About Us

Rent Assist Allies is a new community-driven initiative that addresses the urgent and complex challenge of family homelessness in Ottawa. Guided by a community-based Advisory Committee, Rent Assist Allies is designed to compliment existing services and fill gaps in homelessness prevention resources available to families.

Rent Assist Allies is working in collaboration with OMRA and local partners to prevent family homelessness by offering rent subsidies to maintain stable housing paired with community-driven relational supports that enable pathways to self-sufficiency. Operating under the OMRA Shelter Corporation and building on their successful model of providing subsidies to resettled refugees facing housing precarity, Rent Assist Allies will help families at risk of homelessness maintain stable housing by providing rent subsidies paired with social and practical supports provided through Action Logement, that foster recovery and self-sufficiency.

By stabilizing families before they are forced to enter destabilizing emergency shelter care, Rent Assist Allies offers a cost-effective, scaleable and preventative approach that ensures families remain housed, hopeful, and supported as they recover and rebuild.

Applications for subsidy and support accepted only through one of our referral partners.

Vision

A future where families facing housing precarity, eviction, or homelessness maintain stable housing, find hope

Vision

A future where families facing housing precarity, eviction, or homelessness maintain stable housing, find hope through supportive community relationships and thrive with dignity, resilience, and opportunity.

Mission

Rent Assist Allies collaborates with local partners to prevent family homelessness by offering rent subsidies to maintain stable housing

Mission

Rent Assist Allies collaborates with local partners to prevent family homelessness by offering rent subsidies to maintain stable housing paired with community-driven social and practical supports that enable pathways to self-sufficiency.

Core Purpose

To create a scalable model that prevents family homelessness by providing stability and fostering self-sufficiency

Core Purpose

To create a scalable model that prevents family homelessness by providing stability and fostering self-sufficiency, while alleviating systemic pressures on local housing-support services.

Delivery Partners:

Let’s Build Something Strong Together

RAA accepts charitable donations through OMRA and the Ottawa Community Foundation. Please contact us for more information.

Bio

Janet Kreda

Program Manager

Janet Kreda is the Research Director at DCarr Community Solutions, and has over 25 years of experience working in affordable housing, social policy and community development. Most recently she was a senior manager of Housing Research with CMHC where she focused on building funding and support for indigenous organizations to conduct housing research, implementing and verifying the results of investments in the National Housing Strategy (NHS), including the long-term social and economic outcomes of housing investments and housing accessibility.

OMRA – Implementation Committee

Carol Buckley

Caroline Pestieau

Doreen Dyck

Karen Walker