Housing & Financial Stability

Employment Services
North Okanagan Rent Bank
Housing Options
Housing Application Form
Tenant Maintenance Request
Tenant Feedback
Housing Frequently Asked Questions
Donate to Housing Programs

CMHA is a partner of WorkBC to deliver one-to-one employment services. Visit WorkBC Vernon for more information.

WorkBC

In partnership with Work BC Centre Vernon, CMHA supports and delivers Work BC One-to-One employment services to people with mental health concerns. These services include Case Management, Customized employment, Job Search services, Employability workshops, skills training, Job start supports and more. If you or someone you know, is living with mental health issues and is looking for employment, reach out to us for one-to-one support today! The dedicated Case Manager and Customized Employment Advisor can help you look for work, prepare for interviews, start a new job and keep long-term employment.

Work BC Case Manager: Salvador Martinez, 250-540-9677

Work BC Case Manager: Tag Kopp, 250-540-1418

For more information on WorkBC Employment Services and how to access support, please visit: www.workbccentre-vernon.ca

Unit 301 – 3402 27 Ave. Vernon, BC. V1T 1S1.

North Okanagan Rent Bank

Many individuals are just a paycheque or two away from housing instability. The North Okanagan Rent Bank, launched by CMHA Vernon, offers no-interest, short-term loans up to $2,000 to help renters facing temporary financial crises.

Loans can assist with:

Past due rent or utilities
First month’s rent, security or pet deposits

To qualify, applicants must:

Must be 19 years of age or older
Must reside in the North Okanagan (City of Vernon, Coldstream, Spallumcheen, Armstrong, Lumby, Enderby, Grindrod, Cherryville)
Must be a Canadian Citizen, Landed Immigrant, Permanent Resident, Refugee Claimant or a Temporary Foreign Worker
Must have income sufficient to cover other living expenses
Does not have excessive outstanding debts or undischarged bankruptcies
Have a current bank account and can provide 3 months (90 days) of banking statements
Able to demonstrate a temporary financial need or crisis
Able to demonstrate housing will be stabilized for a minimum of 90 days
Must provide Proof of Tenancy (i.e., Rental/Tenancy/Lease agreement; Eviction Notice; Utility Notice of Disconnection; Rent Receipts (at least three) or Rental Payment Record (provided by landlord); Recent household utility bills (Hydro & Fortis); or Confirmation from Landlord or Property Management Company verifying rental or housing arrangement

Two (2) pieces of identification (ID), including one piece of photo ID
Proof of income, Recent Pay stubs, child tax benefits or ministry payments, application to EI, employment contract etc.
Proof of Tenancy or Intent to Rent

This program supports mental wellness by helping people stay housed and connected to community resources.

If you would like to start the process to determine if you’re eligible for a loan, complete your pre-assessment application here and a member of the rent bank team will contact you within 1-2 business days.

Complete Pre-Assessment

Please note that you will be redirected to the BC Rent Bank website to complete the online Pre-assessment form. BC Rent Bank and CMHA Vernon collect, use and disclose your personal information for assessment and administration purposes in accordance with the BC Rent Bank Privacy Statement.

If you would like more information about the North Okanagan Rent Bank please email: [email protected]

Affordable Housing

CMHA is responsible for the care and management of over 215 affordable housing units in the city of Vernon. One, two, three or four-bedroom units are available. In partnership with BC Housing and Interior Health, our community benefits from the wide range of housing options available.

Wellness Housing Rehabilitation

Aberdeen House

Aberdeen House is a 14-bed licensed adult psychiatric long-term care home. 7 of the beds are Tertiary Specialized. Program components include life skills, rehabilitation, longer stay, and preparation for return to the community as part of a recovery process and management of psychiatric disorders.

24th St House

24th St House is a 10-bed licensed adult psychiatric assisted living residence. This resource provides support for individuals experiencing mental health crises or needing extra support after hospital discharge. This residence offers a structured environment, 24/7 staff availability, and individualized care plans to help individuals manage their conditions and transition back into their communities. 

Find the Housing Application Form in the Tab Menu.

Housing Application Form

If you are unable to use the online form please feel free to complete our fillable PDF Housing Application form.

Housing Application (1)

"*" indicates required fields

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This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Please consider my application for Canadian Mental health Association Vernon Branch (CMHA) Housing Programs. CMHA provides housing to people that live with a mental health issue; in partnership with Interior Health Authority- Mental Health and Substance Use and BC Housing.

We also have low income family housing in partnership with BC Housing.

* PLEASE NOTE: CMHA units are NON-Smoking & have a pet policy *

I am interested in applying for housing at:

53RD Ave (family & modified units) 2, 3, 4 Bedroom Units

Yin Ho (family & modified units) 2 and 3 Bedroom Units

Sunrise Gardens

The following CMHA's housing units are program based. By applying residing at these Housing Programs you are agreeing to be part of the program which includes Mental Health and

Substance Use Management.

I am interested in applying for housing at:

Albert Place

The Belvedere

The Melrose

SILP (Rental Assistance Program)

I am interested in:

Bachelor

1 Bedroom

2 Bedroom

3 Bedroom

4 Bedroom

I also understand that my application will only be kept on file for 12 months and that if I wish to be considered for the program after this period, I will need to contact CMHA Vernon to update my application.*

Yes, I understand

Name*

Phone*

Address*

Street Address City State / Province / Region ZIP / Postal Code

Birth Date*

Month

Day

Year

Doctor/CSW:

Phone

1. Applicant Information

Last Name

First Name

Initial

Title (Please Check)

Mr.

Mrs.

Miss

Ms.

2nd Applicant Information (if applicable)

Last Name

First Name

Initial

Title (Please Check)

Mr.

Mrs.

Miss

Ms.

Contact Information

Address (Mailing if different from above)

Street Address City State / Province / Region ZIP / Postal Code

Home Phone

Work Phone

Cell Phone

Message Number(optional)*

Message Person Name*

*by providing an authorized contact, you are giving permission to CMHA Vernon & District to exchange information with that authorized contact in order to maintain and update your file. To remove an authorized contact please contact CMHA Vernon.

Household Information

a. List yourself, then all other household members - if needed attach a separate sheet for more names

Last Name

First Name & Initial

Relationship to Applicant

Birth Date

Month

Day

Year

Age

Sex

Born in Canada

Yes

2nd Household Member Information (if applicable)

Last Name

First Name & Initial

Relationship to Applicant

Birth Date

Month

Day

Year

Age

Sex

Born in Canada

Yes

3rd Household Member Information (if applicable)

Last Name

First Name & Initial

Relationship to Applicant

Birth Date

Month

Day

Year

Age

Sex

Born in Canada

Yes

4th Household Member Information (if applicable)

Last Name

First Name & Initial

Relationship to Applicant

Birth Date

Month

Day

Year

Age

Sex

Born in Canada

Yes

Other Household Members

Max. file size: 100 MB.

People living with you full time

b. Do all people listed live with you full time right now?

Yes

If NO, please provide the following information for all persons not living with you full time.

1st Person (if applicable)

Name

Number days per week

Please enter a number from 1 to 7.

Shared Custody

Yes

If not shared custody, why are they not living with you full time?

2nd Person (if applicable)

Name

Number days per week

Please enter a number from 1 to 7.

Shared Custody

Yes

If not shared custody, why are they not living with you full time?

3rd Person (if applicable)

Name

Number days per week

Please enter a number from 1 to 7.

Shared Custody

Yes

If not shared custody, why are they not living with you full time?

Other Information

c. Do you expect the number of people living with you to change in the next 12 months?

Yes

If yes, please explain and provide expected rate of household size change.

4. Residency History

a. Please provide information on where you have lived for the last five years.

1st Address (if applicable)

Rental Address (street/city)

Street Address City

From Date

Month

Day

Year

To Date

Month

Day

Year

Landlord Name

Landlord Phone Number

Reason for Leaving

2nd Address (if applicable)

Rental Address (street/city)

Street Address City

From Date

Month

Day

Year

To Date

Month

Day

Year

Landlord Name

Landlord Phone Number

Reason for Leaving

3rd Address (if applicable)

Rental Address (street/city)

Street Address City

From Date

Month

Day

Year

To Date

Month

Day

Year

Landlord Name

Landlord Phone Number

Reason for Leaving

Subsidized Housing Information

b. Have you or any members of your household ever lived in subsidized housing?

Yes

If YES, please provide the following information.

1st Tenancy Information (if applicable)

Name on Tenancy

Name & Address of Development

Reason for Leaving

Money Owing

Yes

2nd Tenancy Information (if applicable)

Name on Tenancy

Name & Address of Development

Reason for Leaving

Money Owing

Yes

3rd Tenancy Information (if applicable)

Name on Tenancy

Name & Address of Development

Reason for Leaving

Money Owing

Yes

5. Income and Asset Information

Is anyone in the household receiving income assistance form the Ministry of Social Development and Social Innovation?

Yes

If YES, please complete the fields below for each person receiving assistance.

1st Person Information (if applicable)

Name

Monthly Amount

Program Name

Person with Disability (PWD)

Employable

Person with Persistent Multiple Barriers (PPMB)

2nd Person Information (if applicable)

Name

Monthly Amount

Program Name

Person with Disability (PWD)

Employable

Person with Persistent Multiple Barriers (PPMB)

3rd Person Information (if applicable)

Name

Monthly Amount

Program Name

Person with Disability (PWD)

Employable

Person with Persistent Multiple Barriers (PPMB)

b. For all other income sources, list gross monthly income (before deductions) for everyone age 19 and older

1st Person Income Information (if applicable)

Name*

Income Source (employment, EI, pension, etc.)*

Gross Monthly Income*

2nd Person Income Information (if applicable)

Name*

Enter N/A If not applicable.

Income Source (employment, EI, pension, etc.)*

Enter N/A if not applicable.

Gross Monthly Income*

Enter $0 if not applicable

Total Household Income

Total Gross Monthly Income for Household*

c. For any adult (age 19 or older) with no income, please tell us why there is no income.

*If an adult child (age 19 to 24) is a full-time student, attach proof of student status to application

Max. file size: 100 MB.

d. List the current value of all assets held by you and members of the household.

Cash/Bank Balance

Stocks/ Bonds/ Term Deposits

Other Assets

RRSP's/ Annuities

Residential Real Estate

Other Real Estate Holdings

6. Current Accommodation

a. Do you:

Rent

Own

Share Expense

Other

b. How much is your rent payment?

Payment Frequency

Monthly

Weekly

Nightly

Is heat included in the rent?

Yes

c. How many bedrooms does your household have?

Please describe your current living arrangements (check one):

House/Townhouse

Second-Stage Housing

Housekeeping Room & Board

Motel/Hotel

Apartment/ Basement Suite

Trailer in park with Services

Living with Family/Friends

Care Facility Treatment Centre

Transition House

Emergency Shelter

Other (describe below)

If Other (describe)

e. Do you have a bathroom?

Private

Shared

None

f. Do you have a kitchen?

Private

Shared

None

g. Have you received a legal Notice to End Tenancy?

Yes

If YES, what date do you have to move by?

Month

Day

Year

7. Health and Mobility Information

To assist with matching you to housing that best suits your needs, please complete the following questions.

a. Do you, or any members of your household, have restrictions with stairs?

No Restrictions

Cannot manage stairs

Limited number of stairs

Do you, or any members of your household, use a:

Wheelchair?

Yes

If Yes, who?

Do you, or any members of your household, use a:

Scooter?

Yes

If Yes, who?

If a wheelchair is used, is it used inside your home?

Yes

If Yes, is it used in a kitchen?

Yes

If Yes, is it used in the bathroom?

Yes

d. Other than mobility concerns, do you, or any members of your household, have a health condition or disability?

Yes

1st Person Health Condition or Disability Information (if applicable)

Name

Explain the health condition or disability

2nd Person Health Condition or Disability Information (if applicable)

Name

Explain the health condition or disability

3rd Person Health Condition or Disability Information (if applicable)

Name

Explain the health condition or disability

Other Health Condition or Disability Information

How does the health condition or disability described above affect your ability to function in your current housing? Please explain:

Please describe any special requirements or features that you may need in your housing related to your mobility or health condition.

Do you have any pets?

Yes

Cat

Dog

If you have a Cat or Dog, would you be willing to give them up?

Yes

Your application will go through once you press submit, you do not need to hit submit multiple times. Please be aware that it may be a couple weeks until your application is seen and put into the system. *Should there be an available unit open up we always ensure all applications, even brand new ones, are seen and considered before a unit is awarded.*

Please have a look at the FAQ page. This answers many of the most commonly asked questions applicants may have and contains additional information and useful resources that are available to people.*

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Click here to view the maintenance request form.

Tenant Feedback Form (1)

Please share your housing thoughts, concerns or questions with us.

Name(Required)

First Last

Address

Street Address Address Line 2 City State / Province / Region ZIP / Postal Code Country

Email(Required)

Your Feedback is welcome(Required)

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Housing Frequently Asked Questions

I need a place to live by the end of the month. Can you help me?

Unfortunately, CMHA Vernon does not provide emergency housing. Emergency shelter options in Vernon:

Turning Points For men 250-542-3555

Gateway Support Services for Men and Women. Men: 250-260-2792, Women: 250-260-2786

Archway for Women 250-542-1122 or text 250-540-0656

How can I rent affordable housing from CMHA?

The first step in renting is to complete a housing application. Applicants are then put onto a waiting list and when a unit becomes available, an applicant is chosen from the waiting list.
Applications are available on our website at https://cmhavernon.ca/housing-services/ and clicking on the “Housing Application” link which can be filled out and submitted online or faxed (250-549-8446). Additionally, applications can be picked up at our office at 3100 28th Ave, Vernon.

Do I qualify for affordable housing? What type of unit would I get?

Applicants are categorized into one of two income levels for the purpose of determining what rental subsidy the household will qualify for. Secondly, each applicant is placed on a waiting list for the size and type of unit they qualify for i.e – 4 bedrooms, family, and disabled.

How long will it take?

There is a BIG demand for affordable housing. The number of applicants is much greater than the number of units available. The length of time an applicant waits will vary depending on the type of request and the number of units available. It is not uncommon for applicants to wait a number of years. New placements can only take place when a current tenant moves out. CMHA does not have units available for emergency situations, units are always appropriately filled to maintain full occupancy.

Where am I on the waiting list?

CMHA is not able to provide this information since new applications are taken every week and the priority of placement is constantly changing. As a result, CMHA only reviews the priority of the waiting list when a unit becomes available which could be many months or years.

How does CMHA choose the applicant for the next available unit?

Placements are made from the waiting list and are based on a number of factors. These include but are not limited to:

Availability: What type of unit is coming up (i.e. 1, 2, 3 or 4 bedrooms?)
Eligibility: What type of subsidy is available for this unit
Suitability: Are there any physical limitations of the applicant such as stairs.
Need Point Score: Guidelines are set by BC Housing to objectively evaluate the needs of each applicant. The guidelines consider: the cost of rent as a percentage of income, current living conditions, assets, length of time on waiting list, etc.
References: Good references from prior landlords are an important factor in the evaluation process.

Can I Keep my pets?

CMHA allows small caged animals such as hamsters or birds.

Cats, dogs and rabbits are not allowed.

Registered service dogs that perform a specific task (i.e owner is blind and requires a seeing eye dog) and are certified, trained, or accredited through a recognized program (PADS etc) are allowed.

Emotional and therapy animals are not recognized or allowed.

How much will I be expected to pay?

If you are offered a rent-geared to income unit, the amount you will pay depends on the size of your family and your gross household income (income before taxes). Payments are generally set at approximately 30% gross household income. Debt load is not taken into consideration when payments are calculated. You may qualify for a small hear allowance.

What happens if my income changes? Will I have to move out?

For rent-geared-to-income units, payments are re-calculated when household income changes. Payments may also be re-calculated when there is a change in the number of occupants in the household. If a household’s income rises beyond the eligibility guidelines, a tenant may be asked to move out within a reasonable time frame.

How can someone who applied after I did, get into a unit before me?

Most often the timing of placements relates to the differences in eligibility for one of the units. CMHA manages a wide variety of housing units with 1, 2, 3 or 4 bedrooms. Some units are for families and some for those with disabilities. In addition to the configuration of the units, each unit is further categorized into one of 2 income levels. In all, CMHA has 5 categories of units and each application is filled according to the eligibility for one of the categories.

When a unit becomes available, only the applications eligible for that unit are reviewed and current eligibility is confirmed. Due to the complexity of determining eligibility for each category, we ask that applicants contact CMHA to update their file when they have a change of income, accommodation, phone number or family size.

When I am in such great need, how can someone else be placed before I am?

As difficult as some situations are, there are always applicants with equal or greater needs. When choosing between very needy households, CMHA must rely on the most current information supplied by the applicants and carefully review all the factors noted in point #6 above.

What can I do?

KEEP YOUR FILE UP TO DATE

If the office receives no contact from the applicant within a 12-month period, the application is marked inactive. (this means the applicant will not be considered if a unit becomes available).
If a call is received from an applicant after the 12 months period, the application is archived. (this means the application is removed from the wait list).

If you no longer desire to live in a CMHA housing unit, please let the office know so that your application can be removed from the application waiting list.

It is important to remember that things move slowly in regard to housing, and it is for that reason we ask people to only update annually (once a year) except for cases where relevant household information has changed. Weekly or monthly calls to check on your application has no bearing on an applicants chances to get in as only after an entire year do we mark an application as inactive.

If you are needing to update your housing application or are advocating for someone and want to either email additional information or support them please email [email protected] or call 250-542-3114 (ext 214).

Are there other housing providers in Vernon?

CMHA is one of a number of affordable housing organizations in Vernon. Since the various organizations do not share waiting lists, we encourage applicants to contact each group in order to apply for housing.
Other housing societies include:

Vernon Native Housing Society – http://www.vernonnativehousing.ca/ or 250-542.2834
Kindale Developmental Association – https://www.kindale.net/ or 250-546-3005
Turning points Collaborative Society- http://turningpoints.ngo/ or 250-542-3555

Definitions

Affordable Housing: Both the federal and provincial governments have set up programs that are aimed at assisting low to moderate income households by providing housing at a cost below the going market rates. Over the years, both levels of government have instituted numerous programs to accomplish this objective. Many affordable housing programs are operated in partnership with non-profit organizations like CMHA.

Family: for the purposes of housing allocations, means a minimum of 2 persons and must include at least 1 dependent child (under 19 years of age)

BC Housing: The British Columbia Housing and Management commission (also known as BCHMC) is a crown corporation of the Province of BC.

CMHC: Canada mortgage and Housing Corporation is a crown corporation of the Government of Canada and is the agency responsible for the admissions of many of the housing related programs offered through the federal government.

Rent-Geared-To-Income: refers to the setting of the monthly payment amount for a tenant. The formula is set by BC Housing and tenants pay approximately 30$ of gross household income.

Person with a Disability: for the purposes of housing allocations, means a person who, in the written opinion of a medical doctor or registered psychologist, has a significant permanent disability that cannot be significantly permanently improved by medical treatment.

Thank you for considering a donation to our housing programs. Your support gives our North Okanagan neighbours a safe place to call home, reduces isolation, and strengthens our community one household at a time. Join us to provide stable rent, safety, and hope—so more neighbours can move from crisis to comfort and thrive.

Click here to donate