UNIFORM RENTAL SCREENING CRITERIA NOTICE
EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY
This community does not discriminate based on race, color, sex, religion, disability, familial status, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, age, marital status, source of income, medical condition, gender, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, immigration status, citizenship, primary language, military or veteran status, domestic or sexual violence victim status, or any arbitrary basis. Each applicant will be accepted or rejected after reviewing the applicant’s specific application and conducting an individualized assessment based on our uniform screening criteria.
Each individual over the age of 18 who will occupy the apartment must complete the rental application in its entirety. All information may be verified by Woodmere Apartments.
Qualification for residency at Woodmere Apartments is evaluated based on income, credit/rental history, and criminal history. All three factors are equally considered, and applicants must meet all three standards independently for final qualification. Applicants can provide context regarding income, credit, eviction, or criminal history, which will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
If an applicant is rejected or conditionally accepted based on their credit history, they will receive an Adverse Action Letter that includes the contact information of the credit-reporting agency. Applicants may dispute the information or seek reconsideration within 48 hours by providing evidence that the information is incorrect or prohibited, as well as any mitigating circumstances. Examples of mitigating circumstances include:
- History of on-time rental payments
- Circumstances of prior eviction where no rent was owed
- New or increased income
- Letters of recommendation from employers or former landlords
- Changes in circumstances that would reduce the likelihood of reoccurring lease violations
Credit and rental information are evaluated as part of the qualification process. A rental score is calculated based on your payment history, length of payment history, account status, number of accounts, write-offs, collections, and any bankruptcies.
Positive payment history, such as consistent payments on trade lines (e.g., credit card accounts, loans, mortgages) is weighed against negative accounts (e.g., collections, bankruptcies). A greater number of positive accounts leads to a favorable score, while negative payment history results in a lower score.
An adverse score alone is not grounds for disqualification. If your total negative debt is below ${500.00}, you will not be disqualified based on the score.
Landlord-tenant judgments may affect your score but are not automatic grounds for disqualification. Only unsatisfied judgments from the last four years will be considered, except for cases during the COVID period (3/1/2020 to 8/31/2021).
To qualify, 3x the gross monthly rental amount rent plus utility fee (if any) (or {2.5} times for conditional qualification). Income must be verified before approval. Only verifiable income will be accepted, and undocumented income (such as cash deposits) will not be considered.
Income is verified using one of the following methods:
• Connecting to the provided bank account to review transaction history
• Verifying payroll by connecting directly to your payroll provider
• Uploading original PDF income verification documents for electronic scan and review
(Note: Only original PDF documents downloaded directly from your payroll or bank provider will be accepted. Scanned images, photocopies, or modified documents are not permitted.)
Acceptable verification documents include:
- 2 most recent pay stubs
- Signed offer letters from a new employer (if have not started position or have not received first two paychecks)
- Court-ordered child support or alimony
- Government payments (e.g., Social Security, Disability Insurance)
- Retirement income
- Self-employment income*
- Bank statements
*For self-employed applicants: Woodmere Apartments may request the following documents: last two years of business and personal tax returns; any accompanying statements that were filed with your business or personal tax returns (if applicable); a letter from the company’s accountant, printed on official letterhead, confirming income and providing their contact information; current bank statements for business and personal bank accounts; business formation documents if not a Sole Proprietorship (Operating Agreement, Partnership Agreement, etc). This is not an all-inclusive list. If you work with platforms like Uber or Lyft, provide statements from these platforms showing your earnings.
For applicants with income from trusts, inheritances, or investments, you must show a balance in a federally approved bank equal to 4 times the annual rent and provide original bank statements for the 3 most recent months.
Criminal background checks are conducted for all applicants who meet the screening criteria. Criminal convictions are not automatic grounds for rejection; we consider the nature, severity, and age of the offense. We will conduct an individualized assessment to determine if the applicant poses a threat to resident safety or property. Applicants will be given the opportunity to present mitigating information.