Rent Assistance Benefit (RAB) is the name of the program previously known as the Direct Rent Supplement (DRS). It is designed for households with core housing needs who have low incomes and an ongoing need.

All RAB recipients must sign an agreement with the Housing Management Body (HMB) before receiving the benefit.

The benefit amount is the difference between what would be affordable rent (30 per cent of the recipient’s total household income or the private housing core shelter rates) and the market rent for the unit, up to the maximum supplement amounts.

Just like with DRS, the maximum rent assistance benefits are based off of the number of bedrooms the household requires.

You must meet all eligibility criteria under the Social Housing Accommodation Regulation. This means you must:

• Be in core housing need.

• Have a total asset value of $25,000 or less.

• Be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident (except for those who are under a private sponsorship arrangement), convention refugee, an individual who has applied for refugee or immigration status and private sponsorship has broken down.

Recipients must also live in eligible housing to receive the benefit. Eligible housing is a self-contained, rented home. This means the home has its own kitchen and bathroom and is not shared with the landlord. A recipient could live in:

• A basement suite or secondary suite as long as it has been approved by the municipality in which it is located.

• Co-operatives with a written co-operative agreement.

• Mobile home where the tenant is renting both the mobile home and the pad with a written tenancy agreement.

• Detached housing, row/townhouse, duplex or triplex, or apartments or condos with a written tenancy agreement.

Anyone is eligible if they meet the above criteria, however, the below types of housing are not suitable for the rent assistance benefit:

• Hotels, motels, and vacation rental by owner (VRBO) arrangements.

• Illegal basement/secondary suites.

• Owned mobile homes requesting supplement for the rent of the pad.

• Shared living accommodations with the landlord.

• Housing owned by the applicant or by a relative of the applicant.

• You are not eligible for RAB if you are living in community housing.

The Rental Assistance Benefit (RAB) program is currently waitlisted. Applications are evaluated based on factors such as income, assets, dependents, and housing conditions, and eligible applicants are placed on the waitlist. However, due to limited funding, not all qualified individuals may receive approval for assistance.

Your eligibility will be assessed every year. If you remain eligible and funding is available, you will continue to receive the benefit. There is no limit to number of times your RAB agreement can be renewed, subject to funding availability.

Your landlord will be the individual or organization with whom you have a tenancy agreement. Rocky View Foundation is NOT the landlord.

Your agreement with Rocky View Foundation is just for the rental assistance benefit.

Please notify Rocky View Foundation of any changes as soon as possible as it may affect the amount of your benefit.