Social Assistance
 

Can someone please school me on the social assistance program for housing? Every time I try to inquire, I seem to get different set of requirements or a different story.

For example:

I have had 2 different tenants come to me this month with "Shelter Forms" or "Emergency Shelter" forms. Both tenants have been living in the building for a while now (I did not put them in) and before this month had paid rent through means unknown (job, other assistance, etc....don't know, don't care). Both sets of tenants told me that they would be late on rent because they are now or going to be on assistance OR needed more social assistance.

They have asked me to fill out these shelter forms so they can get money. Am I obligated to fill these out? These forms require MY personal information (name, job, phone number, address, etc.) I don't really like doing this because I feel it could make me responsible for something.

Other issues I have had is that some tenants on social assistance will pay me directly while others have check sent directly to us. Why is there a difference?

I don't particularly like having tenants on social assistance because there ALWAYS seem to be issues with them getting the check on time or "the office" forgot something, or there was a computer glitch, etc...The whole thing never runs smoothly.

Can someone give me a coles-noted version on social assistance and\or ministry of housing shit in BC.

TIA!

Isn't there a ministry phone number for this?

one would think. i have talked to someone directly....they dont seem to know anything and kind of blew me off.

i had also phoned to report that one dude was using his ministry of housing money given to him to pay his rent on smokes and pot. they didn't care.

Your Tax Dollars At Work™

I wonder this myself. I had a couple of people that wanted to rent from me. Made me fill up a shelter form and once I did they never contacted me again. I have also heard some landlords filling out a shelter form getting a rent check every month but not having the person live there just giving them a cut of the rent check. Then they rent out the unit to someone else. I personally don't have a problem with social assistance when the check is sent directly to me. They always come a week early.

I also wonder about the security deposit.

I have had a few pay their deposit with cheques from ministry of housing. when they inevitably leave or get evicted and lose the deposit, do they have to pay it back to MoH?

I had one guy lose his deposit then just got another cheque from MoH for another place. the $400 essentially just disappeared....does the MoH keep record of this?

Or, what happens when the cheque comes from MoH, but then the deposit is returned to the tenant....do they have to give it back or do they just pocket the cash?

I knew a manager that had to go pick up the cheque himself because it would always come a week late and fuck-up his bonus. Was a huge pain in the ass.

i know one program is where people are applying for social housing but have not been located in one yet, they can get a subsidy for their current rental location. i believe that money is given to them directly to pay to their landlord, but they would need to provide rental receipts as proof of their rent (obviously so no one scams the system).

not sure if that helps

Yes. He was also a dumbass that wouldn't think to call someone up and say, "get your shit together, or take your shit back"

Just wanted to add that ;)