Supportive Housing
Supportive housing is housing that's designed for people with minimal care needs, like homemaking or personal care and support. Accommodations are generally rental units in an apartment building, but sometimes it can be a small group residence.
The buildings that offer supportive housing are owned by the municipal government or a non-profit group. Costs and services vary with each building.
There are fully equipped bachelor, one bedroom and two bedroom apartments. There are some buildings where only some residents receive care, and there are some where all do. Most buildings have meeting rooms, lounges and tuck shops.
Services vary between buildings, but they generally include things like on-site personal care and support, and daily visits or phone check-ins. There can also be services such as shopping, meals, and transportation.
The cost can range from $600 to $1200 per month; this is based on market rent. There is also a rent subsidy option available from the government, so you only pay 30% of your household's monthly income.
Personal care and support is funded by the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care. There might be an extra fee for optional services like transportation.
Supportive housing is made up of a housing portion and a care portion. The housing provider is responsible for maintaining the housing. However, the service portion is funded by the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, so the quality of care is monitored by the MOHLTC.
You can get a list of supportive housing providers in your area from your local Community Care Access Centre. They also have information about the eligibility criteria and the waiting times. If you found a building that you like, you can apply directly to the housing provider.
There are other housing options, like seniors housing, which is accommodation without on-site services. This is for seniors who can manage their own care, but want to live with other seniors. This type of housing usually has rent-geared-to-income subsidies for people who qualify.
Life Lease Housing
Life lease housing is like a condominium, but it has an age restriction to create a sense of community for seniors. Life lease housing is owned by a not-for-profit or charitable organization. People can buy a life lease interest: the exclusive right to a suite, and shared use of common facilities. Also, Life Lease housing usually has on-site support services for a fee.
When a resident dies, the life lease interest can pass to their family. If the owner of a suite wants to sell or transfer their lease, they receive the market value of the suite, just like with a condominium or detached home. The value of a life lease interest increases along with the market value, which makes it a good investment.
The life lease housing provider has to approve the sale or transfer of a life interest. This is because life lease housing is for a mature adult community, and the residents want to live with people their own age.
Today there are more than 70 Life Lease communities across Ontario. Life Lease housing is popular, because it provides housing, programs and support, as well as an opportunity for investment.
Although the resident owns the exclusive right to their suite, the actual ownership and title stays in the name of the organization that owns the project. This is to ensure that the organization provides high quality management and maintenance.
People who are retired move a lot. First, they go from a house to a condominium or to an apartment; from there they move to a retirement home; and some seniors move a third time, to a nursing facility.
Life Lease communities are designed to meet the changing needs of their residents. Life lease housing offers support services to aging residents, so they can maintain their independence for as long as possible.
The main benefit of having a life lease interest, is the security of ownership and opportunity for investment. This is a better option than renting an apartment, where the resident doesn't get a return on rental payments.
There are also many other benefits. Since life lease housing is owned by non-profit organizations, the monthly occupancy fees are lower than in a condominium. Also, the organization takes care of all the maintenance, so the residents don't have to worry about it.
Also, there are common facilities like: a multi-purpose room with kitchen, hobby/games room, library, meeting room, and outdoor recreation areas. All residents benefit from having these amenities, and those who are occasionally shut-in have an even greater benefit from it. To those who live alone, life lease housing provides a reassuring and supportive environment.
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