Residents on a Windsor-Essex housing registry can now apply for a federal-provincial housing benefit.
The Canada Ontario Housing Benefit (COHB) program for 2022 is now taking applications. The COHB is a joint program from the Canadian and Ontario governments, providing an income-tested, portable housing benefit for lower-income households.
"The Canada Ontario Housing Benefit will help households in Windsor and Essex County attain housing stability, improve household financial well-being, and enhance quality of life," said the City of Windsor's Executive Director of Housing and Children's Services, Debbie Cercone.
The subsidy is paid out monthly to help with low-income households with housing costs, and the COHB is tied to the person or household, instead of the actual unit. That way, if the resident moves within the province, the benefit goes with them.
To qualify for the COHB, residents must have an eligible application with the Central Housing Registry Windsor Essex County (CHRWEC) that indicates an interest to receive the subsidy. Once deemed eligible for the social housing waitlist, COHB administrators will contact the resident with additional information and an application for the COHB.
Benefits such as these help address a pressing issue in the region, which is the availability of affordable housing.
"The City of Windsor has a number of programs and services for individuals and families in Windsor and Essex County who require assistance in obtaining and retaining affordable housing," read a release from the City. "Based on the Canadian Rental Housing Index, households in Windsor Essex spend 24 per cent of their income on rent and utilities; 19 per cent of the households are spending over 50 per cent of their income on rent and utilities, and eight per cent of renter households live in overcrowded conditions."
The 2022 benefit begins April 1.
