Tenant Handbook
On this page, you will find a variety of resources to keep you informed on your responsibilities as a tenant, and our duties as your landlord.
The tenant handbook is for you. It includes important information about your tenancy with NSPHA, such as what you can expect from us as your landlord. This handbook also explains rules that all tenants must follow.
Brochures and Guides
Overhousing
NSPHA offers housing to eligible applicants based on their household composition, housing needs, and desired location. Over time, these factors may change. NSPHA annually reviews tenants’ household sizes and needs to make sure that their unit and housing needs match. In some cases, a household may have more bedrooms than occupants require – we consider this overhousing. The Overhousing Policy aims to move tenants who have more space than they need into appropriately sized units. By doing so, more families can access safe, suitable, and deeply affordable public housing.
Background: In 2022, the Auditor General’s Report recommended that the government implement lease renewal processes to verify the continued eligibility of public housing tenants. This includes assessing whether tenants may be overhoused.
In Spring 2023, NSPHA strengthened our processes to support the implementation of the existing overhousing policy.
Households are typically overhoused for one of two reasons – a decrease in household members or a lack of suitable units available when housing was offered. When these households move to more suitable units, it creates more space to accommodate waitlisted families.
Appealing a Decision
If you disagree with decisions made on your request to transfer to another public housing unit, rent calculations, unit calculations or tenant charges, you can request to appeal that decision. An appeal is a request to have a decision made by NSPHA reviewed.