Housing Services

The Housing and Property Services office is open to those requiring in-person services; however, virtual and electronic services continue to be in place. Please call the office at 519.482.8505 to make an appointment or for more information.

The County of Huron’s Social Housing Program provides a range of administrative, support and funding services to provide affordable housing options in the County of Huron.

Available programs allow seniors to stay in their home communities, offer affordable homes to low-income families and give disabled people independence in a safe and secure environment.

Centrally located south of Clinton, our services include:

  • Answers to questions about Social Housing in the County of Huron
  • Processing new applications for subsidized (rent-geared-to-income) housing within the county
  • Determine eligibility for social housing according to the Housing Services Act, 2011
  • Update applications for subsidized housing with required information changes
  • Manage and maintain a Centralized Waiting List for Social Housing Providers within Huron County

Learn what the County of Huron is doing to address housing instability and homelessness in our community and what you can do to help: Be Part of the Solution.

Tenants

Homeowners

Landlords & Property Owners

i

Policies

Contribute to the Gibbons St. Housing Development

The County of Huron has made a commitment to build a 40-unit building in Goderich, Ontario. The Gibbons Street apartment building is designed to have a blend of socio-economic households to help foster an inclusive, diverse, and welcoming environment.   

Gibbons

Tenants

County View Seniors’ Apartments

In partnership with the Canada-Ontario Affordable Housing Program, the County of Huron has built a new 31 unit apartment building for seniors called the County View Seniors’ Apartments.

This three storey 31 unit apartment building (19 one bedroom & 12 two bedroom units) is located just south of Clinton. Situated on 13 acres of well-manicured grounds, the site features:

  • Quiet rural setting
  • Fully landscaped site
  • On-site tenant parking lot
  • Solar domestic hot water preheat
  • Paved pathways throughout the complex

Seniors applying for housing at this facility must be 60 years of age or older.

Each spacious 1 and 2 bedroom seniors’ apartment contains:

  • Full-size top mount refrigerator and electric range
  • Individually controlled hot water heating and air conditioning
  • Dedicated power chair receptacles
suite bSuite A – The 2022 monthly rental rate for 1 bedroom unit is $559.00 plus electricity.
suite aSuite B – The 2022 monthly rental rate for 2 bedroom unit is $756.00 plus electricity.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Green energy initiatives throughout the building have been funded by a Renewable Energy Initiative program. Additional building features include:

  • Controlled security access
  • Coin operated common laundry facility
  • Common lounge for use by all tenants
  • Elevator access to all floors
  • Occupant sensors to reduce lighting demand in vacant corridors

Applications are available here, by calling the Huron County Housing Services at 519.482.8505, ext. 4252, or at the Social Services office, located in the Jacob Memorial Building, 77722D London Road, Clinton.

Completed applications must be submitted to the Huron County Housing Services.

Non-Profit Housing

Non-profit and Co-operative housing units which provide rent-geared-to-income and market rent housing for families, singles or seniors are available from:

  • Belmore Non-Profit Housing Corporation (Wroxeter)
  • Huron Sands Non-Profit Homes Incorporated (Goderich)
  • Vanastra Lions Club Apartments Incorporated (Clinton)
  • Exandarea Meadows Housing Co-operative (Exeter)
  • Second Stage Housing for Victims of Domestic Violence (Clinton, Goderich, Exeter)
Second Stage Housing

Women’s Shelter, Second Stage Housing and Counselling Services of Huron provides housing for women and children who are victims of family violence. Second Stage housing provides rent-geared-to-income apartments in a secure building for women, with or without children, for up to one year. Units include fridge and stove, 1, 2, or 3 bedrooms, and on-site laundry facilities are available.

Women who have identified themselves as survivors of abuse whether physical, emotional, sexual or verbal are eligible to apply. Applicants must be either self-referred, residents of a shelter for abused women, or referred by a professional in the community.

Applications are available at Second Stage Housing in Clinton, Exeter and Goderich, plus the Women’s Shelter of Huron located at 376 Huron Road in Goderich. An interview is required to assess the applicant’s needs and the ability to meet these needs; applications are then reviewed by the Admissions Committee. Upon acceptance to Second Stage Housing, women will be required to sign an occupancy contract.

Additional information may be obtained by contacting:

Huron Women’s Shelter

Telephone: 519.524.5333

Transition Support Worker or Children’s Community Social Worker

Telephone: 519.524.1620

Social Housing

There are several hundred rent-geared-to-income (RGI) apartments and houses located throughout the county. Huron County’s Housing Services provide housing to families, seniors, couples, single people and people with special needs in a variety of housing forms including townhouses, apartments as well as single and semi-detached dwellings.

Housing units vary in size from bachelor apartments to four bedroom houses. Some units are accessible for the physically disabled. Most of the housing is available on a rent-geared-to-income basis, however some projects offer market rent units.

The County of Huron owns and manages 415 rent-geared-to-income units through the Huron County Housing Corporation and has additional units available through Rent Supplement agreements with private landlords. The remaining rent-geared-to-income units are owned and managed by various Non-Profit and Co-operative groups.

Social Housing units are located in Bayfield, Blyth, Brussels, Clinton, Exeter, Goderich, Seaforth, Wingham and Zurich.

You can apply for the following RGI rental units through the County of Huron’s Social Housing Department.

 

Address Town Bachelor One bedroom Two bedrooms Three bedrooms Four bedrooms
Family Units Clinton 12
Family Units Goderich 35 24 3
Family Units Wingham 4 6
9 Jane St. Bayfield 17
299 Queen Blyth 24
400 Alexander Brussels 34
134 King Clinton 19
135 James Clinton 18
134 Sanders Exeter 32
250 Picton Goderich 6 6
85 West Goderich 53 1
50 Market Seaforth 21
34 John Seaforth 16
45 Alfred Wingham 28
50 Alfred Wingham 4 5
359 Edward Wingham 7 4
52 Bristol Wingham 16
31 Main Zurich 20
Subsidized Housing

Subsidized housing, or rent-geared-to-income (RGI) assistance, is available for eligible households.

RGI assistance means the amount of rent you pay is determined by your income; rent amounts are based on paying approximately 30% of your gross (before taxes) monthly household income. For example, if your household members make $1500 a month combined, your basic subsidized rent might be about $500 with adjustments for utilities.

The amount of rent paid by Ontario Works/Ontario Disability Support Program recipients is determined by a scale provided by Ontario’s Ministry of Community and Social Services in accordance with the Housing Services Act, 2011.

To qualify for rent-geared-to-income assistance you must meet the following criteria:

  • You or someone in your household must be 16 years old or older and capable of living independently
  • Each member of the household must be a Canadian Citizen / Permanent Resident / or have made a claim for refugee protection under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (Canada) and no removal orders have become enforceable against any member of the household
  • You must not owe arrears for rent or damages to any social housing provider or have been found by the Rental Housing Tribunal or a court of law to have misrepresented income in relation to the receipt of rent geared-to-income assistance
  • If you own a house, you must agree to put it up for sale upon offer to lease and sell within six months

Eligibility for rent-geared-to-income assistance varies from household to household, please contact County of Huron Housing Services to see if you qualify.

Applying for Subsidized Housing

To apply for rent-geared-to-income (RGI) assistance you must complete an application form, or by contacting County of Huron Housing Services.

Upon verification of eligibility for rent-geared-to-income assistance, your application will be added to a Centralized Waiting List of social housing providers within the county in chronological order of receipt.

Offers of housing will be made keeping in mind the household’s preference for a particular site or area when the application reaches the top of the list.

Effective January 1, 2021 Applicants are entitled to ONE (1) housing offer. If the offer is refused, the file will be cancelled. Failure to respond to a housing offer shall be considered a refusal.

Applications to live in a County-owned, rent-geared-to-income, rent supplement unit, or units owned by the following provider groups: Belmore, Huron Sands, Vanastra and Exandarea Meadows, must be made through the Huron County Housing Services office.

Verification Requirements

In order to process your application prior to lease signing, you will be required to supply copies of the following documents:

  • Verification of income for all household members
  • Verification of assets for all household members
    • Note: this includes a copy of all bankbook(s) and/or statement(s) for all
      household members, statements from all investments (i.e. RRSP, RIF,
      GIC, annuities, etc.), life insurance documentation verifying the cash
      surrender value of your policy, and verification of any transfer of assets
      from the past 3 years
  • Income Tax Notice of Assessment (received back from Revenue Canada from previous year) for all household members. You may request a copy of your assessment from Revenue Canada by calling 1.800.959.8281
  • School verification for all dependents 16 years of age and older may be requested
  • Family units must provide verification that utilities, in their name, have been connected
  • Copies of all support/custody agreements

Your lease agreement cannot be processed without all of the above documentation.

Where to Apply

The application has been made available below, or applications can be picked up at any of the following sites:

Huron County Housing Corporation

77722D London Road
Clinton, Ontario N0M 1L0
Tel: 519.482.8505

Belmore Non-Profit Housing Corporation

Box 122, RR 1
Wroxeter, Ontario N0G 2X0
Tel: 519.392.8117

Huron Sands Non-Profit Homes Incorporated

Unit 35-80 Balvina Drive
Goderich, Ontario N7A 4L8
Tel: 519.524.5763
Fax: 519.524.5767

Vanastra Lions Club Apartments Incorporated

198-12th Street, RR 5
Clinton, Ontario N0M 1L0
Tel: 519.482.7826
Fax: 519.482.7856

Exandarea Meadows Housing Co-operative

1-51 Church Street
Exeter, Ontario N0M 1S2
Tel: 519.235.3382

Application for Rent-Geared-to-Income Housing

* All completed applications must be submitted to the Huron County Housing Corporation.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I apply for rent-geared-to-income housing?

An application form must be completed to apply for housing. Copies are available online or by contacting Huron County Housing Services. Upon verification of eligibility, your application will be added to our central waiting list.

How soon will I know if I am on the waiting list?

When your application is received, it will be reviewed to be sure that all required information is included. You will be notified in writing within seven business days as to whether you are eligible for geared-to-income assistance, or if additional information is needed for your application. If you are eligible, you will be told you are placed on the waiting lists for the locations you selected, and the number of bedrooms your household qualifies for.s.

What happens while I’m waiting for Housing?

It is important that you keep your application up to date in order to stay on the centralized waiting list and maintain your eligibility status. You must report any changes to the information you previously submitted within 15 business days of the change taking place or your application can be cancelled and your name removed from the waiting list.

Can I refuse to accept a unit?

You can refuse to move into housing offered by Housing Services however, if one reasonable offers is refused, the household will be removed from the waiting list.

If I own my own home, do I still qualify?

If you own, or have a legal interest in a residential property that can be lived in year-round, you will be required to sell your interest in the property within six months after you have moved into geared-to-income assisted housing.

Homeowners

Ontario Renovates

The County of Huron occasionally offers the Ontario Renovates Program.  This program is designed to improve the living conditions of low to moderate income households in need. It offers financial assistance to complete home repair deficiencies, energy efficiency upgrades and accessibility upgrades for persons with disabilities.

This program will be administered through the Housing and Property Services Division and any necessary home inspections will be completed by a Certified Home Inspection provider.

The program provides assistance in the form of a grant for accessibility upgrades (under $5,000) or a forgivable loan for home repairs (to a maximum of $10,000).

Who is eligible?

You may be eligible if your total household income is at or below $85,700 and you own a home in Huron County that is your sole and principal residence with an assessed value of $355,730 or less.

All property taxes and mortgage payments must be up to date and insurance coverage in place for the full assessed value of the home.

How much financial assistance can I receive?

  • Funding for accessibility upgrades, up to a maximum of $5,000 is in the form of a grant, and does not require repayment.
  • Forgivable loans to a maximum of $10,000 will be secured by a promissory note provided by the County of Huron. Maximum one time funding available is $10,000 per household.

What types of repairs can be done?

Eligible repairs under the Ontario Renovates Program may be in one or more of these areas:

  • Heating systems including furnace replacement
  • Chimneys
  • Doors and windows
  • Foundations
  • Roofs, walls floors and ceilings
  • Vents, louvers
  • Electrical systems
  • Plumbing, toilet replacement, water heaters
  • Septic systems and well water, well drilling

Modifications to increase accessibility related to housing, and to the homeowner’s disability include, but are not limited to:

  • Ramps
  • Handrails
  • Chair and bath lifts
  • Height adjustments to counter-tops
  • Cues for doorbells and/or fire alarms

How do I apply?

The application and support materials have been made available below.

Applications and additional information is also available by contacting Huron County Housing and Property Services at 519.482.8505 ext 4255, during regular business hours Monday thru Friday from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM.

Ontario Renovates – Program Guidelines

Ontario Renovates – Program Application

Ontario Renovates – Medical Form

Ontario Renovates – Steps for Home Repair

Homeownership Assistance

The County of Huron occasionally offers the Homeownership Program.  The Federal and Provincial governments are providing funding to make homeownership affordable for low and moderate-income renter households by providing down payment assistance in the form of a forgivable loan.

Eligible homes may be either a new build or a resale .

Funding will be provided to eligible households upon receipt of a fully executed Agreement of Purchase and Sale until all funding is depleted for the County.

The Agreement of Purchase and Sale must be current with a closing date of at minimum 45 days from the date of submitting a completed application with all required supporting documentation. Please check with the Housing Programs Coordinator to determine the status of funding availability.

Interested applicants are encouraged to apply early as funds are very limited.

Huron County will be responsible for establishing a permanent revolving fund for the delivery of homeownership units.

Eligible Units

  • Resale homes with the condition of a current home inspection
  • New units, including conversions from non-residential use that qualify for Tarion’s New Home Warranty
  • Units may be detached, semi-detached, town (condo and free-hold), stacked homes, row houses or apartments
  • Homes must be modest in size as determined by the Province and the County of Huron

Homeownership Assistance Levels

The Homeownership assistance will be used as a down payment on the purchase of a new home. The amount of the assistance will be up to 10% of the cost of an eligible home to a maximum amount of $47,225 and will be provided at the time of closing of the purchase and sale of the home.

No interest will be charged on the assistance. Appropriate documentation will be in place to secure the down payment assistance on title.

Maximum Purchase Price

The purchaser’s housing costs must be at or below the average market-selling price for the area and must not exceed $472,253.

Household Eligibility

To be eligible for down payment assistance under the Homeownership Program, prospective purchasers must meet the following minimum criteria:

  • Household income must not exceed $89,300
  • Does not currently own a home or have an ownership interest in a home or business
  • Personal assets, of the applicants for homeownership assistance, including any gifted amounts from friends or family, savings, RRSPs, etc., must not exceed $20,000.00
  • Be a household currently renting in Huron County buying a sole and principal residence in Huron County
  • 18 years of age or older
  • Meet any additional criteria established and communicated by the County of Huron

Eligible applicants who meet all specified requirements and are qualified for mortgage at a recognized financial institution will be selected on a continuous basis until the funds are depleted.

Security Agreements

The County of Huron will register an appropriate security agreement (e.g. a mortgage) with the purchaser on title to provide a mechanism for the repayment of the down payment assistance and ten percent of the realized capital gains to the Homeownership Revolving Loan Fund, when ownership changes as a result of the sale of the house.

Conditions for Repayment by a Homeowner

The program has a 20 year affordability period. If a house that is purchased under this program is sold before the 20 year affordability period expires, the homeowner is required to repay the original contribution plus ten per cent of the realized capital gains. Contributions repaid to the County’s Homeownership Revolving Fund are to be redistributed under the Homeownership component in the County. If the home is sold after 20 years, there will not be a repayment of the contribution or capital gains to the revolving loan fund.

View the Homeownership Application Guidelines here.

View the Homeownership Application Form here.

For Further Information:

Contact the Housing Programs Coordinator at:
Huron County Housing Services Division
77722D London Road, R.R. #5
Clinton, ON N0M 1L0
519.482.8505 ext. 4255 or 1.888.371.5718

Landlords & Property Owners

Rent Supplement Program

The Rent Supplement Program offers private landlords the opportunity to play a role in the provision of social housing. This program offers eligible rent-geared-to-income (RGI) applicants accommodation. The tenant pays the rent based on his or her income and the landlord receives a supplement for the balance of the market rent. The landlord enters into a Rent Supplement agreement specifying that Housing Services will:

  • Refer potential RGI tenants to the landlord
  • Calculate the rent to be paid by the tenant to the landlord
  • Pay the rent supplement to the landlord

The landlord also completes the lease agreement with the tenant and the standard relationship between the landlord and tenant applies.

Documents & Reports

Policies

Annual Subsidy

Title of Policy Policy No.
Annual Subsidy Estimates Policy 2013-35 Download

Limits of Local Standards

Title of Policy Policy No.
Conflict of Interest Policy 2013-27 Download
Leases Policy 2013-31 Download
Minimum Number Board Meetings Policy 2013-29 Download
Multi-Year Financial Plans Policy 2013-32 Download
Property Management Policy 2013-28 Download
Remuneration of Directors Policy 2013-30 Download

Occupancy Standards

Title of Policy Policy No.
Local Occupancy Standards Policy 2013-09 Download
Maximum Absence from Unit Policy 2013-06 Download

Rent Geared to Income

Title of Policy Policy No.
Change in Rent Upon New Information Policy 2013-37 Download
Deferral of Forgiveness of RGI Rent Policy 2013-34 Download
Failure to Obtain Income Policy 2013-02 Download
Failure to Provide Information Policy 2013-01 Download
Maximum Household Assets Policy 2013-04 Download
Maximum Household Incomes Policy 2013-03 Download
Notice of Decision by Housing Providers Policy 2013-21 Download
Reimbursement of RGI Overpayment Policy 2013-22 Download
Review of Geared-to-Income Rent Policy 2013-38 Download
Timing of Reviews Policy 2013-20 Download

Review of Decisions

Title of Policy Policy No.
System of Review of Decisions Policy 2013-33 Download

Special Needs

Title of Policy Policy No.
Removal From Wait List Policy 2013-24 Download
Review of Special Needs Eligibility Policy 2013-26 Download
Selection System Policy 2013-23 Download
Special Needs Households Policy 2013-19 Download
System of Review of Decisions Policy 2013-36 Download

Wait List

Title of Policy Policy No.
Alternative Housing Providers Policy 2013-17 Download
Forms & Documentation Policy 2013-11 Download
Removal from Wait List Policy 2013-12 Download
Review of Rent-Geared-to-Income Eligibility Policy 2013-14 Download
Selection of RGI Household for Vacant Units Policy 2013-15 Download
System for Selecting Waiting Households Policy 2013-10 Download
Temporary Removal from Wait List Policy 2013-13 Download

 

Contact Information

Should you have any questions or concerns relating to any aspect of Housing & Property Services within Huron County, please contact:

Huron County Housing & Property Services
77722D London Road, RR 5
Clinton, Ontario N0M 1L0 (Get directions)

Phone: 519.482.8505
Toll Free: 1.888.371.5718
Fax: 519.482.1632

Hours: Monday – Friday 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.