Housing Help Centre
Conveniently and centrally located at 426 Barrie Street, the Housing Help Centre offers one-stop housing assistance. Since it opened in 2000, the Housing Help Centre has responded to the needs of individuals who are homeless or require affordable housing.
Through the Housing Help Centre, our staff assists people with applications for the Social Housing Registry. They provide practical assistance in gathering required documentation to complete the applications for the Social Housing Registry. Our staff has an excellent rapport with the Social Housing Registry and work closely with them to solve complex applications. Given that there is an extensive waiting period for subsidized housing, the staff provides more immediate assistance to finding alternate housing arrangements.
On a weekly basis, our Accommodation Listing is updated and it is compiled from existing marketplace advertising as well as from numerous contacts with local landlords. Our lists are also faxed to social service and health care institutions to be used by their clients. The list is also located on our website… from the home page, select Apartments from the site menu to the left.
At the Centre, clients can meet with one of our Case Managers who will assess the individuals’ needs, provide information and referrals, advocate with landlords or health/social service organizations and help clients move into permanent, affordable housing. The staff has access to on-going information regarding services offered throughout the city. Our resource centre staff work with other agencies to provide regular on-site sessions for the public regarding available services and how to access them.
In 2012, the Housing Help Centre established an ID BANK that assists individuals in obtaining - and retaining - their identification through the completion of ID applications and storing identification in a secure location. Individuals can access their identification during office hours. On-site commisionaires assist in providing affidavits as required. ID can be sent to the HHC to be made available to the individual.
The Barrie Street Drop-In Centre, located in the basement of the Housing Help Centre, is open to homeless individuals to meet and enjoy a coffee or juice while receiving assistance in looking for accommodation, information about health-related subjects or making use of the following services: Housing Outreach, phone, internet, affordable housing listings, laundry, and shower facilities. A definite need among the homeless or hard-to-house is the access to a phone in order to keep in contact with family members, landlords, medical services or employers. At the Housing Help Centre, clients can request a voice mailbox and a password to keep them connected with the world around them.
Another important part of the Housing Help Centre is our Eviction Prevention service. Our Community Support Workers help individuals and families maintain their current housing. The efforts we make to avoid evictions or find resolutions for both parties makes this service invaluable. Our staff assist clients in accessing funds for rent/utilities arrears, referrals and budgeting. Home Base Housing staff conducts on-going discussions with the Kingston Community Legal Clinic regarding staff training and support.
To contact the Housing Help Centre, please CLICK HERE to be redirected to our "Contact Us" page.
To apply for non-profit housing www.socialhousingregistry.ca
To learn about the additional costs of housing CLICK HERE
Home Base Housing acknowledges the United Way serving Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox & Addington for the support it gives to the Housing Help Centre. For more information about the way United Way helps our community, CLICK HERE to visit the United Way website.
In addition, Home Base Housing acknowledges funding by the Government of Canada's Homelessness Partnering Strategy Outreach Communities Initiative for the support for the following: ID Bank and Hostel Support Case Worker.
