Community Housing

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.

 The following information will help you determine if your household is eligible for Community Housing and provide forms and instructions on how to apply.

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.

Click here to apply to Rent-Geared-to-Income Housing.

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.

SPP Form

SPP Human Trafficking

Urgent Homeless Status

Urgent Medical Status

Urgent Social Status

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.

Frequently Asked Questions

 

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 252Arrears’ 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)

                       RGI Annual Review Form

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                               

                                 Request for Final Review Form

HDN 193Local 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 148 - Reporting for Audited Financial Statements & Annual Information Return Exceptions to Generally Accepted Accounting Principals (GAAP)

HDN 147 - Reporting for Audited Financial Statements & Annual Information Return  Exceptions to Generally Accepted Accounting Principals (GAAP)

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

 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 - Tracking of Federal Housing Providers' Former Tenant Rent Arrears

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

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.

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.

 

 

 

Last modified:Tuesday, February 27, 2024