Rent-Geared-to-Income Housing (RGI)

You may be eligible for rent-geared-to-income (RGI) if:

• You are able to live independently with or without support services.

• You are over 16 years old.

• You are a Canadian citizen, a permanent resident of Canada or a refugee claimant, or you are applying to become a permanent resident.

• You are not under a removal order to leave Canada.

• You do not owe money to any social housing provider in Ontario, or you have an agreement to repay this money.

• Your income and assets are within the allowable limits.

To be eligible for rent-geared-to-income (RGI), you cannot have assets of more than $50,000 if you are a single person or more than $75,000 if you are a family.

Some assets are not considered. These include personal items, such as clothing and furniture, vehicles, RRSPs, Retirement Income Funds, Life Income Funds, life annuities, and assets as a result of pain and suffering awards.

To be eligible for rent-geared-to-income (RGI), you cannot have income of more than:

• $64,000 for a one bedroom or bachelor unit

• $67,000 for a two bedroom unit

• $74,000 for a three bedroom unit

• $83,500 for a four or five bedroom unit.

Your income limit applies to the largest unit that you are allowed to move into, even if you move to a smaller unit.

There are rules about the size of the rent-geared-to-income (RGI) unit you can move into. Normally you cannot live in an RGI unit that has more than one bedroom per person; spouses are expected to share a bedroom. You cannot normally live in an RGI unit smaller than one bedroom for every two people.

You can request an additional bedroom if:

• you and your spouse are unable to share a room because of a disability or medical condition

• you need an extension room to store medical or disability-related equipment

• you are disabled and looking for a roommate.

RGI is normally about 30 per cent of your monthly adjusted family net income (AFNI). AFNI is the amount on Line 23600 of your most recent income tax return. If this amount does not reflect your current income, it may be adjusted to more closely your income before taxes are deducted. Gross income is your income before taxes. If you receive Ontario Works or ODSP, you will normally pay a set amount of RGI based on the size of your family.

There are rules about how RGI is calculated. Your housing provider must follow the rules set out in:

• Housing Services Act

• Durham Social Housing Directives

• RGI Guide

If you live in an RGI unit with a social housing provider or a private landlord, you have the same rights and responsibilities as other tenants. If you live in an RGI unit in a co-op, you have the same rights and responsibilities as all members in your co-op.

Reporting changes

You must tell your housing provider right away if your income or assets change or if someone moves in or out of your unit. If you do not tell your housing provider right away you could become ineligible for RGI and have to start paying the full market rent for your unit.

Questions or concerns

If you have questions or concerns, contact your housing provider or property manager directly. You can also contact the board of directors of your non-profit or co-op. If you are not able to resolve your issue, Housing Services staff may be able to help you address your housing concerns.

Transfer requests

If you want to move to another social housing provider, you can apply for a transfer. You will be placed on the DASH wait list. There are long waits for transfers. If you owe arrears for missed rent payments, you will not be eligible for a transfer.

If you want to apply for a transfer you must complete the Application for transfer form and give it to your housing provider.

If you want to move to a different unit in the same place that you live now, you do not need to complete an Application for Transfer form. Your housing provider may have rules about transfers. Contact them directly for more information or to request a transfer.

If you disagree with a decision about your RGI, you can appeal to the Regional Review Panel.