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Find community housing

Community housing units are located across Niagara. To learn about locations, sort by the name of unit, city / town or number of bedrooms.

When you apply for community housing, you'll add your preferred locations after your application is approved.

Community housing types

After your application is approved, you will choose the communities you want to wait for. The housing provider will contact you when a unit becomes available that matches your household size.

What it is: Housing managed by Niagara Regional Housing — the largest housing provider in Niagara with the most subsidized units.

Key features

  • Majority of units are rent-geared-to-income
  • Small number of mixed-income communities with market and affordable rent units
  • Range of building types: apartments, townhouses, semi-detached homes

What it is: Housing owned and managed by non-profit corporations run by a board of directors.

Key features

  • Mix of rent-geared-to-income and market rent units in the same community
  • Managed by boards made up of municipal councillors, community members and/or tenants
  • Some communities have tenant associations that help manage the residence
  • Each non-profit has its own rules and community culture
  • May have specific mandates (seniors, families, accessibility, etc.)

What it is: Housing cooperatively owned and run by the people who live there. Members share responsibility for managing their co-op.

Key features

  • Mix of rent-geared-to-income and market rent units
  • Members are expected to actively engage in governing and running the co-op
  • Participation includes volunteering time serving on the board of directors, participating in a committee, or helping with property maintenance
  • Strong sense of community, shared responsibility and participation in community activities
  • Democratic decision-making by members
  • Some co-ops have pet restrictions

What it is: A rent geared to income program that helps eligible households on the Centralized Waiting List rent units with private landlords that have an agreement with Housing Services.

How it works

  • Households will be offered a unit with a private landlord
  • You pay a portion of your rent (based on your income)
  • Housing Services pays the remainder to the landlord as a subsidy
  • Normal landlord/tenant relationship exists
  • Landlord is responsible for maintenance, repairs and building services

Wait times

Since the list of households waiting for community housing in Niagara is very long, we encourage applicants to make other arrangements in the meantime.

Housing Services has no way of knowing when units become available or when housing providers will be able to offer you housing. Staff do not know how long you will wait.

Housing Services does not offer housing units.

City / town Bachelor One bedroom
Fort Erie No units 13 years
Grimsby No units 10 years
Lincoln (Beamsville) No units 8 years
Niagara Falls 7 units 5 years
Niagara-on-the-Lake No units 18 years
Port Colborne No units 9 years
St. Catharines No units 7 years
Thorold No units 12 years
Welland No units 12 years
West Lincoln (Smithville) No units 8 years

City / town Bachelor One bedroom
Fort Erie 12 years 14 years
Lincoln (Beamsville) No units 14 years
Niagara Falls No units 21 years
Niagara-on-the-Lake No units 18 years
Port Colborne No units 15 years
St. Catharines 13 years 20 years
Welland 17 years 17 years

City / town Two bedrooms Three bedrooms Four bedrooms Five bedrooms
Fort Erie 4 years 7 years 10 years No units
Lincoln (Beamsville) 14 years 8 years No units No units
Niagara Falls 6 years 11 years 18 years 18 years
Port Colborne 9 years 10 years 7 years No units
St. Catharines 7 years 16 years 13 years 14 years
Thorold 10 years 13 years No units No units
Welland 5 years 10 years 12 years 7 years
West Lincoln (Smithville) 14 years 7 years No units No units

Search housing units

Have a question?

Contact Housing Services