Asian female tenant who is facing eviction from TCHC due to rental arrears and has contacted the OCHE for help.

How We Help

How We Help

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Eviction Prevention and Housing Stability

We value you!

Our team recognizes that everyone's situation is unique. People get into arrears of rent for a variety of reasons such as job loss; other debts; illness; decreased government benefits; not being able to properly complete the annual Household Income and Assets Review Form and many other reasons.

Our Early Resolution Officers use the "OCHE approach" to understand the challenges that have caused you to miss rent payments and work with you to find a solution that fits your unique needs. Our aim is to provide tenants with housing stability that will last for as long as possible.

Your First Meeting With Us

Your first meeting will be set up by an Early Resolution Officer (ERO) who will contact you by letter or phone to set up a time to meet with you at a location that works best for you. At the first meeting, we will explain our role and how we can help

How we will help you: 

  • Meet with you one-on-one at a time and place convenient for you
  • Put you in touch with community support services; social assistance; child care; food banks and meal delivery; mental and physical health supports
  • Negotiate repayment agreements between you and TCHC
  • Assist RGI (rent geared to income) tenants that have lost their subsidy
  • Help you develop a monthly spending plan 
  • Determining eligibility for funding 

In the short time I have worked with Amber (ERO) she has been a healing light in a hellish year that I have endured as a 10 year tenant in TCHC. Amber has borne listening to the pain of my ordeal with calm and care and I am deeply thankful for that

-Carol Page

I was so happy when the ERO came to meet me and explained what was going on.  The help I received from the OCHE has allowed me to understand better and know that someone is there to help me have a secure place to live.

- Veronica Adams

Stages of the OCHE Process

I have received a Notice to End Tenancy (N4) from TCHC

If you receive an N4 or Notice to End your Tenancy, your Tenant Services Coordinator will work with you to pay off the arrears (owed rent). If they are unable to resolve the arrears, TCHC will refer you to the OCHE before filing an application for eviction with the Landlord and Tenant Board. 

I have been referred to the OCHE

Referrals are made by TCHC, but community agencies can also identify tenants that need help and refer them to the OCHE.

The OCHE has reached out to me

You will receive a call or letter from an Early Resolution Officer proposing a date and time when they will visit you to discuss next steps. Please give them a call if you need to reschedule.

I am having my first meeting with an ERO

An Early Resolution Officer (ERO) will meet you at a location, date and time that works for you. Bring any documentation that you think might be helpful.

The ERO is helping me build a plan

The Early Resolution Officer will connect you to the services and resources you need to get back on track. We will create a plan to address the arrears and assist you in talking with your TCHC worker.

The OCHE conducts an ACP Audit

The Early Resolution Officer will review your file history and ensure that you have been treated fairly and all steps of the Arrears Collection Process (ACP) have been followed.

I received a Report from the Commissioner

The Commissioner of Housing Equity will send a report to you and TCHC outlining:

  1. The findings of the audit and the outcome of the work completed with your Early Resolution Officer.
  2. Details of any repayment agreement.
  3. Recommendations on whether or not TCHC should pursue an eviction application.

INTEGRITY

IMPARTIALITY

INDEPENDENCE