Living in Community Housing

Produced once a year, this newsletter is a forum for both tenants and the Region to share important information, as well as photos from community events and celebrations.

Whatsup Winter 2022 newsletter and Important Reminders

Youth Force is a summer employment program that helps teens and young adults become champions in their neighbourhoods. The program is open to anyone between 14 and 25 years old who lives in or near community housing in Waterloo Region.

Participants are hired by community centres to work in their neighbourhoods while building skills to help with their future careers. Duties include clean ups, gardening, and unit inspections. Supervisory roles are open to the older participants.

We provide people living in Waterloo Region Housing with opportunities to work together to make decisions about the communities they live in.

Recently, tenants from nine WRH communities voted on a colour scheme for bathroom renovations by placing a sticker (dot) next to the colour board they preferred. The one with the most dots was chosen. Feedback from tenants who took part was overwhelmingly positive.

As a tenant of Waterloo Region Housing rent payments can be made online, in-person or by mail. Please see instructions below. 

Online Banking

Depending on which institution you bank with, you may be able to pay your rent online by setting up Waterloo Region Housing as a new payee for online bill payments.

• Log-in to your bank's website
• Follow the instructions to add a new payee for online bill payments
• Payee information starts with “Waterloo Region” and appears in your bank’s payee list as follows: Waterloo Region Housing (WRH)
  • You will need your tenant number to use for your account number. If you don’t know your tenant number, contact your Tenant Services Coordinator or call 519-575-4400 to be connected to your Tenant Services Coordinator

Pre-Authorized Payment

You can set-up your rent as a pre-authorized payment with Waterloo Region Housing. This means your rent is automatically deducted from your account at the beginning of each month so you’ll save the time and costs associated with cheques.

• You will need a pre-authorized debit form from your bank to provide to your Tenant Services Coordinator
• Please ensure to include your address and tenant code when submitting the form
  • You can email the form to your Tenant Services Coordinator, fax the form to 519-893-8447, mail it to or drop it off at one of these addresses:
  • 20 Weber St. E., Kitchener, ON N2H 1C3
  • 99 Regina St. S., Waterloo, ON N2J 4V6
  • 150 Main St., Cambridge, ON N1R 6P9
    • If you do not know who your Tenant Services Coordinator is or have any questions call 519-575-4400 to be connected to your Tenant Services Coordinator

In-Person

Cash and debit payments can be made in-person at one of our three Welcome Spaces:

• 20 Weber St. E., Kitchener, ON N2H 1C3
• 99 Regina St. S., Waterloo, ON N2J 4V6
• 150 Main St., Cambridge, ON N1R 6P9

By Mail

Cheques can be mailed to or dropped off at one of these addresses:

• 20 Weber St. E., Kitchener, ON N2H 1C3
• 99 Regina St. S., Waterloo, ON N2J 4V6
• 150 Main St., Cambridge, ON N1R 6P9

Please ensure to include your address and tenant number with the cheque.

Please remember to keep your children under the age of 12 safe by supervising them when they are at the playgrounds.

They must not be permitted to play or run into parking lot areas. Also, children's toys and bikes should be stored in the patio area of your home.

It can be very dangerous for children to skateboard or ride bikes in parking lots and driveways; drivers may not see the children, and may not have enough time to stop.

Please explain the risks to your children and help keep them safe!

It is your responsibility if your child damages property, including cars.

As a tenant, you may use one parking spot (if available, depending on where you live). Visitors must park on the street or in designated visitor parking spots only. Please be careful when you are entering and exiting your car to not damage the car beside you. 

Your safety is important to us. Please contact your Property Manager before making changes to your home. This could be for planters, holiday lights or decorations, and the use of peel and stick tiles.

You also need approval from your Property Manager to install a satellite dish or air conditioner.

In the interest of tenant safety, Waterloo Region Housing does not allow bedrooms in basements. 

Tenants are responsible for cleaning and/or replacing clothing, bedding, furniture and other household contents. Insurance can protect you from having to pay to replace household items.

The HSC Tenant Insurance Program offers property and liability coverage. Property coverage protects you from loss or damage to your personal property and pays for living expenses if you need to leave your home because of a covered loss. Liability protects you from costs of claims made against you for accidental injury or damage to someone else's property.

Non-urgent maintenance requests

Please call 519-575-4800 if there is a maintenance emergency in your unit. This includes bed bugs, a sewer back-up, major property damage, or a power outage.

If you call Monday to Friday between 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and are asked to leave a message, please give as many details as you can.

If you have an emergency when the office is closed, your call will be answered by an after-hours dispatch service.