INCREASED RENTAL ASSISTANCE OFFERED TO MORE FAMILIES

March 26th, 2008

VICTORIA – The Province is expanding the Rental Assistance Program as of April 1, 2008, to make more families eligible for increased financial assistance, Minister responsible for Housing Rich Coleman announced today.

“We’re delivering on our Budget 2008 commitment to allow families earning up to $35,000 a year to be eligible for the program,” Coleman said. “We’re also introducing a number of other changes that will make life easier for working families.”

The changes will increase the program’s maximum monthly assistance benefits, introduce a $50 minimum monthly benefit and increase the rent ceiling used to calculate the amount of assistance a family will receive.

Families with a dependent under 25 years of age who is enrolled as a full-time student will be eligible, as will families with a child of any age who is accepted as a dependent for income tax purposes due to mental or physical infirmity.

The amount of assistance varies depending on household income and size, the amount of rent paid, and the area of the province where the family lives. To qualify for the Rental Assistance Program, families must have at least one dependent child, have lived in B.C. for the past 12 months, and have spent part of the last year working. Eligible families will receive between $50 and $765 a month depending on their circumstances.

The Rental Assistance Program provides monthly cash assistance to eligible low-income, working families and was created in October 2006 through the provincial housing strategy, Housing Matters BC.

For more information about the Rental Assistance Program, call 604 433-2218 in the Lower Mainland, 1-800-257-7756 elsewhere in the province, or visit www.bchousing.org/programs/RAP.

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BACKGROUNDER

The Rental Assistance Program provides cash assistance to low-income, working families who:

Have a gross annual household income of $35,000 or less.
Have one or more dependent children.
Have less than $10,000 in assets.
File an annual income tax return.
Pay more than 30 per cent of their household income towards rent, or pay pad rental for a manufactured home they own and occupy.
Reside in B.C. for a full 12 months immediately preceding the date of application.

All members of the household must be Canadian citizens, landed immigrants or refugee claimants. Households with family members in Canada under a private sponsorship agreement are not eligible while the sponsorship agreement is in force.

All changes are effective as of April 1, 2008.

New minimum benefit
The program’s minimum benefit will be $50 a month or $600 a year.

More families now eligible
Families earning up to $35,000 a year will be eligible. Previously the maximum income was $28,000 a year.

Families with a dependent under 25 years of age who is enrolled as a full-time student will be eligible as will families with a child of any age who is accepted as a dependent for income tax purposes due to mental or physical infirmity. Previously the family must have had a child under the age of 19.

New rent ceiling
The program gives the most money to people with the least income. Factors used to determine the amount of assistance include the household size, income, rent paid and location. The formula’s rent ceiling level (the maximum amount of rent) will be increased to $900 - $1,100 depending on the family’s situation. Previous rent ceiling levels ranged from $700 - $875.

New maximum benefit
The maximum benefit is paid to households with an annual income under $10,000. The maximum benefit will be increased to $585 - $765 depending on the family’s situation. Previous levels ranged from $405 - $563.

Estimated assistance calculator
A calculator that estimates the amount of assistance a family may receive is available at www.bchousing.org/programs/RAP/calculation

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Media contact:
Roberta Randall
BC Housing
604 439-4734
604 992-3305 (cell)

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