Page 5 - Balance | CHC Annual Report 2020

C H R CENTRAL HOUSING REGISTRY 2020

WINDSOR ESSEX COUNTY

Windsor Essex CHC continues to administer the centralized waitlist function on behalf of the Service Manager through the Central
Housing Registry- Windsor Essex County. CHR complies with Provincial legislation and local rules.

The Central Housing Registry – Windsor Essex County (CHR-WEC) had a very busy 2020. During this year, the CHR-WEC department
was closed to public traffic. However, the CHR department continued to work in office, answering and responding to phone calls,
emails and mail.
Several changes took place during 2020 that affected the CHR department. The Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing made
Amendments to Ontario Regulations under the Housing Services Act, 2011 implemented in 2020.
One of those changes involved a new provincial eligibility rule on the refusal of offers. If the offer for housing was refused, and meets
occupancy standards and is in a community selected by the household, the household would no longer be eligible for rent-geared-
to-income assistance.

CHR-WEC undertook with CHC and the Service Manager's assistance to advise all eligible applicants on the CHR-WEC waiting list of
the new one refusal policy. Over 6,000 information packages were mailed out in September 2020 to all qualified CHR-WEC
applicants on the waiting list. These packages included a letter advising of the change and how it would affect their household and
information. Each household would need to take steps to ensure that their housing selections were accurate and updated based on
their choices. November 30, 2020, was the deadline for updating all applicant information.

In light of these changes, the CHR-Windsor Essex CHC and the Service Manager took the opportunity to examine and review all
CHR-WEC information. The review's outcome gave rise to amendments of the CHR-WEC application forms and process and
updates to all CHR-WEC forms, letters, and web content. The CHR-WEC continues to partner and collaboratively work with Windsor
Essex agencies and housing providers in accessing affordable housing options and various housing benefits and rent supplement
programs.

Central Housing Registry Windsor Essex County (CHR)
Impacts and Performance
● The 2020 waitlist decreased by 8% to 5,357 households. The
decrease is attributed to the verification of all previously
qualified applicants on the Windsor Essex waitlist,
introduction of housing benefits and the pandemic situation. Two new housing benefit programs were
introduced in 2020.
Of the 5,357 households
● Canada Ontario Housing Benefit
● SPP/PI* accounted for 74 applicants (COHB) The Canada-Ontario Housing
● PII** accounted for 366 applicants
● CHR housed 236 applicants (Chronological, Priority I, Priority Benefit (COHB) is a joint federal-
II) from the waitlist provincial housing allowance program
● CHR housed 55 Chronological applicants (Seniors, Adults and providing an income-tested, portable
Families) housing benefit (PHB) payment to
● CHR housed 79 Priority I* applicants (PI/SPP) Survivors of low-income households.
Domestic Abuse and Human Trafficking
● CHR housed 102 Priority II** applicants
● Windsor Essex Housing Benefit
Local Rules Definition (WEHB) The WEHB is designed to
support vulnerable households and is
*PI (Special Priority Status) is provided to survivors of domestic an alternative to RGI. This new housing
violence and human trafficking. Applicants receiving Special Priority
allowance program provides an
Status rank first on the CHR waitlist.
alternative to waiting for rent-geared-
** PII Applicants applying for Priority II status must meet one or more to-income (RGI) housing.
of the following conditions:
Homelessness, living in shelters, on the street, the permanent
residence has been destroyed/condemned
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