New BC Housing Home Adaptions for Independence (HAFI) Program

BC Housing has a new funding program that low income seniors and people with disabilities can use to fund renovations to their home to make it more accessible. In BC, this program replaces the Canada Mortgage and Housing (CMHC) Residential Rehabilitation Assistance Program (RRAP). Other provinces have announced similar programs to replace the discontinued Federal program.

As a low-income senior or person with a disability you may be eligible if you meet the following requirements:

  • You are a Canadian citizen or landed immigrant and reside in BC
  • You or any member or your household has a permanent disability or loss of ability that causes difficulty with daily living activities.
  • Your total household income and assets are below the limits established.
  • Your assessed home value is less than the limit established for your market (by geographic region).

For a detailed list of eligibility requirements visit the BC Housing website at www.bchousing.org/HAFI. If you are an eligible tenant living in market rental accommodation, your landlord will need to apply on your behalf.

The HAFI program will provide eligible homeowners and landlords with financial assistance of up to $20,000 per home, in the form of a forgivable loan. The loan will not need to be paid back if the applicant adheres to program requirements that include continuing to occupy the home or limiting rent increases for tenants. Funding for the program is shared equally by the federal and provincial governments. This new program was announced January 27th, 2012.

Adaptions need to be items that are directly related to your disability or diminished abilities.

These include:

  • wheel-in shower, bathtub lift or bathroom chair, lever-type or sensor controlled faucets for bathtubs with thermostatic controls, a handheld showerhead with flexible tubing. A soaker or jet tub may be eligible if deemed necessary to meet the demands of daily living.
  • a bidet, or raised toilet
  • ramps for ease of access
  • lever handles on doors
  • modification of room layouts for safety and accessibility
  • contrast border colours
  • grab bars, lifting devices, handrails in hallway or stairways

All adaptions should be permanent and fixed to the home. Exceptions can be made for equipment designed to improve access to existing parts of the home, such as bath lifts. Supportive care, and portable aids such as walkers, are not eligible. Emergency repairs to roofs and furnaces or maintenance work are not eligible.

There are three steps in the process:

  1. Gather the required documents and ensure that you meet all the eligibility conditions
  2. Fill out an application
  3. Send it in.
  4. Wait for approval and funding. Do not start any work prior to receiving approval.

You can apply online by downloading the application from this link:

http://www.bchousing.org/resources/Housing_Options/Home_Renovations/HAFI/HAFI_Application_Guide.pdf

Or you can call 1-800-407-7757 (ext. 7055) to have the documents mailed to you

The process requires a bit of paperwork and a waiting period, but if your application is successful, you may end up with a FREE accessible shower or bathtub and accessible home renovation. There are not many government programs that will actually pay 100% of anything, so this is a great opportunity for homeowners to pay for needed renovations. **Be aware, you need to have funding approval BEFORE you do any work.

Aquassure has had many of our showers and bathtubs in Canada paid for under the CMHC RRAP for Disabilities grant. Aquassure would be happy to provide an estimate and help walk you through beginning the process of application.

This page was updated November 28th, 2013.

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