Waterloo Region asking landlords to participate in rent supplement program
Posted Feb 16, 2019 12:00:00 PM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Waterloo Region is looking for local landlords who can help take some pressure off of the affordable housing program.
Manager of Housing Programs and Development, Jennifer Murdoch-Martin, says they are looking for about 200 new units to help shorten the long waitlist.
“For example, if the unit is $1,000, we will test the income of the tenant, and the tenant may be able to afford $300-$400 based on their income, and the region would pay the difference, up to the market rent that the landlord is requiring for that unit.”
She says the new units would help shorten a long line of over 4,000 individuals and families waiting for affordable homes.
“There's a significant need for affordable housing in the Region of Waterloo. So this is an opportunity to — without building new buildings, gain access to existing units in the marketplace and help people with their affordability needs.”
She says the waitlist is so long right now that people who need affordable housing could be waiting as much as six years to get a one-bedroom home.
“We're looking for all types of homes and in all locations. So we're looking for anything from a bachelor's to a single family home. Our target would be one bedrooms, that's our greatest need. We're looking throughout our region in our three cities and four townships.”
If you are a landlord who is interested in participating in the rent supplement program, you can call Jennifer Murdoch-Martin at 519-575-4005 or email her at jmurdoch@regionofwaterloo.ca.
