responsibility ofensuring their housing communityis strong and vibrant. Each co-ophas a membership committee that isresponsible for the selection of newmembers. Each co-op elects a Boardof Directors from its membership.Non-Profit HousingNon-profit housing is not for profithousing, owned and managed bycommunity-based organizations.They have independent Boards ofDirectors. These community organizationsprovide affordable housingfor people whose income, age, socialneeds or health needs prevent themfrom finding adequate housing in theprivate rental sector.Brantford Municipal HousingThe City of Brantford owns andmanages several sites for families,singles and seniors.Rent Supplement and HousingAllowance ProgramsIn this program, the HousingDepartment enters into agreementswith private rental landlordsfor units to be rented to tenantswith lower incomes. Tenants pay aportion of their rent (according tothe program they are funded by) andthe remainder is paid to the landlordby the Housing Department tosubsidize the difference up to theagreed market rent for the unit.City of Brantford - Housing Department[ 5 ]

Brantford Access to Housing - Applicant Information GuideNative HousingIf you are of native ancestry and wishto apply for Native Housing youshould check off the box on page3 of the application form. BrantNative Housing will have access toyour application and informationonline.What Happens When BATHReceives My Application?New applications are processedby the Housing Department. Acomplete application means that allthe documents you must provide areincluded. You will be told in writingwithin seven business days if yourapplication is complete. If it is notcomplete we will let you know whatinformation we need. You have 20business days to provide the missinginformation or your application willbe cancelled.for. If you disagree with anythingin the letter you should contact theHousing Department to discuss it.If the issue cannot be resolved, youcan request an Internal Review.Once you are on the waitinglist:If you want to update any informationabout your housing application,after you have received a letterstating that you are eligible, you willcontact:The Housing Department220 Colborne St., P.O. Box 845Brantford, ONN3T 5R7(519)759-3330You can fax your application anddocuments, and/or requests forchanges to (519) 759-1932.You will receive a letter statingthat your application is completeand what waiting lists you qualifyCity of Brantford - Housing Department[ 6 ]

Brantford Access to Housing - Applicant Information GuideHow Much Rent Will I Pay?Rent-geared-to-income (RGI) isbased on 30% of your household’sgross monthly income.If you are receiving assistance fromOntario Works or the OntarioDisability Support Program, rentis based on a social assistance rentscale. Other adjustments may applythat could increase or decrease therent you pay, such as utilities orparking. This will depend on thelocation you move into.In co-operatives, residents pay a“housing charge”.Do I Get to Choose Where IWant to Live?Yes. You can choose one or manylocations. Your application will beadded to the waiting lists for eachlocation where you are eligible.Please make sure that the buildingsyou pick have the unit sizes that youqualify for. The more locations/sitesyou choose, the faster you are likely tobe housed. If you wish to change, addor remove your housing selections,this must be submitted in writing.You are only allowed to have threerefusals of housing offers, so makesure you make choices you can livewith. If you refuse three offers youlose your eligibility and place on thewaiting list. You must start over,which means you will go to thebottom of the list.How Many Bedrooms Can IHave?When you are picking the locationswhere you want to live, you markthe size(s) of units you are applyingfor. You can choose more thanone bedroom size, if it fits for yourfamily.••There can be no less than oneperson per bedroom• • Applicants can choose to havetwo people share a bedroomCity of Brantford - Housing Department[ 7 ]

Brantford Access to Housing - Applicant Information Guide••Couples are given one bedroom••If there is a documented medicalneed, an extra bedroom will beprovided.How Are People Chosenfor Housing?The system for selecting householdsis based primarily on date of applicationor first come, first served.There are some exceptions.Special PrioritySpecial Priority may be given toyour application if you are livingwith someone who threatens yoursafety or the safety of other householdmembers. Please see page 6of the application form for moreinformation on this. Special Priorityapplicants are ranked highest on theBATH centralized waiting list.If you are applying for SpecialPriority you must ALSO completea Special Priority Application form(pink) and have a community professionallisted on this form verify yourcircumstances.Homeless PriorityPriority is also given to individualsand families who are homeless.Applicants wishing to apply forHomeless Priority must meet thedefinition of “homeless” on the blueapplication form and must have aqualified community professionalverify their circumstances.Housing providers offer every tenthvacancy in their project to applicantson the Homeless Priority list.How Will I be Contactedfor an Offer?Since units are rented promptly,housing providers require a daytimetelephone number so they can callyou when a unit becomes available.If you cannot be reached during theday, please give us the telephoneCity of Brantford - Housing Department[ 8 ]

Brantford Access to Housing - Applicant Information Guidenumber of a contact person who canbe reached during the day so theycan pass on the message to you.You will have three offers ofaccommodation. If you refuse allthree offers your application willbe cancelled and you will have toreapply.••Single Bachelor 3 to 4 years••Single 1 Bedroom 5 to 9 years••Family 2 Bedrooms 2 to 5 years••Family 3 Bedrooms 2 to 4 years••Family 4-5 Bedrooms 3 to 5 years••Senior 1 Bedroom 9 months to2.5 yearsHow Long Do I Have toWait?For most people the waiting list isat least two years. Some waitinglists are longer than others and it isdifficult to predict when your namewill be at the top of the list.That is why it is very important tokeep the Housing Department awareof any changes in your applicationinformation.Although we cannot guarantee howlong you will wait before you arecontacted with an offer for housing,below are approximate wait times:Are You Interested in aMarket Rent Unit?Many housing providers in Brantfordand Brant County have both RGI andmarket rent units in their housingcommunities. The reason for this mixis so that the housing communitiesreflect the type of mixed incomesthat you would find anywhere in thecommunity.Market rent is the rent or housingcharge that housing providers chargetenants who are not getting a subsidy.The rent is set in comparison to similarrental housing in the area. The Cityof Brantford also has several marketCity of Brantford - Housing Department[ 9 ]

Brantford Access to Housing - Applicant Information Guiderent properties. Please complete a“Market Rent” application and yourname will be added to the MarketRent list for some properties managedby the Brantford Municipal Housingdepartment. You can also contactother housing providers directly toapply for their market rent units. Theprovider contact information is listedon pages 14 & 15.I Need a Subsidy But I AmWilling to Pay MarketRentSome people are willing to paymarket rent, even though it isexpensive and they really need Rent-Geared-to-Income assistance. If youwant to pay market rent, but stillneed a subsidy, please let us knowon the application. We will put yourname on the waiting list for RGI.If you move in paying market rent,you can remain on the waitinglist for a subsidy in your unit untilyour name comes to the top of thewaiting list.ImportantInformation forApplicants & TenantsWhat If I don’t Agree witha Decision That Was Made?Internal ReviewIf BATH or a housing providerdecides that you are not eligible forrent-geared-to-income housing, youwill be told in writing. If you do notagree with the decision, you mustrequest an Internal Review in writingwithin 10 business days. Your casewill be reviewed within 10 businessdays and you will get a letter tellingyou about the results of your reviewwithin seven business days of thedecision.Opportunity to CommentIf BATH or your housing providerreceives information from anotherperson or agency that may affectyour eligibility for RGI housing, youCity of Brantford - Housing Department[ 10 ]

Brantford Access to Housing - Applicant Information Guidewill be advised in writing. You willhave 30 days to comment on thisinformation. If you do not comment,a decision will be made about youreligibility. You can then ask for anInternal Review of this decision.Legal ClinicIf you would like free legal adviceyou may contact the CommunityLegal Clinic – Brant, Haldimand,Norfolk at 1100 Clarence StreetSouth, Suite 203, Brantford, ON at519-752-8669.Rules for OverhousedResidentsIn Brantford and Brant Countythere are standards for the numberof people who can live in a RGI unit.Generally, there should be at leastone person per bedroom (couplesare expected to share a bedroomunless there is a medical conditionthat requires an extra bedroom).If your household size decreases,you must report the change to yourhousing provider within 30 days. Thechange in your household size maymean that you qualify for a smallersized unit. Your housing providerwill tell you this in writing.If your housing provider has theright sized unit within its portfolio,you will be put on an Internal waitinglist for a transfer. If you do notmove within one year, your applicationwill be placed on the BATHcentralized waiting list for locationsthat have the right sized unit withinthe geographic area that you live(i.e. City of Brantford or Countyof Brant). You also have the rightto choose to be on all waiting listsfor all providers within the City orCounty that have the right sized unitfor you.If you refuse a total of three (3)offers from the Internal waitinglist or the BATH centralized list tomove to the right sized unit, yourrent subsidy will be terminated withninety (90) days notice.City of Brantford - Housing Department[ 11 ]

Brantford Access to Housing - Applicant Information GuideWhat if I Want to Moveto Another HousingProvider?You are free to move to anothersocial housing provider’s project,but your subsidy may not move withyou.If your housing provider determinesthat you are overhoused – too manybedrooms for the size of your household– you will have to move to theproper sized unit. This could be withanother social housing provider. Ifthis happens, your subsidy wouldmove with you. See the informationabout overhousing on page 11.If you want to move to anotherhousing provider for other reasons(job location change, etc.), you willhave to reapply by completing anew BATH application. Your namewill go on the waiting lists, for thenew locations you selected, basedon the date of your new applicationfor housing.Your Right to PrivacyIf you have any questions about thecollection and use of personal information,please contact:Brant Access to Housing (BATH)City of Brantford Housing Dept.220 Colborne Street, P. O. Box 845Brantford ON N3T 5R7Phone (519) 759-3330Personal information contained onyour application and other documentsis collected by the City ofBrantford pursuant to the Freedomof Information and Protection ofPrivacy Act (R.S.O. 1990 c.F31.) orthe Municipal Freedom of Informationand Protection of Privacy Act(R.S.O. 1990 c.M.56).This information may be used todetermine eligibility for housingapplied to, continuation of housingand may be used for the appropriateRent-Geared-to-Income charge.City of Brantford - Housing Department[ 12 ]

Brantford Access to Housing - Applicant Information GuideBATH OnlineYou can also apply ONLINE forRent-Geared-to-Income housing.Please follow these steps:Go to www.brantford.ca, then scrollto the bottom of the page. In the“Quick Links” section, choose “Applyfor Housing On-Line”. From the newpage that will load, click on “applyon-line”. From there you can proceedwith your application.Please note that we require someforms to be downloaded, printed,completed, and signed. Before youstart, make sure your computer hasa working printer. As the forms arein PDF format you will need AdobeAcrobat or Adobe Reader installedon your computer.City of Brantford - Housing Department[ 13 ]

Housing Provider ListingsNameAddressOffice Apply toPhone BATH?Brantford Office: 220 Colborne St., 519-759-3330 YesMunicipal Housing BrantfordAlbion Towers 45 Albion St., Brantford 519-759-3330 YesBeckett Building 7 Bain St., Brantford 519-759-3330 YesBranlyn Meadows 2 - 10 Buchanan Cres., 519-759-3330 YesBrantfordBrant Towers 5 Fordview Crt., Brantford 519-759-3330 YesDaleview Gardens 676 Grey St., Brantford 519-759-3330 YesEastdale Gardens 359 Darling St., Brantford 519-759-3330 YesHeritage House 40 Queen St., Brantford 519-759-3330 YesLorne Towers 24 Colborne St. West, 519-759-3330 YesBrantfordNorthland 56 & 68 Memorial Dr., 519-759-3330 YesGardensBrantford50 Hayhurst Rd., Brantford 519-759-3330 Yes332 North Park St., 519-759-3330 YesBrantfordRiverside Gardens 43 - 45 Tecumseh St., 519-759-3330 YesBrantford46 - 52 Pontiac St., 519-759-3330 YesBrantford17 Marie St., Brantford 519-759-3330 YesSunrise Villa 11 Park Ave., Burford 519-759-3330 YesTrillium Way 170 Trillium Way, Paris 519-759-3330 YesWalker’s Green 33 Main St., Paris 519-759-3330 YesWillow Street 40 - 50 Willow St., Paris 519-759-3330 YesWinston Court 22 Gladstone Ave., 519-759-3330 YesBrantford124 Ontario St., Brantford 519-759-3330 Yes18 Aberdeen Ave., 519-759-3330 YesBrantfordWoodlawnMeadowsWoodlawn Ave., InvernessSt., Roman Cres., BalmoralDr., and Thistledown Blvd.,Brantford519-759-3330 YesCity of Brantford - Housing Department[ 14 ]

Housing Provider ListingsNameAddressOffice Apply toPhoneBATH?Applegate Co-op 104 Tollgate Rd., Brantford 877-336-4283 No - applydirectlyBrantford Native Office: 318 ½ Colborne 519-756-2205 YesHousingSt., BrantfordVarious locationsCahaigue Co-op 76 Craig St., Brantford 519-753-5911 No - applydirectlyDrumlin Co-op 99 Sympatica Cres.,Brantford519-752-6629 No - applydirectlyGrey Winds 454 - 470 Grey St., 519-304-3149 YesBrantfordHarmony 4 - 22 D’Aubigny Rd., 877-336-4283 YesNon-Profit Homes BrantfordJaycee’s Non-Profit Office: 73 Pearl St., 519-759-4799 YesHomesBrantfordVarious locationsNelson Heights 104 Nelson St., Brantford 888-777-9320 Yes(Formally Y Apts)Saorsie Co-op 183 - 185 Pearl St., 519-754-0167 YesBrantfordSt. Basil’s73 -75 Pearl St., Brantford 519-759-4799 YesCommunity HomesSilver Pines 401 - 427 Dunsdon St., 519-304-3149 YesBrantfordSouth Dumfries 50 High St., St. George 519-448-1432 YesNon-ProfitTerraces of Charing 230 - 236 Charing Cross 905-545-4654 YesCrossSt., BrantfordWestglen Co-op 47 Galileo Blvd., Brantford 519-304-0397 YesWicklow Co-op 80 - 82 Tecumseh St.,Brantford519-757-1022 No - applydirectlyCity of Brantford - Housing Department[ 15 ]

NotesCity of Brantford - Housing Department[ 16 ]

220 Colborne St., P.O. Box 845Brantford, ON N3T 5R7t: (519) 759-3330f: (519) 759-1932www.brantford.ca