Rent Secure

Rent Secure provides a time-limited (up to 2 years) portable benefit, that helps bridge the affordability gap in private market rental housing.

Rent Secure is aligned with the requirements of the Canada/Ontario Housing Benefit (COHB). The program is designed to progress people from the temporary municipal benefit to the more permanent COHB within this time.

Rent Secure provides client focused service because the benefit is tied to the household instead of being tied to a rental unit as is the case with traditional rent-geared-to- income (RGI) subsidies; the benefit is portable as long as the household continues to live in Hamilton.

Rent Secure is not available to the general public. Instead, it is reserved for households experiencing chronic homelessness.

Applications are identified by City funded Case Management teams working with households currently experiencing homelessness. These programs take clients from by-name data referrals that prioritize Indigenous clients, people living unsheltered, and people that are chronically homeless.

By using this referral process applicants will have existing case management support to apply for the benefit and subsequently apply for COHB.

Program Guidelines

• Participants of the Rent Secure program must agree to pursue an application to the Canada/Ontario Housing Benefit (COHB) if referred by the City of Hamilton.
• Participants must undergo an annual review to determine continued eligibility.
• The Rent Secure benefit is paid directly to the Landlord.
• Funding is a flexible rate based on a calculation that is modeled on COHB which includes percentages of average market rent + utilities and adjusted household income.
• Recipients must update housing services of any changes to:
  • Income greater than 20%
  • household composition or school status for members reporting income

Eligibility

Households must meet the following criteria to receive Rent Secure assistance:

• Be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident or refugee claimant.
• Be a renter household.
• Have an annual income tax return with the Canada Revenue Agency.
• Not already be in receipt of a rent-geared-to-income (RGI) or other type of housing assistance such as a different Housing Allowance or COHB unless approved by the Service Manager.
• Be on or be eligible to be on the Access to Housing Waitlist for RGI.
• Must not have arrears owing to any social housing provider within Ontario unless the member has entered into an agreement with the Housing Provider for the repayment of the arrears.
• Consent to being removed from any active application to the Access to Housing waitlist for Rent-Geared-to-Income upon accepting a COHB benefit.
• Reside in the City of Hamilton.
• Be on the By-Name-Priority-List (BNPL) or referred by an approved Homeless Serving Agency.
• Must not own their own home.
• Provide a copy of a signed lease with a Landlord.
• Complete a Rent Secure intake form with consent that is signed and dated.
• The landlord must have a signed agreement with the City of Hamilton for Rent Secure payments.