Evaluating Your Housing Options

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Evaluating a Housing Option

Once you’ve decided to move, you’ll start looking at different housing options. It’s a good idea to look at a few different options, if you can, to understand what kinds of housing are available. Physically visiting the space is often helpful to get a better idea of the space, too.

Below is a series of questions designed to help you evaluate your options and avoid any surprises after you make your decision. Like the last module, they’re divided into financial, physical, and HIV-specific considerations.

Financial Considerations

  1. How will the rent be paid?
    • Will the landlord receive rent money directly from the ministry? Have you confirmed with them that this is acceptable?
    • Will you need to have a bank account and provide post-dated cheques to the landlord?
  2. Is a security deposit required?
    • How much is it?
    • Under what conditions might you not get it back when you move out?
  3. What is included in the rent? What will be an extra cost? Consider:
    • Utilities (e.g., water, heat, electricity, gas)
    • Telecommunication services (e.g., phone, cable, internet)
    • Appliances (e.g., fridge, stove, oven, microwave)
    • Parking space (e.g., covered and locked parking lot, street parking, driveway parking space)
    • Storage space (e.g., storage closet within an apartment, designated space in an apartment building, shed, garage)
    • Laundry facilities (e.g., machines in the home or building; may be free to use, coin-operated, or require the purchase of a special card)
  4. If you need to set up new accounts for utilities or other services, will you need to pay a fee or provide a deposit?
  5. Is a pet deposit required if you have a pet?
    • How much is it?
    • Under what conditions might you not get it back when you move out?
  6. How much could the rent increase in the future if the landlord were to raise it the legally allowed percentage? Will you be able to afford it?
  7. If you need to take public transit to access services, how much will it cost?
  8. If you have a car and need to use it, how much will it cost when you account for fuel, vehicle maintenance, insurance, and parking fees? Would it be worth paying a higher rent in order to be closer to services, instead of keeping a vehicle?
  9. Will you need to pay for packing supplies and movers in order to move?
  10. Will you need to buy any furniture, linens, and so on?

Physical Aspects

Some questions about the physical aspects of housing to consider:

  • What do you need to be physically comfortable?
  • Are there any rules about the number of bedrooms for your family that affect whether you can access this housing option?
  • Is the housing pet-friendly? What kind of space does your pet need?
  • Is the housing physically accessible and free of barriers?
  • Are there stairs or other challenges that prevent you from entering/exiting or moving within the building comfortably?
  • Does the building have an elevator?
  • What are the rules for garbage and recycling? Where do the garbage and recycling go?
  • Does the apartment include extra storage space outside of the unit?
  • Are there laundry facilities in the unit or building? If not, where is the nearest laundromat?
  • Are there shared walls? Could noise become an issue for you or your neighbours?
  • How much natural light is available in the apartment?
  • Do the windows open? Do they close and lock?
  • Does each bedroom have a window, as required by law for emergencies?
  • Is there a yard or other outdoor space nearby?
  • Who is responsible for seasonal maintenance? (e.g., sidewalk shovelling, lawn mowing)
  • Does the apartment come with parking space(s)?
  • How much noise is there during the day? How much noise is there during the night?
  • What is the environment around the building like?
  • Can the housing unit and building be safely accessed at night?
  • Is there enough lighting outside?
  • Are there hazards such as slippery sidewalks or a long driveway?
  • If you have children in your care, where will they play and go to school?
  • If you move to a different neighbourhood, will you still be able to receive the same services? Are any services you receive based on the area you live in (e.g., mobile outreach, clinic)?
  • How far are the services you need to access regularly? (e.g., grocery store, pharmacy, doctor, school, library, bank, government offices, food bank, gym, harm reduction distributor)
    • Can you walk to them?
    • If not, will you be able to take public transit to get there? What does the route look like?
    • If you have a car, will you be able to drive to get there?

HIV-specific housing considerations

  1. How important is privacy to you when it comes to your HIV status?
    • Are you “out” as a person living with HIV?
    • Do you prefer to keep your HIV status private?
  2. Who will you need to disclose your HIV status to in order to apply for and live in the housing?
  3. Will living in HIV-specific housing encourage you to take care of your health? Will it negatively remind you of your health status?
  4. In an HIV-specific building, will seeing others in the HIV community on a regular basis be comfortable for you?
  5. Will you have a way to cope if others pass judgment on your behaviour or visitors because of your HIV status?
  6. Does the housing come with care or services that you need to support your health? (e.g., meals, cleaning, medication reminders, harm reduction, access to harm reduction supplies)