This summary based on the Membership Bylaw #84 covers internal and external waiting lists:
– Internal relocation requests
– Exceptions: There are some cases where a member or household can’t join the internal waiting list.
– Splitting households (internal)
– External waiting lists for units
– All unit allocations, internal and external
– Unit preferences, internal and external
– Making and receiving unit offers – Woodsworth alternates between waiting lists of the same size.
– Timelines for contacting people, and accepting units, for internal and external unit allocations.
– No fee.
– Move-in date requirements
– Special situations
- Internal relocation requests
(a) Members normally are allowed to apply to relocate within Woodsworth.
(b) Members may apply to transfer to any size or type of unit that meets applicable occupancy standards.
(c) Households living in Woodsworth and Returning Members who have been approved by the Board of Directors as members may join the internal waiting list. Households must apply using the Relocation request form. [Membership Bylaw #84, Article 5.7]
(d) There are copies of the Internal Relocation Application form in the Photocopy Room and on the co-op website.
(e) Position on the internal waiting list
An applicant’s place on the internal waiting list is determined by the date that a completed Request for Internal Relocation form is received by the co-operative office, subject to any restrictions on joining the waiting lists, regardless of unit size request changes.
2. Exceptions: There are some cases where a member or household can’t join the internal waiting list.
(a) A household in arrears can’t be on the waiting list. (Exception: on subsidy) [Article 5.1.2 c]
(b) Minimum period of residence in a unit – Members must live in their unit for at least two (2) years before they can apply to relocate. This applies to all relocation requests . However the Board may waive it. See Article 5.2.5. [Article 5.1.2 a]
(c) New members who became members as long-term guests or Turning 16s must wait two years after Board approval of membership before joining the internal waiting list. Exception: if already on the waiting list as of Sept 26, 2023, the old bylaw of 1 year wait applies. [Article 5.1.2 b]
They cannot join the internal waiting list until the required waiting period of two years has elapsed. The time the new member lived in the co-op previously to becoming a member does not count as part of the 2 years’ wait. [Article 2.3.3 I]
They cannot inherit a unit alone until they have lived with the household for two (2) years after membership approval. Exception: Occupancy Bylaw, Article 10.4 Death of a member. However, they may be eligible to move with the rest of the household.
See restrictions on joining the waiting list in Article 5.1.2 (b).
3. Splitting households (internal)
(a) This is in the Occupancy Bylaw but the new Membership Bylaw has more specific information.
(b) There may be a requirement to move if one or more occupants move out and the remaining household does not meet occupancy standards. [Occupancy Bylaw Article 9.4] unless the remaining household has lived in the unit for three years and achieved tenure. For details see [Occupancy Bylaw, 9.4a].
(c) The households on subsidy have their own rules on occupancy. See Appendix C of the Occupancy Bylaw and the Housing Charge Subsidy Bylaw.
4. External waiting lists for units
(a) Households who used the external membership process and have been approved by the Board as members are put on the external waiting list. (Staff transfers the information from the application form to the external waiting list. All prospective occupants must be listed.) [Article 6.1]
(b) Management transfers requests from the external application form to the external waiting lists.
(c) Position on the external waiting list
The record date for determining an applicant’s place on the co-operative’s external waiting list will be the date when a completed application is received by the office.
5. All unit allocations, Internal and External
(a) All prospective occupants of the requested unit must be listed on the application form in order to meet occupancy standards.
(b) All households must meet occupancy standards for the unit size they have requested. There is a minimum of 1 occupant per bedroom except for the mid-rise and Wilton Street where a single member household can have a 2-bedroom unit. [Article 4 c, Article 4d]
(c) The household can be made of up people currently living in the co-op or those who will apply for long-term guest status when a unit is offered to their family / household. [Article 4e]
(d) Management handles waiting lists, unit offers, and moves. Applicants, please update Management on contact information and household names. Delays in response may affect your position on the waiting lists.
6. Unit preferences, internal and external
(a) Applicants can join the lists for a maximum of two choices at any one time, for any unit for which they qualify. [Article 4g]
(b) Applicants may specify that they only wish to live in a particular area of the co-operative, a particular floor, a particular type of unit or a particular unit or units.
(c) Adding special requests may delay being offered a unit. See 5.2.4 (b). This information is listed in the relocation application form.
(d) Applicants are skipped over by Management if the available unit does not meet the criteria selected by the member. This does not count as a refusal. [Article 4h]
(e) Adding criteria such as location does not give the household any priority for units when their preferred unit becomes available. They must be next on the waiting list when a match comes up for their preference. Adding criteria does not give the household the right to skip members above them on the waiting list. [Article 4h] [Article 5.2.4b]
(f) Members can make changes to unit size or other preferences or household names without losing their place on the waiting list. [Article 4g]
7. Making and receiving unit offers – Woodsworth alternates between waiting lists of the same size.
[This is the full Membership Bylaw Article 4.1]
(a) The co-operative will fill vacancies alternately from the internal and external waiting lists unless there is someone with established special priority for that sized unit. See Article 5.2.1 about priority list.
(b) Alternation of waiting lists applies to all sized units: 1, 2. 3 and 4 bedroom units.
(c) One (1) of each unit size will be filled from the internal waiting list and then the next available of that unit size will be filled from the external waiting list. Each unit size (bedroom) waiting list operates independently.
(d) One bedroom units will be filled alternately between the one bedroom internal and external waiting lists.
Two bedroom units will be filled alternately between the two bedroom internal and external waiting lists.
Three bedroom units will be filled alternately between the three bedroom internal and external waiting lists.
Four bedroom units will be filled alternately between the four bedroom internal and external waiting lists
(e) If no one on the appropriate waiting list is qualified for or accepts the available unit, the alternate waiting list for that size unit will be used.
(f) Only moves from the regular internal and external waiting lists count for alternating between internal and external wait lists. A priority move doesn’t count as an internal move. Allocation of wheelchair adapted units does not count as an internal or external move.
8. Timelines for contacting people, and accepting units, for internal and external unit allocations.
(a) Contacting people with unit offers: if unable to contact the person next in line on the waiting list within three (3) business days, the unit will be offered to the next eligible member. It is considered a refusal. [Internal Article 5.5.1] [External Article 6.2.4]
(b) Making a decision: a household offered a unit will be given three (3) business days to decide whether to accept the unit [Internal Article 5.5.2] [External Article 6.2a]
(c) Three refusals bump the household to the bottom of the list.[Internal Article 5.5.3] [External Article 6.2.5]
(d) No reply or no contact/no response counts as a refusal. [Internal Article 5.5.1], [External Article 6.2.4]
(e) For Priority Moves, after three refusals, they are removed from the priority waiting list. Management must notify the member. [Article 5.5.5]
(f) Once a unit is accepted, the household is removed from the waiting list for other sizes or types of unit. [Article 4k]
9. No fee
There is no relocation nor application fee. [Article 5]
10. Move-in date requirements
(a) Internal waiting list: Members will be provided with at least thirty (30) days notice for an internal relocation. [5.5.7]
(b) External list: They will not be required to take occupancy and commence payment of the housing charges until the first day of the third month following the offer, approximately sixty (60) days. [6.2.8]
11. Special situations
(a) There is a priority waiting list.
Members who require accommodation for disabilities or other special circumstances can request a priority move. There are special rules in place for this. See Management. See Article 5.2.1 of the Membership Bylaw and Schedule F.
(b) A few units designated as wheelchair adapted are filled differently. See Article 9 of the Membership Bylaw, Wheelchair adapted units.
See the Membership Bylaw #84 and the relocation application form