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Resources for Community Housing Providers

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Housing Services administers funding to community housing providers in Durham Region, including municipal non-profits, private non-profit providers and housing co-operatives.

All community housing providers manage their own properties, and provide day-to-day property management and tenant relations services.

Durham Community Housing Directives

Durham Community Housing Directives set out local rules under the Housing Services Act, and the responsibility of community housing providers under their service agreements with us.

Rent-geared-to-income (RGI)

RGI 2012-06: Absence from Unit
RGI 2020-02: Adjusted Family Net Income (AFNI)
RGI 2023-04: Annual RGI Reviews
RGI 2022-02: Asset Limits
RGI 2024-03: Durham Rent Supplement "Revised July 30, 2024"
RGI 2020-08: Earnings Exemptions
RGI 2024-04: Income Limits
RGI 2020-14: In-situ RGI Applications
RGI 2020-12: Letter Templates and Forms
RGI 2020-07: Maximum Rent and 24-Month Rule
RGI 2024-02: Minimum Rent
RGI 2023-03: In-Year Reviews and Notice of Changes
RGI 2019-02: Occupancy Standards and Overhoused Households
RGI 2023-05: ODSP and CPP Disability/OAS Allowance
RGI 2020-09: Pursuit of Income
RGI 2020-13: Regional Consent Form
RGI 2025-01: Regional Review Process
RGI 2020-10: Requests for Information
RGI 2020-05: Social Assistance and Non-Benefit Income
RGI 2018-04: Splitting RGI Households

DASH Wait List

CWL 2017-02: Application for RGI and Modified Housing Form
CWL 2020-01: DASH Wait List Rules
CWL 2019-03: Special Priority Status
CWL 2019-02: Transfer Applications

Housing operations

Memo 07-02: Asbestos
Memo 11-10: Energy Efficiency and Refrigerators
Directive 2002-10: Seniors Mandate
OPR 2015-01: Standards - Conflict of Interest
OPR 2015-02: Standards - Leases and Occupancy Agreements
OPR 2015-03: Standards - Property Management
OPR 2015-04: Standards - Number of Board Meetings and Remuneration of Directors
OPR 2013-01: Reporting Critical Injuries of Non-Workers
Memo 11-09: Suite Meters and Electricity Costs Charged to Tenants

Finance, funding and reporting

FIN 2024-01: Market Rent Indices for 2025
FIN 2024-02: Operating Cost Indices for 2025
FIN 2021-01: Annual Information Return (AIR) and Surplus Sharing
FIN 2021-02: Indemnity and Insurance Coverage
FIN 2023-01: Market Rent Indices for 2024
FIN 2022-01: Market Rent Indices for 2023
FIN 2023-02: Operating Cost Indices for 2024
FIN 2022-02: Operating Cost Indices for 2023
FIN 2013-01: Subsidy Estimate Request

General information

Memo 11-02: Canada Learning Bond
Memo 09-08: Changes to Service Canada Information
INF 2015-06: Ontario Electricity Support Program
INF 2024-03: Government Pension Income October 1, 2024 to December 31, 2024
INF 2024-02: Rent Increase Guideline for 2025

Archived and repealed directives

To obtain a copy of a repealed or archived directive or memo, please contact the Housing Services Division.

Listing of repealed and archived directives and memos

Durham Region RGI Guide and Cheat Sheets

The Durham Region RGI Guide compliments the Housing Services Act and its regulations, as well as local rules set out in the Durham Community Housing Directives.

Durham Region RGI Guide

Think Forward: RGI Simplification Cheat Sheets

Communication with DASH

Housing Forms

Applicant forms

Tenant and co-op member forms

Housing provider forms

Letter Templates

RGI changes

RGI ineligibility

Maximum RGI and 24-month rule

Requests for information

Overhoused

Pursuit of income

Ontario Works

Old Age Security

Employment Insurance

Notice to Pursue Employment Insurance (EI)

Sponsorship Income

Notice to Pursue Sponsorship Income (Family Class)

Offers/wait list

Notice of Denial/Refusal to Offer Unit

Regional Review Process

Housing Directive

INF 05-01: Regional Review Process

Additional Supporting Documents

To request an appeal, you must complete the Request for Regional Review and submit to the person who made the decision that you want reviewed. You must do this within 10 days of receiving the letter telling you the decision.

If they are unable to address your concerns, they will forward your request to the Regional Review Panel within 10 days. The Panel will contact you to attend a hearing, that normally takes place within the next two weeks. The Panel might choose to do an expedited appeal without a hearing, which will be completed in 5 days. The Panel will tell you its decision no more than five days after the hearing or expedited review.

Regional Review Panel

The Regional Review Panel hears appeals about:

Rent-geared-to-income (RGI) or alternate calculation of rent
Modified housing
Private landlord Durham Rent Supplement
Priority on the Durham Access to Social Housing (DASH) wait list
Durham Portable Housing Benefit (Durham PHB)

The Regional Review Panel looks at housing-related decisions and reviews decisions made by:

Community housing providers
Durham Regional Local Housing Corporation (DRLHC)
Durham Access to Social Housing (DASH)

Apply to be a member of the Regional Review Panel

To join the Regional Review Panel, complete the Membership Application

To be part of the Panel, you must meet one of the following requirements:

Work for the Region of Durham.
Be connected to a social housing provider in Durham (staff, Board member, property management company).
Work for a community agency related to housing in Durham.

We can accept, deny or repeal anyone's membership.

Conduct of the Regional Review Panel

The Regional Review Panel is fully independent. It is an impartial body made of representatives from housing providers, DASH, and Housing Services or the Social Service Department.

The Panel does not represent the person who made the decision being reviewed. Panel members do not take part in any Regional Reviews if they:

Helped make the decision
Discussed the decision with the person who made it
Are connected to the community housing provider who made the decision, even if they were not involved in the decision.

Members involved with the original decision cannot review the appeal. Panel members do not review decisions of providers that they work with.

Information obtained during a Regional Review is confidential and is not shared with anyone outside the Review. All members of the Regional Review Panel must sign confidentiality agreements.

Rent-geared-to-income (RGI) Training

We have RGI training for all community housing providers who administer RGI in our region. You will learn the basics of RGI, how to apply provincial and local rules, and how to use appropriate discretion.

Sessions are geared to both people who are new to RGI calculations as well as those who want to refresh their skills. Sessions are offered twice per year, usually in April and October.

Social Housing Advisory Group (SHAG)

SHAG is a forum for community housing providers and Regional staff to share information and ideas related to community housing. SHAG is also an opportunity for community housing providers to share best practices. The group gives input on community housing policies and practices to support the implementation of At Home in Durham, the Durham Housing Plan 2014-2024.

SHAG is made up of staff from the Region of Durham, community housing providers and board members.