Social Housing

Definitions Landlord: a person who owns a property and

rents it to someone else Rent: A tenant's regular payment to a landlord

for the use of property or land. Private housing: land or belongings owned by

a person or group and kept for their exclusive use

Social housing: housing provided for people on low incomes or with particular needs by government agencies or non-profit organizations.

What is social housing? Allows people and families with low

wages, or who get government help, to find housing in the private sector.

Social housing includes supportive housing, government-funded subsidies and rent-geared-to-income.

Ontario Human Rights Commission

Who lives in social housing? Tenants come from diverse

backgrounds. Tenants must show legal status in

Canada for all household members.  One household member must be 16 years of age or older

Types of rent paid Rent geared to income (RGI)

These rents are subsidized to about 30 % of the entire household’s gross income.

Rent Subsidies These rents are subsidized by Social

Housing for a private housing Market rents

These rents are similar to those charged by a private landlord.

Housing availability: Toronto The wait ranges from about one to five years for a bachelor; seven to ten years for a one-bedroom; five to ten years for a two-bedroom; ten to twelve years for a three- to four-

bedroom; and four to six years for a five-bedroom

home.  

Conditions of Social Housing spouses/partners share a bedroom and can request

to share a bachelor unit two same-sex children under 18 years old share a

bedroom children 18 or over are entitled to their own room (or

you can request that they share a room with another child

children of the opposite sex are given separate bedrooms (unless you request to have the children share a bedroom)

a parent can request to share a bedroom with their dependent child

Social Housing in Toronto Number of social housing units in Toronto: 93,198 Number of units with rent geared to 30% of the household’s

income: 70,379 Annual cost of Toronto social housing in 2011 (includes

time-limited stimulus funding from the federal and provincial governments): $ 656.9 million Percentage paid by Toronto: 41 Percentage paid by the federal government: 32 Percentage paid by the provincial government: 19 Percent paid by GTA pooling: 8 Percentage of all Toronto social housing stock owned and

operated by Toronto Community Housing: 63