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  Residents of social housing and the general public
   
Frequently Asked Questions    

A resident is any individual living in a dwelling. Since different terms are used in legislation and by sector groups to describe these individuals, we use the term "resident" to encompass all the different terms. A resident can be called any of the following terms:

Tenant Tenant is the most commonly used term. It is used throughout the Residential Tenancies Act (RTA).
Household This term, used in the Social Housing Reform Act, consists of one or more residents occupying a unit or a house.
Member A member is a person who lives in a co-op; membership in a co-op has privileges and carries responsibilities defined in the Co-operative Corporations Act and by the co-op's own bylaws.

Three types of legislation exist which determine residents' rights and responsibilities. One or more of these may apply, depending on the type of housing in which residents live and the type of rent they pay.

Residents who have questions regarding their tenancy may discuss the situation with their housing provider or refer to the appropriate legislation.

Legislation

Request for a review of a decision that a household is not eligible for rent-geared-to-income (RGI) assistance

Do you live in an RGI unit in social housing? Have you received a notice that you are no longer eligible for RGI assistance? You can apply for a review of the decision.

You must fill in this form and send it to the Social Housing Unit. You can request a review up to 20 business days after the notice of decision is issued.

Do not fill in this form if you are requesting a review of a decision about the amount or effective date of your RGI rent. Send those requests to your housing provider.

Housing Services Act (HSA)

The HSA provides a framework for service managers* to effectively administer social housing programs. Within this framework, the HSA defines the rules affecting rent-geared-to-income residents.

*Note: The service manager is the City of Toronto.

Residential Tenancies Act (RTA)

The RTA is a provincial law that applies to most landlords and tenants in the province.

The The Landlord and Tenant Board, an independent body formed by the Government of Ontario, administers the RTA. The Landlord and Tenant Board resolves disputes between landlords and tenants and provides them with information concerning their rights and obligations under the RTA.

For more information on the Landlord and Tenant Board and the RTA, contact the toll-free number at 1-888-332-3234 or 416-645-8080 during regular business hours.

The Co-operative Corporations Act

Co-ops are legal corporations and the Co-operative Corporations Act is a provincial law which governs them. The Act covers such areas as a co-op's incorporation, administration, financial responsibility and the rights and responsibilities of its directors and members.

Which legislation applies to whom?

Private non-profit housing,
Toronto Community Housing Corp.

Residents paying rent-geared-to-income
Residents whose rent is geared to their income (RGI) pay a percentage of their income for a unit. A subsidy is paid by one level of government to cover the difference between what they pay and the market rent.
HSA,
RTA
Residents paying market rent RTA


Co-operative housing (Co-op)

Members
The majority of residents in this type of housing are members of the co-op. Membership in a co-op offers privileges such as the right to vote in co-op elections and on bylaws, and to run for election to the board of directors.

Each co-op maintains its own bylaws, which are passed by the membership and enforced by its board of directors.

Co-operative Corporations Act,
HSA

Non-members
Some residents in the co-op are not members.
RTA

For more information or to report errors on our Web site please contact us at socialhousing@toronto.ca

 

 

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