Title:



Title: |Application for and Placement in Public Housing | |

|Policy #: |AP005 |Responsible Department or Branch: |Housing Services |

|Effective Date: |March 5, 2008 |

REASON FOR POLICY

Housing plays a central role in people’s lives. Stable housing can contribute to an individual’s health, safety, and security, as well as promote involvement in the labour market and in the community.

The most acute housing need can be found among low-income households that face a combination of challenges. Access to stable housing plays an important role in enable vulnerable families and individuals to move toward self-reliance, independence and opportunity.

WHO SHOULD KNOW THIS POLICY

This policy must be understood by BC Housing staff that review and accept applications for housing to The Housing Registry. As well, as staff that assesses eligibility for public housing, assesses housing need in The Housing Registry database, and the allocation of available public housing units.

In addition, this policy should be understood by BC Housing staff that approve requests for transfers from existing subsidized tenants in both public housing and housing operated by housing partners.

POLICY STATEMENT

The over-riding goal of this policy is to ensure that eligible applicants for housing are matched to available public housing units that meet their needs, in a community where they can be appropriately supported in order to provide them with the best chance of a successful tenancy. In addition, the goal is for this policy to provide transparency in the eligibility process and the process in which applicants are allocated housing.

APPLICATION AND SCOPE OF THE POLICY

This policy applies to all households applying for public housing. A household is eligible to apply for housing if it meets the following three basic criteria:

1. The members of the household must currently reside in British Columbia and are either Canadian citizens, individuals lawfully admitted into Canada for permanent residence, refugees sponsored by the Government of Canada, or individuals who have applied for refugee or immigration status and for whom private sponsorship has broken down; and

2. The total gross, household income is equal to or less than an annually determined maximum (Core Need Income Thresholds); and

3. Falls into one of the following groups:

3. Senior: defined as a single person age 55 or older, or a couple where at least one person is age 55 or older.

4. Persons with Disabilities: defined as a single person in receipt of a recognized disability pension, or a couple where at least one person is in receipt of a recognized disability pension or are considered disabled for income tax purposes.

Recognized Disability Pensions include:

• Ministry of Employment and Income Assistance – Persons with Disabilities

• Ministry of Employment and Income Assistance – Persons with Persistent Multiple Barriers

• Canada Pension Plan - disability

• Workers Compensation Board (WorkSafe BC) – disability pension

• Long Term Disability payments

• Disabled for income tax purposes – Demonstrated by receiving the disability tax credit on previous year’s income tax return.

5. Family: A minimum of two people which includes one dependent child.

Dependent Child: defined as any unmarried child, stepchild, adopted child, or legal ward, mainly supported by the applicant who is a dependent for income tax purposes and who is:

• under 19 years of age; or

• a child of any age who, because of mental or physical infirmity, is accepted as a dependent for income tax purposes; or

• under 25 and in full-time attendance at a school, university, or vocational institution which provides a recognized diploma, certificate, or degree. Full-time attendance means enrolment in the minimum of credit courses specified by the institution to be considered full-time, or if not specified by the institution, enrolment in a minimum of 15 hours of classroom instruction per week in each school term.

Employees of BC Housing are eligible for public housing and private market rent supplements if the household meets the above basic criteria. Retiring Resident Caretakers are covered by the BCGEU Collective Agreement – Maintenance Division Article 8:10 (i).

Applicants may be excluded from consideration for housing if any of the following apply:

1. Unsatisfactory tenancy history,(based on previous tenancies in subsidized housing or landlord references)

2. Outstanding debt from previous subsidized tenancies.

3. False or fraudulent information provided by applicant.

4. Failure to provide documents as requested.

5. Do not meet residency requirements.

6. Unable to live independently with supports

7. No income

8. Do not meet the defined household groups.

See Attachment 1 for full details on exclusion criteria and potential work out options for applicants.

IMPLEMENTATION OF THE POLICY

Determining Applicant Need

Once eligibility is established, all offers for public housing are based on need. Applicants are categorized based on their current housing circumstances into one of five Housing Need Categories. See Attachment 2 for full description of the Housing Need Categories.

Applicants who are homeless, fleeing domestic violence or abuse, or have a serious health condition that is affected by their current housing may be asked to have an optional Supplemental Application Form completed by someone who can verify their situation.

Every possible attempt is made to place households in units that are appropriate and that meet the household’s needs. This would include an appropriate number of bedrooms based on the National Occupancy Standards (Attachment 3) and availability of any support services either in the development or community that the applicant may require.

Tenant Transfer Requests

Recognizing that the housing needs of tenants often change after initial placement, tenants living in public housing or receiving a private market rent supplement, may request a transfer to another unit for the following reasons:

• Medical need; or

• Unreasonable distance from work or school; or

• Safety or social conflict; or

• Family size change.

Transfers will be accepted providing the tenant has resided in their current unit for a minimum of one year, their tenancy is in good standing and if they are still eligible for housing. Once a transfer request has been approved the transfer is assigned to a Housing Need Category. (Attachment 2).

In the case of over housed situations where a single parent or couple resides in a subsidized unit (2 bedroom or larger) and their children have left the home. If the single parent or couple does not meet the minimum age requirement for a senior or the definition of a Person with Disability but are at least 45 years of age and have resided in the unit for a minimum of year, they will be considered to be an “Empty Nester” and considered for bachelor or one bedroom units.

Requests to transfer one or more tenants in a household to a new unit, while the remaining tenants continue to reside in the current unit, may be considered. Both the transferring household and the household remaining in the current unit must have lived in the unit for a minimum of one year and meet the basic eligibility requirements for applying for housing.

Offers of Housing

Within each Housing Need Category, applicants are sorted based on date of application. Applicants who do not keep their applicant files up to date will go on hold after six months with no contact or if an attempt to reach the applicant has been unsuccessful. Applicants at this point will receive a request by mail to contact The Housing Registry to update their application. While in hold status the applicant will not be considered for available units. If there is no contact with the applicants for an additional 12 months after going on hold the file will go into deleted status. If the applicant makes contact after this point they will be required to submit a new application form and will be assigned a new application date.

Applicants will be made a maximum of two offers of housing. If both offers are refused the application will be cancelled and the household will be eligible to re-apply after a one-year period.

Transfer applicants will be made a maximum of two offers of housing. If both offers are refused the transfer request will be cancelled and the household will be eligible to re-apply after a one-year period. However, in the instance of over housed tenants, upon refusal of a second offer of an appropriate sized housing unit, a ninety (90) day notice to end tenancy will be issued.

RELATED DOCUMENTS

Exclusion Criteria: Description and potential Work Criteria.

Housing Need Categories

National Occupancy Standards

Overview of related programs and initiatives

CONTACTS

Erin Smancych Gaye Hartt

Manager, Housing Services Customer Service Manager

BC Housing BC Housing

601-4555 Kingsway 601-4555 Kingsway

Burnaby BC V5H 4V8 Burnaby BC V5H 4V8

HISTORY

|Version # |Policy # and Name |Reason |Date |

|12.55.05 |Application for and Placement in Public Housing |Changes made to maximize access to public |May 10, 2007 |

| | |housing | |

| | | | |

Authorized:

Shayne Ramsay, Chief Executive Officer

Date Approved: By Executive Committee on March 5, 2008

Attachment 1:

Exclusion Criteria: Description and potential Work Criteria.

|Unsatisfactory tenancy history |

|Life Safety: |No work out criteria – not eligible. |

|Actions that have endangered that person’s own safety or the safety of others. Actions that have created | |

|a tangible risk to the applicant or to other persons and/or property. Examples may include, but are not | |

|limited to, assault, intentional fires, threats to kill or cause physical harm, vandalism to life safety | |

|systems, armed robbery, home invasions, break & enters, throwing objects likely, physical assault on | |

|other tenants or staff, etc. | |

|Anti-Social Activities: |Provision of a current and verifiable landlord|

|Actions that have caused an unreasonable disturbance or form of harassment to other persons, or damage to|reference demonstrating that the applicant has|

|property. Examples may include, but are not limited to, verbal abuse, harassment, vandalism, cleanliness|lived successfully for a minimum period of one|

|issues that cause smells/pests/health issues, theft of property, racial abuse, prostitution, throwing |year with no reoccurrence of the anti-social |

|objects likely to cause harm, substance misuse (illegal substances), unintentional fires, etc. |activities. |

|Nuisance Behaviors: |Provision of a current and verifiable landlord|

|Actions that would be considered a breach of the Tenancy Agreement that are not Life Safety or |reference demonstrating that the applicant has|

|Anti-Social Activities. Examples may include, but are not limited to, noise nuisance, smoking or |lived successfully for a period of six months |

|drinking alcohol under age or in restricted areas, substance misuse (non-illegal substances), begging, |with no reoccurrence of the nuisance |

|etc. |behaviors. |

|Debt to a subsidized housing provider in B.C. |

|Outstanding debt owed to a subsidized housing provider in B.C., e.g. non-payment of rent, reimbursement |The amount of the debt, reason for the debt |

|for property damage. |will be considered. If the debt is |

| |collectable payment will need to be made, |

| |arrangements for repayment will be considered.|

| |In addition, a review of the reason for the |

| |debt will be undertaken and a current and |

| |verifiable landlord reference may be required.|

|False or fraudulent information |

|Application information is found to be false, or applicant has a history of obtaining tenancy through |Depends on individual situation and extent of|

|falsified information |fraudulent information provided. Applicant |

| |may be asked to reimburse subsidy received |

| |under false pretenses. |

Exclusion Criteria: Description and potential Work Criteria - continued

|Failure to provide documents as requested |

|Application form is incomplete and applicant has not responded to requests for data. |Application will not be activated and |

| |considered for housing until information |

| |provided. |

|Do not meet residency requirements |

|Applicant or someone in their household is: |None – must meet residency criteria. |

|subject to removal under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act; or | |

|under a sponsorship agreement that is still in force | |

|not living in B.C. | |

|Unable to live independently with supports |

|Applicant or someone in household has support needs that cannot be met in public housing units or units |None – applicants must be able to live |

|managed by Housing Registry Members. |independently with supports. |

|No Income. (No demonstrated ability to pay rent) |

|No declared income or assets to apply to rent payments, not receiving assistance from MEIA or any other |Applicant must apply for all available |

|income source. |programs and demonstrate an ability to make |

| |monthly rent payments. |

|Do not meet defined household groups. |

|The following compositions are excluded for consideration in subsidized housing: |No work out criteria, must meet one of the |

|Students or roommates (unrelated adults) wishing to share accommodation |definion. Exception for transfer tenants who |

|Singles under age 55 who are not eligible for a disability pension (ie: CPP-d, PWD, PPMB). |meet the “Empty Nester” criteria. |

|Couples both under age 55 where neither person is eligible for a disability pension (ie: CPP-d, PWD, | |

|PPMB). | |

|Families with no dependent children (see definition of dependent under eligible household groups). | |

|Deliberately worsened current housing situation. | |

|Applicant has deliberately worsened their current housing situation in an attempt to obtain a higher |Application may be excluded from consideration|

|priority for subsidized housing (e.g., terminated a tenancy for no apparent reason and moved into a |or placed in a lower Housing Need Category. |

|household causing overcrowding). | |

a

ATTACHMENT 2:

Housing Need Categories

As the demand for housing exceeds the number of available units, it is not possible to predict when an applicant may receive an offer of accommodation. Applicants for housing are placed into one of five Housing Need Categories.

BC Housing targets available units to those in the greatest need based on their current living circumstances and their housing requirements. However, BC Housing does not provide emergency housing and placement in any of the Housing Need Categories does not guarantee that an offer of accommodation will be made.

All applicants must complete a standard Application Form. Based on the applicants self declaration of their housing circumstances they will be automatically placed in Housing Need Category C, D or E.

Those applicants who are facing a severe risk to their health and/or safety, have serious health, medical or social needs and are living in seriously substandard accommodation, or those transitioning from a supported environment to a more independent living situation may be placed in Category A or B. To be placed in Category A or B verification must be received from someone who can verify the applicant’s living situation. Typically this verification will be received via a Supplemental Application Form.

The Housing Need Categories describe broad categories of housing need. As everyone’s housing conditions and life circumstances are unique, it is not possible to list all the circumstances covered by each category. The categories listed are intended as a guide and may be adjusted over time.

|Category A |Applicants facing a severe risk to their health and/or safety. |

|Homeless - living in public spaces or a homeless shelter. |

|Homeless due to crisis - previous residence became uninhabitable due to a human caused or natural disaster. |

|Fleeing domestic abuse and living in a temporary situation after fleeing abuse. |

|In urgent need for housing, based on medical grounds: |

|need to be near ongoing medical treatment for a serious or life threatening condition |

|ready for discharge from a health facility and can not return to former residence. |

|Other circumstances or a combination of circumstances that are considered exceptional [e.g., a person with a terminal illness who is not adequately |

|housed] |

|Category B |Applicants with serious health/medical/social needs, living in seriously substandard accommodation, or transitioning to a more |

| |independent living situation. |

|At risk of homelessness: |

|temporary accommodation where applicant has no control over length and conditions of tenure |

|time limited housing helping applicant to transition from homeless to living in a permanent form of housing |

|accommodation where tenancy will be terminated within three months of application nominated by a partner agency |

Housing Need Categories – continued

| Category B Continued … |

|Fleeing domestic abuse and living in a second stage transition house. |

|Fleeing violence related to current housing situation: |

|in imminent danger of violence and/or the threat of violence from people affiliated with their current housing, e.g., roommate, neighbour, landlord |

|[including instances of stalking] |

|living in a temporary situation after fleeing abuse, e.g., with family/friends. |

|Have a significant need for housing based on medical grounds: |

|need to move to receive support for health reasons |

|have a serious medical condition and current housing is so severely (negatively) affecting health that it could become life threatening. |

|Have a significant need for housing based on social/family/employment factors: |

|children can not live with applicant until stable housing is found |

|current accommodation is unsuitable for a child with special needs |

|frequent moves are affecting minor children |

|have an extremely long commute that can not be sustained. |

|Other circumstances or a combination of circumstances that relate to the safety/security of a tenant or member of their family. |

|Current tenants of social housing can be awarded this priority because they require a smaller unit, or the unit residing in no longer meets needs. |

|Category C |

|Applicants’ need for subsidized housing is moderate in comparison with Category A and B |

|Hidden homeless: applicant is in temporary accommodation where they do not have control over length and conditions of tenancy (e.g., name not on lease) |

|but do have adequate personal space (e.g., a bedroom) |

|Current accommodation is inadequate: |

|is two bedrooms below the National Occupancy Standard |

|is in need of major repairs, has unsanitary conditions or safety issues |

|does not meet mobility requirements of applicant or household member. |

|Current housing is having a serious, but not life-threatening, negative effect on the health of a household member. |

|Applicant has a moderate need for housing based on social/family/employment factors |

|current housing is in a location where they are unable to access social supports, services, etc |

|has PWD/PPMB status |

|Exceptional circumstances in a household that would otherwise be in B and D |

|Category D |

|Applicants with a specialized housing need or a low housing need and do not meet the priority criteria of Category A through C. |

|Living in a marginally crowded living arrangement: |

|current home is one bedroom below the National Occupancy Standard |

|Applicants for specialized housing: |

|LIUS |

|employable/employed (defined as not PWD/PPMB) singles and couples (including students) |

|Category E |

|Applicants for low housing need |

|Income exceeds CNITs - wait-listed for market- housing managed by Housing Registry partners |

ATTACHMENT 3:

a National Occupancy Standards

The following guidelines are used to determine the size of unit required by a household.

1. There shall be no more than 2 or less than 1 person per bedroom.

2. Spouses and couples share a bedroom.

3. Parents do not share a bedroom with children.

4. Dependants aged 18 or more do not share a bedroom.

5. Dependants aged 5 or more of opposite sex do not share a bedroom.

Application of the National Occupancy Standards

In recognition of a variety of co-parenting arrangements, a child that resides with their parent(s) a minimum of 40% of the time will qualify as a permanent member of the household when determining eligibility and appropriate unit size.

Single applicants (seniors or people with disabilities) are eligible to apply for bachelor and

one-bedroom units. Couples (two individuals) are only eligible to apply for one-bedroom units as they would be under-housed in a bachelor unit. To maximize the use of limited available

one-bedroom units, priority for available units is as follows:

• Couples

• Single applicants with a documented medical need for a one-bedroom unit

• All other single applicants.

OVERVIEW OF RELATED PROGRAMS AND INITIATIVES

The following programs and initiatives connect British Columbians with a range of affordable housing options.

Housing Listings

The Housing Listings are a resource directory that provides maps and addresses of affordable housing developments for families, seniors, and people with disabilities across the province. It includes information about how to apply to specific developments, and information such as whether a development offers wheelchair-accessible units or market rent units, or if a development has other charges such as a security deposit or separate utility charges.

The Housing Registry

The Housing Registry is a comprehensive housing information service for housing providers and applicants in search of affordable housing. The Housing Registry simplifies the application process by allowing applicants to contact one agency and complete one application form to apply for multiple housing developments. The Housing Registry provides services to housing providers by maintaining a current database of all applicants and therefore eliminating duplication among housing providers.

Housing Providers who join the registry may elect to adopt the default eligibility criteria outlined in this policy. However, providers have the opportunity to modify some components of the eligibility criteria in order to meet the mandate of their organization.

Housing Provider members continue to be responsible for tenant selection for available units including contacting applicants for additional information, conducting landlord reference checks, and other processes as determined by individual housing provider members.

SAFER

The Shelter Aid for Elderly Renters (SAFER) Program provides direct cash assistance to eligible residents of BC who are age 60 or over and who pay rent for their homes. The program reimburses part of the difference between 30% of a senior’s total income and their rent, up to a maximum rent level.

Rental Assistance Program

The Rental Assistance Program (RAP) provides direct cash assistance to eligible low-income, working families with at least one child under the age of 19 and a gross household income less than $35,000 per year. The families must have lived in BC for the last 12 months.

Seniors Supportive Housing

The Seniors' Supportive Housing program provides specially modified rental homes, in selected subsidized housing developments, primarily to low-income seniors who need some assistance in order to continue to live independently.  The program focuses on converting and upgrading existing seniors' housing to enhance accessibility and improve safety systems.  It also introduces support services such as 24-hour emergency response, light housekeeping, meals, and social and recreational activities.

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