Screening Criteria

Credit reports

Credit reports will not be obtained for household members who are 18 years of age or older (adult). 

Criminal Records Screening Process

• The Owner will conduct a national criminal background check, including the Dru Sjodin National Sex Offender website for each adult member of an applicant household.
  
  
• If the criminal background report reveals negative information about a household member and the Owner proposes to deny admission due to the negative information, the subject of the record (and the applicant, if different) will be provided notice of the proposed adverse action and an opportunity to dispute the accuracy of the record. The notice will include the name, address, and telephone number of the agency that composed the criminal record report and inform the applicant of his or her right to dispute the accuracy of the criminal record report as well as his or her right to a free copy of the criminal record report
  
  
• If the applicant does not contact the Owner to dispute the accuracy of the criminal record within ten (10) business days, the Owner will send a written notice of ineligibility to the applicant stating the specific reason for denial and advise the applicant of their appeal rights and - if disabled - their right to request a reasonable accommodation, if applicable.

Criminal Admissions Criteria

• If a member of an applicant household has been convicted of a felony offense involving the sale or manufacture of a controlled substance, the Owner:
  • Will deny admission if the conviction, or exit from incarceration, occurred within five (5) years of application.
  • May deny admission if the conviction occurred more than five (5) years but within ten (10) years of application.
  • Will not deny admission if the conviction occurred more than ten (10) years before application.
    
    
• If a member of an applicant household has been convicted of a violent felony offense (a violent felony is a Class A, B, C, D, E, F, or G felony or any felony requiring registration on the sex offender registry.  A nonviolent felony is a Class H or I felony), the Owner:
  • Will deny admission if the conviction occurred within five (5) years of application.
  • May deny admission if the conviction occurred more than five (5) years before application.
    
    
• If a member of an applicant household has been convicted of a nonviolent felony offense, the Owner:
  • May deny admission if the conviction occurred within seven (7) years of application.
  • Will not deny admission if the conviction occurred more than seven (7) years before application.
    
    
• If a member of an applicant household has been convicted of a violent misdemeanor (a violent misdemeanor is a Class A1 misdemeanor or a misdemeanor requiring registration on the sex offender registry.  A nonviolent misdemeanor is a Class 1, 2, or 3 misdemeanors), the Owner:
  • Will deny admission if the conviction occurred within two (2) years of application.
  • May deny admission if the conviction occurred more than two (2) years before application.
• If a member of an applicant household has been convicted of a nonviolent misdemeanor offense, the Owner:
  • May deny admission if the conviction occurred within five (5) years of application.
  • Will not deny admission if the conviction occurred more than five (5) years before application.
    
    
• The Owner will not consider an arrest or charge that was resolved without conviction. In addition, the Owner will not consider expunged or sealed convictions.
  
  
• Where the Owner "may deny" admission to a household based on a criminal conviction, the Owner will conduct an individualized assessment of the criminal record and its impact on the household's suitability for admission before making a determination.
  
  
• If an applicant has an arrest with pending charges, the Owner may consider this as part of an individualized assessment. 
  
  
• This individualized assessment will include consideration of the following factors: (1) the seriousness of the criminal offense; (2) the relationship between the criminal offense and the safety and security of residents, staff, or property; (3) the length of time since the offense, with particular weight being given to significant periods of good behavior; (4) the age of the household member at the time of the offense;  (5) the number and nature of any other criminal convictions; (6) evidence of rehabilitation, such as employment, participation in a job training program, education, participation in a drug or alcohol treatment program, or recommendations from a parole or probation officer, employer, teacher, social worker, or community leader; and (7) tenancy supports or other risk mitigation services the applicant will be receiving or have access to during tenancy.
  
  
• If the Owner is not able to determine the specifics of the pending charges, the Owner may deny admission until the charges are resolved.  If the Owner can identify the specifics of the pending charges, the Owner will house the person if a resulting conviction would not change the decision to house.  Because a pending charge once adjudicated could be dismissed, reduced, or the accused found not guilty, the Owner will delay the determination until the charge is resolved if a resulting conviction of the initial charge would be grounds for denying the application for housing.  If the person has a disability and requests a reasonable accommodation, the provider should determine whether the request is appropriate while criminal charges are pending.
  
  
• If the applicant's criminal conviction was related to his or her disability, the Owner will consider a reasonable accommodation.

Landlord References

• Applicants will not be rejected for lack of rental history but may be rejected for unsatisfactory rental history.
  
  
• Any applicant who has been evicted for nonpayment of rent, damages, or material noncompliance in the past 12 months will not be accepted.
  
  
• Any applicant who owes past due funds to a previous landlord (including a Housing Authority or other housing program) will be rejected until all funds that are past due have been paid in full.
  
  
• Should the applicant be rejected based on a negative landlord reference, the applicant may appeal the rejection and if disabled, may request a reasonable accommodation.  The Owner may waive a rejection based solely on landlord reference if the negative information is due to unpaid rent or money owed and can be mitigated to the satisfaction of the Owner by substantially reducing the financial risk to the Owner.  Such examples of mitigation of risk include an applicant providing an acceptable third-party guarantor of the lease or paying an increased security deposit.
  
  
• Applicants who participate in a rent subsidy program that includes risk mitigation for the Owner such as the Housing Choice Voucher program (if the local administering agency allows special claims) or the Key rent subsidy administered by DHHS will not be rejected based solely on negative landlord reference based on unpaid rent or money owed.  Such programs provide risk mitigation tools which substantially reduce the likelihood that the Owner will be financially damaged as a result of waiving the landlord reference requirement.