The Ministry of Children and Family Development recently announced the extension of the emergency measures allowing young adults from care over 19 to stay in their current living arrangements for an additional year. Now, we are offering to support some young adults who have transitioned to adulthood and need help paying their rent in the private market.
Young adults who are participating in the Agreement with Young Adults (AYA) program, or who are eligible to participate, may apply for the Canada-BC Housing Benefit. They should contact Provincial Centralized Screening (PCS) at 1 800 663-9122 by March 17, 2021, if they are interested in this opportunity. After checking and confirming their eligible care status at 19, PCS will provide them with instructions on how to connect with BC Housing to apply for this benefit. BC Housing will then work directly with the young adults to assess their eligibility for the housing benefit and support them through the application process.
There are a limited number of housing benefits, and they will be provided to eligible young adults on a first-come, first-served basis. The ministry acknowledges that this opportunity has a tight timeframe and requires an urgent response, and we appreciate your assistance in sharing this information promptly.
Eligibility
Young adults must:
- Be participating in the AYA program or be eligible for the program (turned 19 under a Continuing Custody Order or on a Youth Agreement);
- Be paying more than 30% of their income towards rent (or more than their shelter allowance if on Income Assistance);
- Be currently renting in the private market, not including subsidized or co-op housing; and
- Have an income below $31,992 (for singles and couples with no children). Families with children must have an income below $44,400.
Application Process
There are a limited number of benefits available and funding will be offered on a first-come, first-served basis. Young adults need to call PCS at 1 800 663-9122 by March 17, 2021, to confirm their eligible care status at 19 and PCS will provide them with instructions on how to connect with BC Housing to apply for this benefit.
BC Housing will work with young adults to complete the application process. They will need to provide copies of their government ID, proof of their income (pay stub), proof of their monthly rent, and banking information for direct deposit.
Housing Benefit Amount
The housing benefit is based on the young adult’s income and how much of that income they pay towards rent. If the young adult is on the AYA program, their AYA funding will not be reduced if they receive this housing benefit. If the young adult is on Income Assistance, the housing benefit will be calculated based on the difference between rent paid (subject to maximums) and the shelter allowance from Income Assistance.
We hope this information will help you reach out to young adults in your community to let them know about this opportunity. There are materials on our public website that you can use to share within your organization and social media platforms.
For any additional questions or comments, please contact Catherine Talbott, Executive Director of Strategic Initiatives, MCFD, via e-mail at Catherine.Talbott@gov.bc.ca.