The following Community Partners are delivering in-person support and services safely on-site. Please refer to the dates and times for specific locations.

On-Site Partner Programming

Bow West Community Resource Centre

• Ranchlands – by appointment
  [Added June 11, 2021]

Care Connect

• Bridgeland – for assistance getting food hampers from the Interfaith Food Bank. Call 403-264-2636.

Hull Services (Patch) 

• Woodlands – Opening soon to in-person by appointment
• Dover – Opening soon to in-person by appointment
• Midnapore – Opening soon to in-person by appointment
  [Added June 11, 2021]

Soccer without Boundaries

• MacEwan – Thursday at 5:30 at the public field next door.
  [Added August 5, 2021]

Southeast Community Resource Centre

• Ogden – by appointment [Added June 11, 2021]
• Crestwood – parent child group [Added June 21, 2021]

Trellis | growwithtrellis.ca

• Deer Run – Monday 2pm-6pm and Wednesdays 10am-2pm
  For youth programs and hub inquiries call (403) 472-5568.
  [Added March 19, 2021]

Women in Need Society (WINS) | winsyyc.ca

• Temple – Tuesdays & Thursdays by appointment
• Erinwoods – Wednesdays & Fridays by appointment
  [Updated June 11, 2021]

Site Specific Activities 

Community Gardens

Reach out to your Tenant Liaison if you are interested in getting involved with the community garden at the following locations!
[Added June 11, 2021]

• Bridgeland Community Garden
• Shaganappi Community Garden
• Rosscarrock Community Garden
• Manchester Community Garden
• Baker House Community Garden
• Falconridge Community Garden

Crestwood

• Parenting programs, pre-school programs and toy lending library. Thursday and Friday mornings, in partnership with SE Calgary Community Resource Centre and Families Matter. [Added June 22, 2021]

East Village

• Walking group. Dates vary – contact Pat for more info. [Added June 22, 2021]

Louise Station

• Parent and tot walking group. Dates vary – contact Pat for more info. [Added June 22, 2021]

The post Update on partner programming at CHC Properties appeared first on Calgary Housing.

As of July 1 the Government of Alberta moved to Stage 3 of Alberta’s Open for Summer Plan, which saw all restrictions lifted outside of continuing care facilities. Here is what that means for Calgary Housing Company and our residents.

Indoor and Outdoor Social Gatherings are permitted – there are no more restrictions on gatherings. We are however asking residents to minimize large gatherings until more people have received second doses of vaccine and to give everyone time to adjust to the changes.

Mask use recommended in commons spaces – The City of Calgary mask by-law was repealed on July 5, however masks are still strongly recommended in common spaces.

Work in occupied units – Regular maintenance work in occupied units has been ongoing since June 10, 2021.  CHC is strongly recommending that anyone working in occupied units continue to follow health measures and we are asking tenants to do the same.

Resource Rooms and Tenant Programs – View Info on Partner Programming for details on what is available at the property level. Refer to our Community Supports page for local resources, or reach out to your Tenant Liaison if you are in need of support.

Increased Janitorial at high density properties – Calgary Housing Company is continuing increased janitorial services at our high density properties.

Tenant Self-Reporting – Alberta Health Services does not notify CHC of positive cases on our properties, so self-reporting any positive cases in your home is an important tool to support the effort to keep our communities safe. If you have a positive case of COVID-19 in your home, please contact your Property Manager. This will help us monitor and track active and recovered COVID-19 cases on our properties and help us understand risk level. Read more about how CHC Monitors for COVID-19.

The post Current COVID-19 Info for Tenants appeared first on Calgary Housing.

Summer is just around the corner, so we have put together resources to help you get ready and stay safe while having fun. Read on for:

• COVID-19 safety this summer
• Fire safety resources
• Tips for trampoline and swimming pool safety
• Tips for preventing mold and pests

COVID-19 Safety this Summer

The Government of Alberta announced their Open for Summer Plan on May 26 with provincewide health measures being removed in three stages, as vaccine targets are reached and hospitalizations decline.

• Stage 1: Two weeks after 50 per cent of Albertans age 12-plus have received at least one dose of vaccine and COVID-19 hospitalizations are below 800 and declining.
• Stage 2: Two weeks after 60 per cent of Albertans age 12-plus have received at least one dose of vaccine and COVID-19 hospitalizations are below 500 and declining. At this stage Distancing and masking requirements remain in effect
• Stage 3: Two weeks after 70 per cent of Albertans age 12-plus have received at least one dose of vaccine. At this stage, all restrictions will be lifted, including ban on indoor social gatherings, but isolation requirements for confirmed cases of COVID-19 and some protective measures in continuing care settings will remain.

According to the Government of Alberta, since we have reached the 50 per cent threshold for one-dose vaccination on May 18, and with hospitalizations well below 800, Alberta will enter Stage 1 on June 1. Based on the current pace of vaccinations, Alberta is projected to enter Stage 2 in mid-June and Stage 3 in late June or early July.

These are estimates only and rely on all Albertans continuing to drive down our hospitalizations while increasing vaccination numbers.

Fire Safety Resources

Refer to these safety resources as you think about cooking food on a barbecue or sitting around a fire this summer.

Using Barbeques Safely

Gas BBQs are allowed but must be located at a safe distance of at least 2 feet from fences, railings, walls and buildings while in use or while still hot. Hibachis and other charcoal BBQs are not permitted on CHC sites.

• BBQ Safety Tips from the Government of Canada
• City of Calgary Picnic Site Info

Fire pits, wood burning stoves and chimineas are prohibited

Fire pits, wood burning stoves and chimineas are prohibited on all CHC sites, including yards and common areas. You can book fire pits at community parks. Hibachis and other charcoal BBQs are not permitted on CHC sites.

• Bookable Fire Pits at Parks
• Fire Bans and Advisories

At home fire safety tips

These resources will help you practice safe cooking habits in your kitchen all year round.

• Safe and Sound: Fire Prevention and Safety Tips
• Fire Prevention: Serve up fire safety in the kitchen

Tips for trampoline and swimming pool safety 

Follow the safety rules below if you live in a CHC home with space for a swimming pool or trampoline. CHC is not responsible for any incidents that result from use of a swimming pool or trampoline.

Trampolines safety information

Trampolines are permitted if the tenant follows manufacturers’ guidelines and directions.

Location must be at least 3 feet from fences, buildings, trees, parking areas and other obstacles.

• A net is mandatory and must be in good repair.
• Secure trampoline to protect from high winds.
• Not all yards will accommodate the size of a trampoline safely.
• CHC is not responsible for any incidents that result from use of a trampoline.

Refer to Trampoline Injury Prevention and Safety from the Government of Alberta for tips.

Swimming pool safety information 

Calgary Housing Company does not permit a pool that is greater than 18 inches in height and/or 6 feet in diameter on CHC property including yards, common areas and play areas.

• Pools must be drained at the furthest point away from all buildings with water drained away from buildings.
• Children must be supervised at all times.
• Calgary Housing Company is not responsible for any incidents that result from use of a pool.

Refer to the City of Calgary wading pools, spray parks and outdoor pools page for details on when these facilities will open and for information on COVID-19 protocols.

Tips for preventing mold and pests 

The moisture and humidity of summer along with spending more time outside can create circumstances for mold and pests. Follow these tips to prevent mold and pests in and around your home.

Preventing mold in your home

Mold seeks moisture, warmth and food to grow, so you can prevent mold from growing by controlling moisture and keeping your home dry. Following these tips and can prevent mold from growing in and around your home.

• Maintain correct room temperature (Between 16* Celcius (61*F) and 21* Celsius (70*F) and air circulation.
• When cooking, open a window or turn on exhaust fans if available.
• Turn on bathroom exhaust fan (where equipped) for at least 15 minutes after a shower or bath.
• Increase the airflow in your home: keep interior doors open, keep furniture one inch from the wall and open your curtains and/or blinds.
• Do not hang blankets on windows as this traps moist air, and reduce the amount of materials you store that collect moisture such as fabrics, paper, and wood.
• Keep your unit clean at all times to allow for good ventilation and airflow.

Refer to additional information on mold from the Government of Alberta for more.

Preventing pests in your home

To avoid attracting pests, rodents or stray animals, please help keep your home and surroundings clean and free of garbage and debris.

If you notice pests such as bed bugs, cockroaches or mice in your unit, please call your Maintenance Administrator or (587) 390-1200.

• Garbage, Recycling and Compost at Multi-Family Homes
• Tips for preventing mice from the City of Calgary
• Information on cockroaches from the Government of Alberta
• Information on bed bugs from the Government of Alberta

The post Getting Ready for a Safe Summer appeared first on Calgary Housing.

Calgary Housing Company partners with Calgary Dollars on projects designed to help tenants unlock assets in the community, and within themselves.

Calgary Housing Company (CHC) and Calgary Dollars (C$) have partnered for the last three years on a program designed to empower CHC tenants by using a local currency system to purchase goods and services from businesses and other users. In some cases, tenants can even use Calgary Dollars to pay a portion of their rent.

Calgary Dollars, known as a complementary currency, can be used as a form of exchange with any of the hundreds of individuals and businesses in Calgary that have signed up with the program. The main aim of the program is to create stronger community connections by providing additional ways for people to support local and to shop locally. The program is operated by the not-for-profit Arusha Centre which focuses on community building and sustainability.

Successful pilots at CHC’s Manchester, Lumino, Chinook and Louise Station communities throughout 2019 and 2020 encouraged tenants to use Calgary Dollars to exchange goods and services with each other, or to buy goods from partners like Fresh Routes Mobile Market.

Calgary Dollars has also helped tenants at some CHC properties launch initiatives like the “Sharing is Caring Library” – a tool and equipment library at CHC’s Manchester building. In this program tenants can earn C$ by helping manage the tools and equipment (like a carpet cleaner, drain snake, vacuum, and simple household tools) and ensure that borrowers know how to use them, and also return them.

Calgary Housing Company and the other partner housing providers, Calgary Urban Project Society (CUPS), Norfolk Housing, and Inn From the Cold, were also able to create customized “subnetworks” for tenants to connect with each other in their communities. The subnetwork design allows residents in specific buildings to meet, engage, and earn recognition credits for helping one another or their housing provider.

Story continues below…

View C$ Website | View C$ Listings

Tenant Testimonials

“What I’ve saved in C$, is helping make a holiday meal for 6 in my building” ~ Margaret

“What I can pay for rent in C$ is my spending money that I wouldn’t have otherwise” ~ Jean

“I know January is a bad financial time for me so I save up my C$ and use them for rent then to make it less stressful” ~ Saul

“The C$ reward encouraged me to, for the first time, put up Christmas decorations” ~ Hank

“Calgary Dollars has assisted us with our mission by creating conditions for residents to become more independent while simultaneously creating greater community.” says the Christina Budnick, Partnership Coordinator for Calgary Housing Company. “CHC is committed to providing affordable and dignified housing to Calgarians in need. Our collaboration with Calgary Dollars has assisted us with this mission by creating conditions for residents to become more independent while simultaneously creating greater community in our participating units.” The program has helped CHC residents discover alternative methods for earning supplemental income while developing skills and relationships with people in their community. In the CHC pilot, one hundred per cent of Calgary Dollars earned were used for basic needs or for community building exchanges.

The Calgary Dollars model is truly a demonstration of partnership, as the program received seed funding from the Home Program, a City of Calgary Affordable Housing Grant program that provides funds to local non-profits for initiatives designed to improve the non-market housing system. The Home Program invests in projects that contribute to improving housing stability and successful tenancies, and Calgary Dollars is a great example of how innovative initiatives can make life better by helping CHC residents unlock assets within themselves.

What can users spend C$ on?

View these and other listing on the C$ Marketplace.
~ Photocopies & Printing!
~ C$ Community Market
~ Jaunty Gypsy Jewelry
~ Bracelet Making
~ Math Tutoring
~ Earn C$ by Delivering Flyers
~ Drumming Lessons
~ Calgary Transit Tickets from Calgary Dollars
C$3.50/ticket, C$35 for a book of 10
Email programs@calgarydollars.ca for info

Other marketplace categories include:
~ Local Businesses & Retail
~ Food and Restaurants
~ Professions/Trade
~ Free Goods and Services
~ Leisure and Entertainment
~ And more!

 You Could Win $500 in C$ for participating in these or other C$ initiatives!

How to get involved

There are a few ways to get involved with Calgary Dollars. Join an upcoming virtual social or C$ roundtable and be entered into a draw to win $500 in C$!

C$ Virtual Meetups!
Calgary Dollars Virtual Social: Every Wednesday at noon (12pm)
Calgary Dollars Roundtable: Alternating Tuesdays at 6pm (Feb 23, Mar 9, Mar 23)

You Could Win $500 in C$ for participating!

Tenants at participating CHC properties can get involved with their property level marketplace, and are also eligible to use C$ to pay up to $100 towards a portion of rent!

The Louise Station Exchange | The Manchester Connection

C$ Virtual Sessions and Meetups

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, C$ has been hosting weekly virtual sessions at Manchester and Louise Station properties to chat about community building and personal issues, as well as to help participants develop digital and financial literacy while they learn how to manage their C$ account on the mobile app or website.

Calgary Dollars is also hosting C$ Virtual Meetups every Wednesday and Roundtable Discussions every other Tuesday.

For more information about C$ sessions, please reach out to programs@calgarydollars.ca

Program for using up to C$100 towards Rent

At CHC’s Manchester, Lumino, Chinook and Louise Station properties, C$ can be earned and then used to pay a portion of rent. One CHC resident has earned new revenue by selling her handicrafts for partial C$, and been able to use up to C$100 towards rent some months. She has also used her C$ to buy groceries from Fresh Routes Mobile Market, which accepts 50% of payment in C$. This resident also helped her neighbour who doesn’t have regular computer or phone access to manage her C$ account. This developed into friendship where the two continued expanding their digital and financial literacy skills together.

The post Calgary Dollars offers innovative solutions for CHC Tenants appeared first on Calgary Housing.

CHC offices remain closed to the public but there are lots of ways you can reach us!

If you have received a rent review or other documents that you need to submit to us, you can send them to the email address or mailing address provided with the forms or email them to chccustomerservice@calgary.ca. Check out other things you can do without having to come into the office, information on who to contact when, and also see below for tips on scanning documents with your smartphone and paying your rent online.

If you cannot email or mail your documents, you may deposit them in the drop box at one of our District Offices.

Services available electronically

Digital Tenant Services

Tenants can access the following services without having to visit in person.

• Sign lease renewals using our secure e-signing system.
• Pay your rent electronically through your bank’s bill payment system.
• Email your Annual Rent Review to your Account Administrator using the email address on the form.
• Use the secure drop box at our East and South locations to drop off other forms.
• Schedule an appointment for a phone meetings to address any needs you have that cannot be met online.

Digital Applicant Services

Applicants can access the following services without having to visit in person.

• Use our PDF Application Form page. Complete it digitally and email it to customer service at  chccustomerservice@calgary.ca.
• We have electronic lease signing services so you can sign your lease digitally.
• Call our Customer Service line at (587) 390-1200 for an appointment to answer your questions or help with your application form.

How to Reach Us

Who to call when

Knowing who to call when you have a question on concern means you can get to the right person to deal with your question or concerns quickly, without waiting on hold with our Customer Service line. Keep your Calgary Housing Company representative’s contact information somewhere handy or easy to reference.

• Call your Property Manager (PM) for things like:

  • Eligibility for housing or adding/removing someone to/from your lease.
  • Ending your lease or signing a new one.
  • Scheduling an appointment for a move out inspection.
  • Asking about an eviction notice or court papers.
  • For information on how to arrange a rent payment.
  • Reporting concerns about the maintenance of your property or request an inspection of maintenance work completed in your unit.
  • Reporting any criminal behavior or violation of your rights as a resident.
  • Reporting concerns about other residents.

• Call your Maintenance Administrator (MA) to:

  • Request repairs to your unit or a common area.
  • Report pests on the property such as ants, bedbugs, mice, etc.
  • Request abandoned furniture be removed.
  • Ask about when a repair will be completed.

• Call your Account Administrator (AA) for information about:

   Your Annual Rent Review.
   A letter you received seeking information about your household or income.
   Rent adjustments and rent calculations.
   How to add an occupant to your household.
   Your account balance or how to arrange a payment.

• Call your Tenant Liaison (TL) when you need:

  • Assistance with issues that may affect your tenancy with Calgary Housing Company.
  • Assistance with forms and documents.
  • Referrals to resources such as: food, furniture, clothing, emergency financial assistance, recreation (kids and family), social benefits, health (physical and mental) related programs, counselling and crisis services.
  • Help with problem solving concerns in the community/property such as: unsupervised children, neighbour disputes, noise complaints, illegal activity, etc

Drop Box Locations

You can leave your documents in the drop box at the following locations.

East District Office
320, 433 Marlborough Way NE

West Office
Main Floor, 1701 Centre St. NW

Mailing Addresses

For faster service, please send your documents to the office for your area of Calgary.

CHC West District Office
1701 Centre Street N
Calgary AB, T2E 8A4

CHC East District Office
320, 433 Marlborough Way NE
Calgary AB, T2A 5H5

CHC South District Office
18, 6624 Centre St. SE
Calgary AB, T2H 0C6

Useful Information

How to Scan Your Documents

Many smartphones and tablets can actually capture high-quality scans of paper documents with their built-in cameras, which makes the process faster and more convenient than a traditional scanner.

Scanning Documents Using Google Drive Information on how to use Google Drive to scan your documents as well as how to add a scanning shortcut to your home screen.

Scanning documents with a smartphone Information from the Goodwill Community Foundation about how to download a PDF scanner to your phone and use it to scan your documents.

How to pay your rent electronically

Did you know you can pay your rent the same way that you pay other bills through your banking institution?

• Select ‘Calgary Housing Company’ as a bill payee.
• Use your payment account number (PAN) as your bill account number (the number provided when you signed your lease.)
• If you do not have your PAN, please call (587) 390-1200 for assistance.
• Depending on which bank you use, they may require more than 6 digits, if this is the case you may add enough zero’s in front of your account number to reach the required number of digits.

The post Office Front Counters Remain Closed – Many Services Available Electronically/Online appeared first on Calgary Housing.

Free tax clinics are still taking place during COVID-19 which you may be eligible for if you have modest income and a simple tax situation.

Free tax clinics will have criteria to determine whether you qualify for free tax filing service. Generally you may be eligible for help at a free tax clinic if you have a modest income and a simple tax situation.

What does ‘Modest Income’ mean? 

According to the Government of Canada, generally a modest income means your total family income is less than the amount shown in the chart below, based on the size of your family. These are suggestions and community organizations may set different amounts.

Suggested income level

What is a ‘Simple Tax Situation’? 

In general, your tax situation is simple if you have no income or if your income comes from sources like regular employment, pension or benefits such as the Canada Pension Plan, disability insurance, employment insurance, and social assistance. Also income from registered retirement savings plans (RRSPs), support payments, scholarships, fellowships, bursaries or grants and interest (under $1,000) would generally be classified simple.

Your tax situation is not simple if you are self-employed or have employment expenses, have business or rental income and expenses or have have capital gains or losses. Also situation where you may have filed for bankruptcy in the tax year (or the year before, if that return has not yet been filed) or are completing a tax return for a deceased person.

Upcoming Learning Opportunity

What You Need to Know for Filing Your 2020 Taxes Webinar – On Tues., Mar. 2 from 10am – 11am join a session with the CRA on how to file your 2020 income taxes.

Info on Tax Clinics in Calgary

Sunrise Tax Clinics – Sunrise is honored to lead the Taxation and Benefits programming in Calgary. Register today to set up an appointment for tax filing for 2020.

BowWest Tax Clinics – BowWest hosts free tax clinics where volunteers complete tax returns for individuals and families with modest incomes and simple tax situations. The income guideline is $35,000 for individuals and $50,000 for families.

Salvation Army Tax Filing Services – Salvation Army Community Services will assist people with taxes starting February 16. Please call 403-220-0432 for more information

Tax Info from Momentum                

Tax Filing Dates Everyone Should Know – Important deadlines and dates to start planning your tax return, even if you only earned a small amount of income.

Tax Filing Resources Everyone Should Know – Information about about free resources available online, whether you plan to file taxes on your own, or get help.

Information from the Government of Canada 

Government of Canada listing of Free Tax Services – Through the Community Volunteer Income Tax Program, community organizations host free tax clinics where volunteers file tax returns for eligible people.

Payment arrangements – If you cannot pay your balance owing on or before April 30, 2021, the CRA may accept a payment arrangement only after you have reasonably tried to get the necessary funds by borrowing or rearranging your financial affairs.

The post Free Virtual Tax Clinics in Calgary appeared first on Calgary Housing.

Through a very challenging 2020, Calgary Housing Company has focused on its mission to make life better for Calgarians by working to improve how we provide affordable housing and support tenants. CHC responded to the challenge of the COVID-19 pandemic and to technological and advocacy opportunities. We worked to help tenants manage through financial difficulty and took steps to improve safety and tenant supports. These efforts were also guided by the responses we received in our 2019 tenant survey (You can read more about that here).

The following are highlights of some of these efforts to provide support and continuously improve the way we serve the people who call CHC home.

• Making Life Better for Tenants

  CHC has taken a number of steps to improve the application and move-in process. We updated forms on our website and introduced a new electronic lease signing option for applicants and tenants.

  To better support tenants, we have been developing a tenant onboarding program to prepare tenants for successful tenancies, which includes the creation of a tenant handbook which is expected to be available for download from our website in December. Our tenant handbook is based on best practices research, an environmental scan of 30 housing providers across Canada, US, UK and Australia, the tenant survey and a CHC staff survey.

  CHC has supported housing stabilization through implementation of the CHC Eviction Prevention Policy and rent protocol adjustments. CHC made the decision to not evict tenants and offer payments plans prior to the Ministerial Order under the Residential Tenancies Act to ban evictions by the Province. To date, we have worked with over 600 tenants to create payment plans and connect them to critical financial and other resources such as the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB).

  We have partnered with Children’s Cottage on their Homelessness Diversion & Prevention program and have referred 10 families to their program to get their arrears paid. Nearly $6000 in tenant arrears were covered through this collaboration.

  We’ve also been advocating for funding to increase the supply of affordable housing to meet needs and shorten wait times; a top suggestion from tenants. Our submission to the Government of Alberta expert panel can be found here.

• Improving Safety and Maintenance of our Properties

  Condition of properties, building and homes is another area that CHC has been working to improve. Throughout 2020, we have improved asset management plans for CHC units and have advocated for maintenance funding from all levels of government. We are also reviewing security protocols and contracts for effectiveness, and refining policies, procedures and partnerships that help ensure safe and healthy homes.

  We know that safety is a top priority for tenants and that is why we are proud that our pandemic response included the rapid implementation of a number of Standard Operating Guidelines to ensure staff and tenant safety. Policy changes, posters and signage were rolled out to high traffic buildings and communal areas, and enhanced protocols were put in place to ensure contractors working on site were also working safety. We also introduced more frequent cleaning of high touch surfaces at our buildings.

  In order to further improve maintenance and repairs, CHC has been upgrading our software, and refining policies and procedure that ensure fair and equitable procurement of services and supplies. CHC becoming more proactive in planning preventative maintenance activities.

• Improved Supports for Tenants

  We know that contact and communication is important to tenants, so we have also been providing more relevant and useful information for tenants on the CHC website and through our regular tenant email. This email is sent every two weeks and includes recent news from Calgary Housing Company, as well as information and resources from partner agencies focused on financial, community and health related topics. Our newsletter now reaches over 3,000 tenants! [Click here to Subscribe].

  CHC’s Tenant Liaisons support tenants who may be dealing with issues at home, in their building, or in their community, and provide referrals to various resources and supports in the community which provide as access to food, financial resources and support for issues such as arrears.

  As part of our pandemic response, we implemented wellness checks with tenants and referred over 2500 tenants to programs and services throughout the year. These calls have been related primarily to food scarcity and rent. We continue to engage in initiatives that support tenant well-being.

• Partnerships in the Community

  To build food security, we’ve partnered with ICanForKids to distribute over $200,000 in grocery gift cards for families, coordinated mobile food market delivery in partnership with Calgary Neighborhoods at 11 properties, and collaborated with Experience Church to utilize volunteers to support food hamper delivery for families in need.

  We’ve also provided up to date information on CHC website and in our tenant newsletter to support families and individuals facing food insecurity. In order to support kids, we collaborated with Calgary Neighborhoods (CN) to distribute nearly 3,000 activity kits to children to help keep them engaged and occupied at home throughout the spring, summer and fall. PDF versions of the activity kits are available for download on CHC’s website, along with additional activities such as links to Live Panda Cams and educational resources.

  We also collaborated with Calgary Recreation to promote and connect CHC tenants to their Community Nature Adventure Playground series. We have also leveraged the work launched with United Way and the Calgary Library for access to laptops for kids to do their school work.

  A new partnership has also been developed with the Youth Employment Centre to offer resume writing, interview skills and job training programs on-site, which will be launching in the coming weeks. To help addressing Calgary’s rising unemployment numbers. During the pandemic, we have worked closely with all of our Partners to ensure safe re-opening and operations of programs and services on our sites. Together we have been able to safely offer programs and support for tenant well-being at 25 properties.

• Programs that enable successful tenancies

  The RentSmart course is currently being offered to applicants and tenants online, free of charge thanks to funding from the Home Program. It is designed to help renters know and understand their rights and responsibilities when renting a home. It is a housing readiness model that gives participants the skills and knowledge to be great tenants and positively impact housing stability and supports housing stability and positive outcomes for people in our communities.	RentSmart Participants from early 2020
  The Home Program funded $20,000 for the Calgary Dollars pilot program in 2019. The Calgary Dollars program is used to incentivize resident engagement and pride of place within the CHC resident community. This program has already contributed to increased resident participation in activities that support. Calgary Dollars may be used to pay a portion of Calgary Housing Company tenant’s rent. The program is also supported by Norfolk Housing, CUPS, and Inn From The Cold. Alberta Human Services and Finance Ministers have endorsed the benefits of Calgary Dollars. CHC’s Calgary Dollars pilot began in December 2018 and included 342 transactions. The total value of the transactions to date is $24,574. The Calgary Dollars initiative illustrates diverse ways tenants can earn income by accessing self-identified, flexible income opportunities. All the dollars in this program were used for basic needs or community building exchanges.
  CHC’s Opportunity for Homeownership (“OHO”) Program helps connect tenants with agencies that can support their move into affordable homeownership. On February 21, Rundle Manor tenant Sintayehu Assefa got the keys to her brand new home. Assefa’s move into home ownership comes about after she connected with resources presented to Calgary Housing Company (CHC) tenants following the announcement of the 2021 closure of CHC’s Rundle Manor. “I would like to take this opportunity to thank Calgary Housing Company for giving me a chance to raise my children in stable home,” she says. “I can’t thank you enough for supporting me through my hardships. My children and I will be forever grateful.” – Sintayehu Opportunities for Home Ownership (OHO) is an ongoing series of seminars for CHC tenants where local agencies and organizations provide information to tenants exploring new housing options. Partners have included organizations like The City’s Attainable Homes program, Habitat for Humanity, Momentum, Money Mentors and others.	Sintayehu posing with her children and CHC staff.
  Plans are underway for the 14th Floor Hub Space at Manchester. We are working on a Shared Use Agreement with L’Arche who will be delivering programs in the space including computer classes, financial literacy and yoga classes. This community space will also be used to deliver support programs by other community partners such as the Mustard Seed and Calgary Neighbourhoods. CARYA moves in to the new space at East Village on December 1, and they will be opening their doors in the New Year. CARYA is a social profit agency dedicated to creating strong families and communities for generations.	Open space at Manchester

The post A Look Back at How CHC has Supported Tenants Throughout 2020 appeared first on Calgary Housing.

Calgary Housing Company is actively monitoring for risk of COVID-19 and is ready to activate efforts to reduce the chances of an outbreak at our properties and offices.

In order to keep Calgary Housing Communities safe, our Pandemic Response Team is working with CHC staff to monitor the ongoing pandemic situation and make decisions about activities like enhanced cleaning services, wellness checks, or other efforts that support the health, safety and wellness of our tenants, staff, and contractors.

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, monitoring for cases in our offices, managed properties and communities is an important tool to help stop the spread of the virus. Monitoring for cases allows us to proactively implement mitigating measures we have ready to go, like enhanced cleaning, education services that will help prevent an outbreak and other support for our tenants and staff in the event of an outbreak.

Information CHC Uses to Monitor for COVID-19 Risk

Since the pandemic began in March, Calgarians have worked together to keep each other safe from COVID-19. Calgary Housing Company uses different types of information to understand risk of COVID -19 exposure in our offices and properties, including:

• Asking tenants to self-report COVID-19 illness and exposure,
• Requiring employees to report COVID-19 illness,
• Requiring employees to  self-report exposures to illness that requires quarantine,
• Using contact tracing logs for our employees,
• Utilizing situational reports from the Calgary Emergency Management Agency (CEMA), and;
• Monitoring the Alberta Government’s Covid-19 website.

Tenant Self-Reporting to Keep Our Communities Safe

Alberta Health Services does not notify CHC of positive cases on our properties, so self-reporting any positive cases in your home is an important tool to support the effort to keep our communities safe. If you have a positive case of COVID-19 in your home, please contact your Property Manager. This will help us monitor and track active and recovered COVID-19 cases on our properties and help us understand risk level.

CHC does not release information on our COVID-19 tracking but will take extra steps on a property if there are three households with active cases of COVID-19 on one property. Extra steps we may take to ensure the safety of our tenants and prevent exposure and transmission include: increasing janitorial services, offering additional support services to tenants, checking in to make sure tenants are okay, and implementing the essential visitors policy at the affected property.

If you have a positive case of COVID-19 in your home, you can contact your Property Manager or Tenant Liaison for support while you quarantine. You can also self-report exposure and self-isolation, especially if you need help. Our Tenant Liaisons and Property Managers are always here to help you.

Additional information and Resources

Government of Alberta Covid-19 Status Map – The Government of Alberta’s website provides important community information and identifies the status of Covid-19 cases  through the Alberta community on status maps, which designates regions as “open”, “watch” or “enhanced” relaunch status. View the COVID-19 Status Map by Region

Contact and case tracing to keep our communities safe – Albertans can use the Governmemnt of Alberta’s contact tracing app ABTraceTogether. The app lets people know if they have been exposed to COVID-19 or if they have exposed others – while protecting their privacy. Quickly identifying and isolating positive cases is an important part of our response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and preventing the spread. Learn more about ABTraceTogether

The post How Calgary Housing Company monitors for cases of COVID-19 appeared first on Calgary Housing.

In August, The City of Calgary ramped up pressure for affordable housing solutions on the Federal and Provincial governments as it endorsed and submitted a community plan calling for investment in affordable housing in Calgary totaling $624M over the next three years (Federal – $349M, Provincial – $275M).

The COVID-19 Community Affordable Housing Advocacy Plan is intended to create a more resilient housing system to respond to future shocks while focusing on community priorities and aligning local interests with opportunities for investment identified by federal and provincial stakeholders. Outcomes of the plan, if implemented, would include:

• Deliver housing for up to 12,000 Calgarians, meaningfully addressing homelessness in our city and addressing a long-standing affordable housing deficit;
• Build or and secure more than 5,400 new homes – increasing the asset base of the non-profit housing sector and reducing reliance on future government funding;
• Leverage economic conditions favourable to real estate acquisition and construction and mitigate potential collapse in the tourism and residential sectors by securing homes for those who need them;
• Create 2,800 residential construction jobs across 22 non-profit affordable housing construction projects

The plan proposes two streams of activity. The first stream, intended to rapidly create homes for 600 Calgarians experiencing or at risk of homelessness, would require $58.7M in funding shared between the province and federal government. This stream includes acquisition of 300 homes in hotels and surplus market properties as well as increased funding for Rent Supplements that support people in existing market and non-market homes.

The second stream would roll out over three years and see the development of 4,800 new homes at a cost of $537M. The total includes 3,000 homes ($300M) built or acquired in partnership with the private sector and 1,800 homes ($237M) in 22 previously identified, shovel-ready projects. Almost $186M has already been sourced or committed for the shovel-ready projects which include developments by The City of Calgary, Homespace, Horizon Housing, Silvera for Seniors, The Mustard Seed and others.

The Plan was developed by a committee of 65 individuals from 42 organizations from private, non-profit, and government housing sectors. The group included organizations serving Calgarians experiencing homelessness, seniors, Indigenous people, and families as well as organizations representing non-market rental housing, attainable homeownership, market rental landlords, builders and developers, and Federal and Provincial government representatives.

The committee’s plan was then presented to Calgary City Council’s Intergovernmental Affairs Committee which endorsed it and agreed that it should be forwarded to the Federal and Provincial Governments.

In early August, Mayor Naheed Nenshi sent the plan to Alberta Premier Jason Kenney and Federal Minister of Families, Children and Social Development Ahmed Hussen.

“When implemented” said Mayor Nenshi in his letter to Premier Kenney, “(the plan) will make considerable strides towards ensuring Calgary emerges with a stronger civil society that will ensure more of our citizens can live with dignity, access opportunities to improve their lives, and contribute to our economic recovery.”

Mayor Nenshi’s letter emphasized the need for collaboration between orders of government and the need for the Province to participate in order to enable access to federal funds.

• Aboriginal Friendship Centre of Calgary
• Aboriginal Standing Committee on Housing and Homelessness
• Accessible Housing Alberta Network of Public Housing Agencies (ANPHA)
• Altus Group
• Aspen Family and Community Network
• Attainable Homes Calgary
• BILD Calgary Region
• Bishop O’Byrne Housing Association
• Calgary Chinatown Seniors Housing Society
• Calgary Dream Centre
• Calgary Drop-In & Rehab Centre Society
• Calgary Homeless Foundation
• Calgary Residential Rental Association
• Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation
• Community Housing Affordability Collective (CHAC)
• CUPS
• Fireside Property Group
• Generations: Multi Generational Housing & Community Centre
• Government of Alberta, Community & Social Services, Housing & Homeless Supports
• Government of Alberta, Seniors & Housing, Housing Capital Programs
• Habitat for Humanity
• Homes for Heroes Foundation
• HomeSpaceSociety
• Horizon Housing Society
• Inn from the Cold
• Jack Long Foundation
• Métis Calgary Family Services Society
• Métis Urban/Capital Housing Corporation
• Norfolk Housing Association
• Siksika Off-Reserve Affordable Housing
• Silvera For Seniors SORCe
• The City of Calgary, Calgary Housing
• The City of Calgary, Calgary Neighbourhoods
• The Elder Statesmen Group
• The Mustard Seed Society
• The SHARP Foundation
• Treaty 7 Urban Housing
• Trinity Place Foundation of Alberta
• United Way of Calgary and Area
• Vibrant Communities Calgary
• Woods Homes
• YWCA Calgary

Documents

• COVID-19 Community Advocacy Plan Overview
• Mayor Nenshi Letter to Premier Jason Kenney
• Mayor Nenshi Letter to Minister Hussen

The post COVID-19 Community Advocacy Plan appeared first on Calgary Housing.

Calgary Housing Company is committed working with tenants who are at risk of eviction due to rental arrears by developing a rent payment plan.

At Calgary Housing Company, our mandate is to provide affordable housing to low and moderate income Calgarians. As a compassionate and caring landlord, we believe in the core value that everyone should have access to safe, affordable housing.

All tenants are responsible for paying their rent, however we do recognize the loss of income and financial hardship that some tenants may face, particularly through the COVID-19 pandemic.

If you are having difficulty with your rent payments, please contact your Property Manager immediately to develop a rent payment plan. If you are facing eviction due to non-payment of rent, you must enter into and a rent payment plan to avoid eviction.

What is a Rent Payment Plan?

Rent payment plans are an agreement between a landlord and a tenant that outlines the payments that will be made over a period of time to catch up on rent arrears. A rent payment plan considers the income and expenses, the amount of rent owing, and a reasonable, agreed to time period for repayment. This help us to develop a payment plan that can be successful and is within the financial means of households.

Failure to adhere to the rent payment plan may result in eviction.

The post Eviction Prevention and CHC Rent Payment Plans appeared first on Calgary Housing.