October 1, 2019
This Directive is issued under the authority of the Director of Homelessness Initiatives & Prevention Services.
Shelter Clients on Housing Access Waitlists
Purchase of Service Shelters funded to provide Housing Help Services and Directly Operated Shelter Providers are required to ensure all clients are provided an opportunity to be placed on the Centralized Wait List for subsidized housing and assigned the disadvantaged status.
Housing Workers or Case Managers, when discussing housing options with clients, are required to review options provided by Access to Housing (formerly Housing Connections). Shelter staff can confirm or check the status of client applications by contacting the Shelter, Support & Housing Administration (SSHA), Access to Housing Team at 416-338-8888 or emailing ask@housingconnections.ca along with a third party consent form. Please ensure that the contact information at your shelter is also included to ensure that the client can be contacted in the future.
If the client already has an application on file, provide updated information including the disadvantaged status and contact information.
All client files must include the Housing Access reference number for any future reference for the client and/or shelter staff. Record this number in the client file or the client’s refusal to submit an application.
Agency Review Officers will be confirming this information during site visits and client file reviews.
To ensure all housing options are made available to shelter clients.
Section 1.2 Housing First 10 Case Management, Supports and Services of Toronto Shelter Standards requires that housing search assistance be provided to all shelter residents.