Applying for Subsidized Housing

Applicants who experienced domestic abuse or human trafficking may be approved for special priority status on the wait list. Special priority is intended to support survivors of abuse or human trafficking permanently separate from their abuser by providing priority access to subsidized housing. Special priority is for applicants whose safety is at risk from domestic abuse or trafficking and does not apply to applicants who want to separate because a relationship is not working or to applicants in a housing crisis.

Applicants approved for special priority are prioritized according to their application date ahead of all other households. The Region does not have any other priority groups for subsidized housing. 

You may be approved for special priority if one of the following applies: 

• You are currently living with someone who is abusing you or another person in your household
• You used to live with someone that was abusing you or another person in your household and stopped living with them within the last three months, or you are still experiencing ongoing abuse from that person
• You are a sponsored immigrant, and your sponsor is abusing you or another person in your household
• You are currently being trafficked or experienced trafficking within the last three months

To apply for special priority status:

1. Apply online with your subsidized housing application, following the prompts in the application
2. Email a Request for Special Priority application package to HAUSpecialPriority@york.ca
3. Mail in a Request for Special Priority application package

Subsidized housing is for eligible households who do not have enough income and/or assets to pay market rent.

Anyone can apply for subsidized housing in York Region as long as they meet these basic eligibility requirements:

• At least one household member must be 16 years of age or older
• All household members must be Canadian Citizens, permanent residents or have refugee claimant status
• You must not owe any money to a former community housing provider
• Household members cannot be under a deportation, departure or exclusion order to leave Canada
• No household member has been convicted of an offence related to rent geared-to-income assistance
• No household member has been convicted of an offence under the Housing Services Act (HSA), the Social Housing Reform Act or the Criminal Code in relation to the receipt of rent geared-to-income assistance
• Annual household income from all sources must be less than $80,000
• Total value of all assets owned by you and all members of your household who are over the age of 16 must be less than $75,000. Bank accounts, investments and real estate are examples of assets. Some assets, including Registered Retirement Savings Plans, Registered Education Savings Plans and Registered Disability Savings Plans are not counted toward the limit, but you must still declare them
• You must be able to live independently, with or without supports

You must provide proof of your legal right to be in Canada for yourself and everyone in your household. This may include, but is not limited to:

• A copy of your Canadian birth certificate, Canadian passport or Canadian citizenship card;
• Landed immigrant papers, permanent resident card (front and back); or
• Documents supporting your claim for refugee status.

Note: We do not accept your health card or driver's licence as proof of your status in Canada.

An individual is considered to be able to live independently if they are able to perform the essential activities of day-to-day living, or can do so with the aid of support services and demonstrates that those support services. Applicants are responsible for arranging their own support services, as they are not provided by community housing providers.

Non-Profit Housing
Non-profit housing is owned and operated by community-based, non-profit organizations such as faith groups and service clubs. They are either self-managed or managed through a property management company. Non-profit housing can be a mix of subsidized and market rent (not subsidized) housing.

Co-operative Housing
Co-operative housing (co-ops) are collectively owned and managed by the people who live in them. Residents living in co-ops are called members. A board of directors is elected among the members of a co-op.

If you are interested in living in co-operative housing, you must attend an information session. Most co-operatives also require you to attend an interview with their membership committee before offering you housing.

Each member is expected to help in the day-to-day operations and the Board of Directors is established from members of the co-operative.

Housing York Inc.
Housing York Inc. is York Region’s housing corporation. It owns and operates 2,600 subsidized and market rent housing units across York Region.

Rent Supplement
York Region has rent supplement agreements with various private landlords. Rent supplement tenants pay rent geared-to-income in private rental apartments. The Region pays the landlord the difference between the tenant’s subsidized rent and the market rental cost of the unit.

Portable Housing Benefit
York Region offers portable housing benefits for eligible households who are currently renting a private market unit to help pay their rent. These benefits are different from subsidized housing because they are not tied to a specific community housing or rent supplement unit, and the rent you pay is calculated differently than a subsidized unit.

York Region uses an online housing offer process, where available subsidized units and housing benefits are posted to the online application portal for applicants to view and express interest in.

New applicants will not immediately be able to view vacancies and express interest in them. After you apply and your name moves up closer to the top of the wait list, you will receive an invitation to participate in the online housing offer process.

Once you become eligible to participate, you will be able to view vacancies and express interest in units for all community housing buildings that you are eligible for. You may choose to only express interest in the units and buildings that meet your needs and preferences.

Please visit york.ca/MyHousingApplication for more information on the online housing offer process.

The number of bedrooms is determined by the occupancy standards that apply to your household size. Housing Access will confirm what size of unit you are eligible for.

Once you become eligible to participate in the online housing offer process, you will only be able to see and express interest in units you are eligible for based on your household size.

Generally, occupancy standards follow a smallest/largest unit principle:

• The smallest unit a subsidized household is eligible to occupy has one bedroom for every two members of the household and an extra bedroom if there is an odd number of household members
• The largest unit a subsidized household is eligible to occupy has one bedroom for every member of the household with couples sharing
• A single person is eligible for a bachelor or one bedroom unit

An additional bedroom can be requested if:

• Couples cannot share a bedroom because of a disability or medical condition
• Additional space is needed to store medical equipment related to a disability or significant medical condition
• The member of the household has joint custody of a child

If you need an additional bedroom due to a medical disability, have your doctor complete a  Request for Additional Bedroom form and submit the form to Housing Access for review.

If you need an additional bedroom for a visiting child, you must submit a copy of your custody agreement, court order or statutory declaration, or a letter from Family and Children’s Services. Housing Access will review the information and determine if you are eligible for an additional bedroom.

Generally, subsidized rent is based on 30% of your household’s total gross monthly income. Additional charges may apply depending on the building (e.g., parking). 

If you are receiving assistance from Ontario Works or the Ontario Disability Support Program, your rent is based on a pre-determined rent scale.

Some housing providers have wheelchair accessible units. Your doctor must complete our Request for Modified Unit form. Once we receive the form, we will assess your eligibility for this type of unit.

Visit the Housing Locations page to search for community housing locations with accessible units and review information each location, including the number of accessible units.

If you are approved for an accessible unit and become eligible to participate in the online offer process, you will be able to view and express interest in accessible units.

Some housing providers have market rent units as well as subsidized units. If you are interested in getting a market rent unit, please contact the housing provider directly. A list of housing providers and locations is available on the Housing Locations page.

There are no other priority categories in York Region. All applicants are listed on the waiting list by the date they applied for subsidized housing.

Wait list applicants receive one offer of housing, in accordance with provincial rules. If you turn down the offer of housing, you will no longer be eligible for subsidized housing and you will be removed from the wait list.