Membership
Criteria for Membership in Don Area Co-op:
1. Evidence of financial responsibility
2. Household size (generally a minimum of one person per bedroom, and a maximum of two people per bedroom)
3. Likelihood that the applicant will maintain the unit and other property in good condition
4. Indication of a positive attitude to living in a diverse community
5. Ability to live independently in the co-op.
Don Area Co-op does not discriminate by reason of racialized community, nationality or ethnicity, faith, age, gender expression or identity, marital status, political affinity or activity, sexual orientation, family relationship, disability, or conviction for which a pardon has been granted.
Pets are allowed at Don Area Co-op. The Toronto Municipal Code, Chapter 349 Animals, governs the possession, maintenance and control of animals on co-op property.
How to Become a Member of Don Area Co-op:
1. If the waiting list for the size of unit you would like is open, download and fill out standard Membership Application and submit it along with the non-refundable application fee of $15 to the co-op office.
Please send your completed application by email to office@donarea.com and the $15 application fee by eTransfer to the same email address.
You can also mail or drop off your application with a cheque or money order to:
Don Area Co-op
255 Carlton Street
(rear basement)
Toronto, ON M5A 2L4
Your name will be placed on the waiting list for the size of unit you’ve requested. You can apply for more than one size of unit. Keep in mind that the number of people in your household determines what size of unit you qualify for (see item 2. of Criteria for Membership, above). The date your application and fee are received determines your spot on the list. Please note that we are unable to accommodate requests to be placed higher on the list for any reason.
2. Your application remains active on the waiting list for one year. If you wish to remain on the list after that, you must let us know. Your application will not be renewed automatically. You will receive an annual renewal form in the mail to assist you in keeping your application active. There are no additional administrative fees for annual renewal.
3. When a housing unit becomes vacant, we phone the people on the waiting list, in order, beginning with the applicant who has waited the longest. If we are unable to reach an applicant, we move on to the next name on the list. It’s important to let us know right away if your phone number changes. When we get to your name you will be invited to see the unit.
4. If you like the unit and wish to become a member, we will invite you to an interview, and your credit history and landlord references will be checked. These are done to help determine if you meet the membership criteria. The Board of Directors makes the final decision to grant membership. If you are approved, you become a member on the day you take possession of the unit.
5. A deposit of $100 toward the first month’s housing charge is required within four days of approval by the board. The balance of the first month’s housing charge and a Member Guarantee are due upon move in. At Don Area Co-op members do not pay the last month’s housing charge in advance. The Member Guarantee is a deposit held by the co-op. It is returned to you when you leave the co-op, if you have given the required 70 days notice, and your unit is in satisfactory condition. The amount of the Member Guarantee is 1 1/2 times one month’s housing charge.
Contact the office for more information about becoming a member.