Woodsworth has long had bylaws that allowed previous members to request to return to Woodsworth. Usually, some change in the former member’s circumstances prompted the move out – such as job change or family responsibilities.
The Membership Bylaw has the full details in Article 2.3.5. Returning members applying as internal applicants.
Summary of the bylaw:
Returning members can apply using the internal process by contacting the co-op and attending an internal information session.
The candidate must not have left owing money to Woodsworth, nor were evicted, nor left after a notice to appear, nor in situations of domestic violence.
They must have resided in the co-op as members for at least two (2) years. Any time as long-term guest does not count.
They must attend any information session, fill in an application, and be interviewed by the Membership Committee. Management will do a credit check, a landlord check and income verification. Board will consider their application and make the decision.
After approval by the Board, the returning member must request a unit through the internal relocation process. There is no waiting period. The date that the co-operative receives their completed Request for Internal Relocation form is their record date for the purposes of the waiting list.
If the previous member has others in their household who do not qualify as returning members, the new member must apply for long-term guest status for them. This applies to anyone aged 16 and over. Only previous members may apply for membership through this process.
Former resident non-members such as former long-term guests can only apply as an external applicant when the external waiting list is open.
To make things easier:
Find documentation that you lived in Woodsworth, such as your Occupancy Agreement, correspondence about move-out, other proof that you lived in Woodsworth as a member for two years or more. The co-op will require proof that you lived here.
About moving in Woodsworth:
Woodsworth has a long external and internal waiting list. Our external waiting list is closed at this point. A successful applicant for membership will have a long wait.
Woodsworth has also made some changes to how units are allocated.
See Membership Bylaw, Article 4. Allocating units by waiting lists. One big change is that the co-op alternates between internal and external waiting lists when filling units.
See also the details in Article 5. Internal waiting list for unit allocation which discusses skipping if the unit does not meet your particular criteria. And unit size depends on occupancy standards. This is in the Membership Bylaw as well as the Occupancy Bylaw, Article 9.3.