Community housing
Sometimes called Social or Rent Geared-to-Income (RGI) housing, Community Housing is subsidized, low-cost housing for households with low-to-moderate incomes. The Housing Access Centre, part of Housing Stability Services at the City of London connects eligible households with community housing in London & Middlesex County.
Click here to apply to Rent-Geared-to-Income Housing.
Please refer to the videos below and the other information on this page to learn more about Community Housing.
RGI Online Application Tutorial
In-person assistance is available by visiting the City of London Housing Access Centre at Citi Plaza, 355 Wellington Street Suite 248, 2nd Floor London, ON N6A 3N7.
Important notice
Incomplete Applications: The Housing Access Centre is unable to process your application if it is incomplete. You will not be added to the waitlists for your chosen buildings until we have submitted a complete application for your household. To ensure that your application is complete, please follow the instructions in the application carefully and ensure you have included ALL the required documentation with your application. Use the checklist to make sure you have completed all the necessary steps.
Housing Wait-Times: There is a high demand for community housing in London. Wait-times for community housing are lengthy. Wait-time depends on many different factors including application date, urgent status, how many building selections, types of buildings chosen, vacancy rates, unit size, etc. It takes several years in most cases for community housing to become available. In some cases, households have waited for longer than 10 years for housing.
Emergency Housing: Community housing is NOT emergency housing. If you are experiencing homelessness, at-risk of homelessness, or living in an unsafe situation, please contact our Coordinated Access Team at 519-661-4663 for support with finding solutions to your housing crisis.
Applying for community housing
To apply for social housing rent geared-to-income housing, you must complete the following steps:
Step One - Determine your eligibility
To qualify for community housing in the City of London and the County of Middlesex, applicants must:
- Be 16 years of age of older and be able to live independently.
- Each member must be a Canadian citizen, landed immigrant or refugee claimant.
- No member of the household has a deportation order, departure or exclusion order under the Immigration Act.
- No member of the household owes arrears for either rent or damage to any community housing provider in Ontario, or they have set-up a repayment agreement which is in good-standing
- Your household’s annual income must be below the Household income limits for your community.
Step Two - Complete the application forms
If you meet the basic eligibility criteria in Step 1, you can then move onto Step 2.
Download and print the application form and the building selection form that best describes your situation.
It is important that you only choose buildings and communities that you want to live in. If you are offered a housing unit and decide that you don't want it, you will be removed from the waitlist.
Adult Building Selection Form - Bachelor, one bedroom and two bedroom units for households without dependents (single persons and childless couples age 16+) looking to live in designated adult community housing.
Family Building Selection Form - Two-, three-, four-, and five-bedroom units for households with dependents (one or more dependents) looking to live in designated family community housing.
Senior Building Selection Form - One and two bedroom units for households that are seniors from age 50+ or 65+ looking to live in seniors designated community housing.
Please ensure that you include your name on the top of the building selection form.
Please note that these forms are Adobe PDF. To download and print, you must have the latest in Adobe's PDF on your computer. Click on the Adobe link for a free download.
Step Three - Gather your household's supporting documents
- Proof of status in Canada for all household members: Canadian Birth Certificate, Canadian Passport, Indian Status Card, Permanent Resident Card, refugee claimant documentation. We DO NOT ACCEPT driver's license, provincial photo ID cards, health cards and some other forms of ID. Full list of accepted forms of identification.
- Proof of income for all household members over the age of 18 who are not in full-time school. This can include pay stubs, OW/ODSP payment statements, or bank statements. Complete list of all income and asset types which must be reported.
If applicable, please include:
- A copy of a repayment schedule for anyone in your household who owes money to a community housing provider anywhere in Ontario. Please note: If you owe arrears to a community housing provider and do not include a copy of a repayment plan from the housing provider, your application will not be accepted.
- Custody documentation or agreement (i.e. Court/lawyer/CAS, ex-partner, etc.) for any children for whom you share custody or a copy of your most recent Child Tax Benefit Statement.
- Documentation of owned assets of all household members. Complete list of all income and asset types which must be reported.
- If pregnant, provide proof of pregnancy , for example a doctors note or ultrasound picture which includes your name and date of ultrasound.
- Full-time students 18 years or older must provide proof of full-time enrollment at an accredited institution.
- If you are experiencing homelessness, abuse, a serious medical condition, a dangerous or life-threatening situation, or other social urgent need, you might be eligible for priority or urgent status. You will need to review the qualifying criteria for each of those groups.
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Please Note: As of January 1, 2021, applicants will only receive one offer of RGI housing. If you do not accept this offer, you will be removed from the community housing waitlist. This rule applies to all applicants on the waitlist and only applies to units that you have chosen on your building selection list
Step Four - Additional Housing Access Centre Application Forms
Additional application forms may be requested by the HAC team.
Divestment of Residential Property - Required when owning a property/
Request for Internal Review - Required to appeal any decision made by the HAC or your social housing providers/landlord.
Request for Final Review - Required if you are not satisfied with a decision made by the HAC or your housing provider/landlord thru the request for internal review.
Step Five - Submit your application
Submit your forms and documents to the Housing Access Centre:
By mail or in-person:
Citi Plaza, 355 Wellington Street
Suite 248, 2nd Floor
London, ON N6A 3N7
Telephone: 519- 661-0861
Email: Applications can be scanned and emailed to hac@london.ca
Please note: If you are applying by email for Special Priority or Urgent Status, please include "SPP" or "Urgent" in the subject line of your email.
Regular business hours:
Monday, Wednesday, Thursday & Friday 8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Tuesday 8:30 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Important to Note:
- Applications will not be accepted by fax.
- In order ensure that applications are processed as quickly as possible, we will no longer accept incomplete forms or application packages. Please ensure that you have reviewed the checklists included with your application for thoroughly. If you submit your application package and it is incomplete, we will return it to you.
Please ensure you review your application carefully, as the housing team will not be accepting any incomplete applications. To help you ensure you have completed the application properly and in full, the team created the following recording to help you.
Please Note: When viewing the presentation, press the play button on each slide to hear the recording.
Community housing provider tools
As a social housing provider you have access to a variety of tools and supports from the housing team. If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to the Housing Team. If you would like a copy of the Subsidy Estimation Form and Annual Information Return Form, please email housing@london.ca
Housing Division Notices
Housing Division Notices or HDNs are policies, procedures and directives established by the service manager to ensure consistent program delivery. If you have any questions regarding these HDNs, please reach out to the housing team.
Housing Division Notices
HDN 268 - Placement Ratio and Urgent Criteria
HDN 267 - 2024 Revenue and Cost Indices (tables)
HDN 266 - 2024 Rent Increase Guidelines
HDN 265 - Household Asset Limit
HDN 263 - Calculating Minimum Rent
HDN 262 - Treatment of Temporary Covid-19 Benefits
HDN 261 - Maximum Household Income (Replaces HDN #2022-257)
HDN 258 - Ceasing to meeting occupancy standards (Replaces HDN# 2012-178)
HDN 255 – 2022 Rent Increase Guideline (Replaces HDN # 2019 – 239)
HDN 254 – Vacancy Loss (Replaces HDN # 2014-206)
HDN 253 – In-Situ Policy (Replaces HDN # 2005 – 88 & HDN # 2002 - 36)
HDN 252 – Arrears’ Policy Regarding Eligibility for Rent-Geared-To-Income (RGI) Subsidy (Replaces HDN # 2003 – 50).
HDN 242 - RGI Vacancy Lost
HDN 248 - Single Refusal (2012 - replaces HDN 179)
HDN 244 - Updated Income & Assets Review Form (Replaces HDN 2015-215)
HDN 243 - Social Assistance, Pension & Tax Credit Rates for January, February & March 2020 (Replaces HDN 2019-241)
HDN 204 - Carbon Monoxide Alarms (Replaces HDN 2014-202)
HDN 200 - New Mandatory Health & Safety Training
HDN 196 - Subsidy Surplus Fund
HDN 194 - Notices and Reviews of Decisions
Request for Internal Review Form
HDN 193 - Local Standard for Multi-Year Financial Plans
HDN 192 - Local Standard Leases-Occupancy Agreements
HDN 191 - Local Standard for Property Management
HDN 190 - Local Standard for the Remuneration of Directors
HDN 189 - Local Standard for Board Meetings
HDN 188 - Local Standard -Conflict of Interest (Replaces HDN 2002-03)
HDN 183 - Housing Provider Annual Information Return & Reporting Requirements
HDN 181 - Local Rule - Maximum Absence from Unit (Replaces HDN 2002-27)
HDN 180 - Local Rule - Certain Convictions (Replaces HDN 2002-26)
HDN 177 - Local rule - Occupancy Standards (Replaces HDN 2005-85)
HDN 174 - 2012 Ongoing Tenant Income Limits Sections 26 & 27 Housing Providers with Attachments
HDN 168 - Housing Services Act 2011
HDN 160 - Building Condition Assessments & Reserve Fund Studies
HDN 146 - Local Rule for Adding to Original List of Housing Preferences (Replaces HDN 2005-89)
HDN 140 - Market Revenue & Vacancy Loss Recognition - Federal
HDN 138 - Preventative Maintenance Management
HDN 138 Attachments
General Maintenance Schedule - Apartment
General Maintenance Schedule - Townhouse
Inspection Checklist - Apartment
Inspection Checklist - Townhouse
The Housing Division is able to modify the above standard forms to suit individual needs. Please contact housing@london.ca
HDN 134 - Capital Expenditure & Reserve Guide Attachment
HDN 129 - Asbestos Management Program
HDN 127 - Local Rule on Household Income Limits for Federal Non-Profit Section 95 Projects Only.
HDN 126:
HDN 125 - Subsidy Estimation Request Form (Replaces HDN 2002-10) Attachment
HDN 122 - Change to Funding Model Under the Social Housing Reform Act, 2000
HDN 118 - Business Continuity Plan Attachment
HDN 114 - Residential Tenancies Act 2006
HDN 106 - Rent Arrears - Tracking by the Housing Access Centre Attachments
HDN 102 - Information Reporting Form Attachments
HDN 100 - Amendment to the Ontario Fire Code Regarding Smoke Alarms
HDN 99 - Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) Attachment
HDN 98 - Refusal to Offer
HDN 97 - External Transfer of a Current Tenant from one Housing Provider to Another
HDN 87 - Local Rule for Internal Transfer (Update to HDN 2002-34)
HDN 81 - Domestic Hot Water Tanks
HDN 80 - Rent Arrears - Tracking by the Housing Access Centre
HDN 74 - Rent Inflation Factor to be used in the Calculation of Minimum Market Rent in 2005 Fiscal Year Attachment
HDN 73 - Asbestos Potential Health Risk due to Asbestos in Loose Fill Vermiculite Insulation
HDN 69 - Classifying & Reporting Maximum Rent Households During the 12 month Eligibility Period
HDN 66 - Adding Members to Existing Rent Geared-to-Income Assisted Households
HDN 59 - Independent Living Assessment Form Attachment
HDN 55 - Subsidy Disbursement Policy
HDN 49 - Record of Refusal to Offer
HDN 48 - Housing Special Notice
HDN 35 - Local Rule for Divestment of Residential Property
HDN 30 - Market Rent Analysis Form Attachment
HDN 29 - Part V Service Agreement Companion Document - Attachment available upon request
HDN 24 - Policy on Rent Recalculation
HDN 23 - Policy on Time Requirement to Report Changes Affecting Rent Geared-to-Income
HDN 22 - Policy on Rent Geared-to-Income Increases
HDN 21 - Policy on Pursuit of Income for Rent Geared-to-Income Eligibility
HDN 18 - Guest Policy for Households
HDN 14 - Procedures on Obtaining Ministerial Consent ( attachment available upon request)
HDN 9 - Operating Framework
HDN 7 - Internal transfers
HDN 5 - File Retention
HDN 2 - Corporate Requirements - Operating Agreement
HDN 1 - Housing Division Notices and Administration
Applicant Update Form
Housing provider forms are submitted directly to the Housing Access Centre to maintain the integrity of the coordinated access system.
Update Form - Housing Resident Update
Financial Administration
Below are guides, templates and forms used to report annual financial information.
Guides, templates and forms
Annual Information Return Forms
- Annual Information Return Guide
- Annual Information Return Submission Checklist
- Accountant Report with Appendix
- Auditor Confirmation Template for Federal Non-Profit Housing Providers
If you would like a copy of the Annual Information Return Form, please email housing@london.ca
Subsidy & Capital Budget Estimation Forms
As part of the Subsidy/Budget approval process, the Housing Division has designed a new Subsidy Estimation Request Form for both mixed and 100% RGI Provincial Reform Non-Profits and Co-operatives. The process is to provide information necessary to estimate annual subsidy/budget.
Housing Providers please fill out the Subsidy Estimation Request Form below for approval. Once complete, please ensure the form is signed for approval by two members of the Board of Directors and forwarded to the City of London, Housing Division as noted in the Subsidy Estimation Request Form Guidelines below.
- Subsidy Estimation Request Form Guidelines
- Application Request for Replacement Reserve Fund Expenditure
If you would like a copy of the Subsidy Estimation Form, please email housing@london.ca
Lower End of Market Rent Request Form
Federal operating agreements require the City of London Housing Division to review and approve rental charges submitted by Section 95 Federal Non-Profit housing providers annually.
Section 95 Federal Non-Profit housing providers are to complete the form below and email, mail or fax it to the Housing Division six months prior to the proposed rental increase effective date.