F.A.Q.
Here are some common questions about Housing Services.
Community Homelessness Prevention Initiative (CHPI)
DNSSAB’s CHPI Client Benefits Program provides assistance to households experiencing homelessness and at-risk of homelessness by providing direct benefit support and Homelessness Prevention Navigator services.
If you find yourself without a place to stay tonight, please see any of our following providers. [link]
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Housing Access Nipissing
The following information is for those interested in applying for housing through Housing Access Nipissing.
Rent-geared-to-income is rent you pay based on your household’s gross monthly income.
If you have applied for rent-geared-to-income housing, your rent will be approximately 30% of the household’s combined gross monthly income. Depending on circumstances, there may be additional costs such as utilities and parking.
Market rents are units offered by our housing provider at full rent (not based on your income).
You can apply for rent-geared-to-income and/or market rent housing by downloading and printing the combined housing application form off the website, by picking it up from the Housing Access Nipissing 133 Main Street West (Suite 200, Second Floor) in North Bay or by calling 705-472-2826 to have an application form mailed out to you.
A notice letter informing you of your application status will be mailed to you. No need to call.
We may ask you for other information in its place. Until the application is complete, you will not be placed on the waiting list.
No, you can apply for housing in the Nipissing District and live outside the area.
You cannot be placed on the centralized waiting list if you or anyone in your household owes arrears to any social housing provider in Ontario. You must have proof of an up-to-date payment schedule in order to be placed on the waiting list or to be offered housing. Your application for rent-geared-to-income housing will only be processed once we receive confirmation that the arrears have been paid or that a repayment agreement is in place and is being followed.
We can’t predict how long you will have to wait because we do not know when there will be vacancies in the buildings you selected. When providers have a vacancy in one of their communities, they will look at their waiting list. The selection of applicants from the waiting list is chronological-first-come, first-served-therefore those with the oldest application date will be offered first.
A housing provider must have a vacant unit in order for it to be filled from the Housing Access Nipissing lists. If no one is moving out, there are no units to offer.
The exception to the first-come, first-served waiting list system is for priority applicants. Housing Access Nipissing rules give priority to the following categories (if any apply to you, you may fill out the specific forms from our website, or call the Housing Access Nipissing for more information):
For more information including the required forms, please read the following resource: Housing Access Nipissing: Assigned Priorities.
No, Housing Access Nipissing does not provide emergency housing. Emergency shelters provide emergency housing. A list of shelters is provided on our website or available at our office.
Information about your “place” or “number” on the waitlists is not available. Where you stand relative to other applicants can vary from day to day, depending on your status and the status of incoming applications, your bedroom size requirement, and vacancies that may or may not come up in the buildings you have chosen. Every building you have selected is a list of its own, and you may be in a different position on each list. Where you are on the waitlist is not a question we can answer.
You will be contacted by telephone and/or email so it is very important that you make sure that we have a current phone number and email address on your file.
You are entitled to 3 offers of housing. If you accept an offer of rent-geared-to-income housing with any of the participating social housing providers, your file will be closed. If you then wish to move to another community, you will have to reapply with a new application date. If you refuse your 3rd and final offer, your file will be cancelled. If you are still interested in rent-geared-to-income housing, you will have to reapply with a new application date.
You cannot transfer from one building to another. If you would like to live in a different building, you must fill out another application and go on the waitlist with a new start date.
You must notify Housing Access Nipissing of any changes to your application such as your current address, phone number, changes in the selection of buildings, if the number of household members increases/decreases etc.
65 years of age.
If you are interested in applying to another municipality in Ontario, please contact the coordinated access group in that area. They will be able to provide you with information on the social housing available in their community. A list of these groups is available through the Ontario Non Profit Housing Association.
Ontario Renovates Program
The Ontario Renovates Program provides forgivable loan assistance to low and moderate income households to assist them in performing eligible major repairs, renovations and accessibility modifications to their homes. Here are some common questions we get about the program.
Eligible households must meet a list of criteria, which includes the following:
Eligible homes for the program can be detached, semi-detached or a freehold townhouse.
Homes must:
The following are examples of potential eligible and ineligible repairs under the Ontario
Renovates Program:
Applicants who receive assistance under the program must obtain three written quotes prior
to commencing repairs or renovations. DNSSAB will select the most appropriate contractor(s)
based on the quotes provided.
Along with a completed application form, applicants are required to submit the following in
order to be considered for the program:
If you haven’t already, please click here to visit the Ontario Renovates Program page which has a contact form and other contact information.
Please note: the information on this website is intended to be used as a guide and is subject to change. It does not reflect all policies and procedures of the Housing Services Department.
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