Date Issued Effective Date
February 1, 2015 May 1, 2015

Applicability to Social Housing Programs

The policies and procedures in this City Guideline are to be implemented under the following programs.

Applicability Program
X Housing Services Act, Part VII Housing Projects, Market and Rent-Geared-to-Income, Section 78 Housing Providers (formerly 110)
X Housing Services Act, Part VII Housing Projects, 100% Rent-Geared-to-Income, Section 78 Housing Providers (formerly 110)
Federal Non-Profit Housing, Section 26/27
Federal Non-Profit Housing, Section 95
X Rent Supplement Programs for Sections 26, 27, 95 and New Affordable Housing Providers
X Toronto Community Housing Corporation

Please note: If your program is not checked, this City Guideline does not apply to your project.

Background

At its meeting in July 2014, City Council adopted amendments to the local occupancy standards for social housing. The amended local occupancy standards are in the updated Chapter 4 of the RGI Administration Manual.

City Guideline 2011-11 Local Occupancy Standards is rescinded.

Chapter 4 contains changes in the Local Occupancy Standards in the following areas:

  1. Children of the same sex are not required to share bedrooms.
  2. Where there is a medical request for an additional bedroom, applicants must submit the revised (now mandatory) City of Toronto medical forms to their RGI Administrator (housing provider). You can download the forms from the RGI Administration Manual web page. They are listed under RGI Forms – Medical Forms. The forms are also in Chapter 10, Appendix 8.
  3. There is new direction about the allocation of
    1. an extra bedroom for medical reasons
    2. bedroom space for a child subject to a court order, custody or access agreement or domestic contract, and
    3. the allocation of bedroom space for a child who is taken into the temporary care of a Child Welfare Agency.
  4. “Overhoused” is defined, including an exception when a member of a household has recently died.
  5. There is new direction on managing the re-housing of RGI households who had to move.

Action Required

  1. RGI Administrators must comply with the online RGI Administration Manual when administering the RGI Program.
  2. RGI Administrators must complete implementation of any changes needed to comply with the amended Chapter 4 no later than May 1, 2015 but may implement the changes immediately. This includes:
    1. applying the amended local occupancy standards when filling vacant units and approving transfer requests.
    2. removing overhoused households from the internal transfer waiting list if they are not overhoused under the amended local occupancy standards.
    3. requiring households to complete the new medical forms if they are requesting an additional bedroom for medical reasons.
  3. RGI Administrators must inform RGI households about the amended local occupancy standards.

Questions

If you have any questions, please contact your Housing Consultant or HSS:

Housing Stability Services
Shelter, Support & Housing Administration
City of Toronto
Metro Hall, 55 John Street, 6th floor
Toronto, ON M5V 3C6
Telephone: 416-392-4126
Email: HSS@toronto.ca
Website: www.toronto.ca/socialhousing