Rent Assistance Benefit (RAB)

Rent Assistance Benefit (RAB) is a long-term benefit designed for low-income households whose qualifying income is below the 2022 Income Thresholds.   The Rent Assistance Benefit is a subsidy paid directly to recipients to help make their rent with a private landlord more affordable.  The benefit is prioritized based on need, household income, and local market rent conditions.

The benefit amount is the difference between what would be affordable rent (30 percent of the recipient’s total household income) and the market rent for the unit, up to the maximum supplement amount.  The maximum Rental Assistance Benefits are: 

• $400 for a household requiring a bachelor or one-bedroom suite;
• $550 for a household requiring a two-bedroom suite;
• $650 for a household requiring a three-bedroom suite; and 
• $750 for a household requiring a four-bedroom suite.

Eligibility for the Rent Assistance Benefit

To qualify for a Rent Assistance Benefit, applicants must meet all eligibility criteria under the Social Housing Accommodation Regulation.  This means you must: 

• Be in core housing need;
• Have a total asset value of $25,000 or less;
• Be a Canadian Citizen, permanent resident, convention refugee, an individual who has applied for refugee or immigration status and where private sponsorship has broken down.

Eligible Housing Types

Housing Types that qualify for the Rent Assistance Benefit program include: 

• a self-contained, rented home with its own kitchen and bathroom.  
• a self-contained rented basement suite or secondary suite as approved by the municipality. 
• a house, row/townhouse, duplex.
• an apartment, co-operative, or condominium suite.
• A mobile home where you rent both the mobile home and the pad.

The following housing types do not qualify for the Rent Assistance Benefit:

• Hotels, motels.
• Illegal basement/secondary suites.
• Owned mobile homes requesting supplement for the rent of the pad.
• Shared living accommodations with the landlord or family-owned home.
• Housing owned by the applicant.
• Currently living in Social Housing or receiving other rental benefits.

Rental Assistance Benefits are offered on a priority-rated point-scoring system.  Benefits are provided to applicants with the highest point score in the community they are applying for as long as funding is available from the Government of Alberta. 

You can apply online by clicking the link below or submitting your application by mail or fax to Homeland Housing.

Homeland Housing
10021 – 101 Street
Morinville, Alberta T8R 1R9
Tel: (780) 939 – 5116
Fax: (780) 939 – 2513

Click Here To Apply

Benefits are provided after an application has been submitted and approved.  Unfortunately, program funding is limited – not all qualified applicants can be approved.

Applicants who are approved into the program receive their benefits on or before the first day of each month.

The eligibility of benefit recipients is reviewed annually.  Recipients will be required to submit their Notice of Assessment provided by the Canada Revenue Agency.  Ongoing eligibility depends on your income and available funding from the Government of Alberta. 

If you remain eligible and funding is available, you will continue to receive the benefit.

Your landlord will be the individual or organization with whom you have a tenancy agreement.  Homeland Housing (HLD) is not your landlord.

Your agreement with Homeland Housing is only for the funds you receive through the Rental Assistance Benefit program.

Please email our office at [email protected] or call (780) 939 – 5116 if you have additional questions about the Rental Assistance Benefit (RAB) program.