Salome Leo
Journalist
At present I am a freelance correspondent for the newspaper Russian Express.
Today I would like to talk about a very important issue, especially for the seniors in our community: How to find out about eligibility and availability for subsidized housing. People often wonder if it is possible to expedite the process or at least to find out one’s status.
For those seeking housing in the city of Toronto (i.e., south of Steeles Ave.), you can check your status through a consolidated subsidized housing website at housingconnections.ca. The site contains information about all the subsidized homes in Toronto, as well as the status of your application and how far you are in the queue for getting subsidized housing. In order to enter the site, you need to enter your application number and your password. If you don’t have a password, then you need to go to the site and request a PIN so you can create one. (If you can not do it yourself, ask someone to help you. The direct address for requesting passwords is https://www.housingconnections.ca/Applicants/App_Request_for_Pin.asp.)
After 2-3 weeks, you will receive a PIN number by mail, which you can then use to create a password (at https://www.housingconnections.ca/Applicants/ApplicationUpdateSystem.asp).
Once again, if you do not own a computer or you do know how to do this yourself, you need to find someone to help you – a relative, a friend or a social workers. Once you have a password to access the subsidized housing site, you will able to:
1. Confirm your presence on the waiting list, and thereby demonstrate that you are still interested in obtaining housing. This needs to be done at least once per year in order to maintain your status in the system and reserve your place on the waiting list.
2. Check your options of selected housing options and, if necessary, make changes. You can also update your personal contact information.
This process is crucial since, due to the high volume of people on the waiting list (approximately 100,000 families), annual letters are no longer mailed to people on the waiting lists, so everything has to be done online. It is therefore your responsibility to visit the site once a year to maintain your place in the queue. So hurry up! Order a PIN number and create a password. It is especially important to make sure your contact information is also up to date so they can contact you when housing becomes available to you. Otherwise, your turn may come but if they can’t reach you, you will lose your spot on the waiting list.
Once you have your password and can access the site, the process is quite smooth and simple, and it’s completely free. And you’ll be able to have up to date information at any time to help you with your planning. Visit housingconnections.ca as soon as possible to get started.
