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City of Portland Low Barrier Screening Criteria

RENTAL CRITERIA

Adult applicants must meet the requirements listed below to qualify for rental. The rental criteria listed herein shall control, notwithstanding any contradictory information contained in the application package. To the extent that the Resident Application may request information that deviates from or contradicts these criteria, any such information shall be disregarded or considered solely in accordance with the criteria set forth herein.

IDENTIFICATION:

  • Landlord will accept any of the following, or a combination thereof, to verify the name, date of birth
    and photo of each adult applicant.
  • Evidence of Social Security Number (SSN Card);
  • Valid Permanent Resident Alien Registration Receipt Card;
  • Immigrant Visa;
  • Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN):
  • Non-immigrant Visa;
  • Any government-issued identification regardless of expiration date; or
  • Any non-governmental identification or combination of identifications that would permit a reasonable verification
    of identity.

An adult occupant who cannot verify name, date of birth and photo will not qualify for rental.

​OCCUPANCY STANDARD:

The general standard for occupancy is two people per bedroom, plus one. Landlord’s general
occupancy standard may vary to allow additional occupants based on factors including, without limitation, the size and configuration of the unit and of bedrooms as well as whether any occupants will be age 2 or under.

INCOME

  • (This criterion applies to financially responsible applicants only): Financially responsible applicants must(collectively) demonstrate verifiable monthly gross income as follows:
  • 2.5 times the monthly rent, if monthly rent for the Dwelling Unit is below the amount listed for the applicable number of bedrooms on the most current Portland Housing Bureau Rental Housing Application and Screening Minimum Income Requirement Table (included in application package).
  • 2 times the monthly rent, if the monthly rent for the Dwelling Unit is at or above the amount listed for the applicable number of bedrooms on the Portland Housing Bureau Rental Housing Application and Screening Minimum Income Requirement Table (included in application package).

In applying the above standard, Landlord will consider only the income of applicants who indicate on the Supplemental Application Form that they wish to be screened as a financially responsible applicant. The income of applicants who indicate on the Supplemental Application Form that they do not wish to be screened as a financially responsibleapplicant will not be considered.

In applying the above standard, Landlord will calculate the above ratos based on a rental amount reduced by the amount of a governmental voucher or housing subsidy. Landlord will include all income sources of financially responsible applicants (wages, non-governmental rent assistance, monetary public benefits, self-employment income). Financially responsible applicants must verify income with pay stubs, tax returns (in the case of self-employment), benefitstatement, and/or other reliable documentation.

CREDIT HISTORY

  • (These criteria apply to financially responsible applicants only): Financially responsible applicants
    must demonstrate an acceptable credit history. To satisfy the acceptable credit history requirement, credit screening
    must establish each of the following:
  • A credit score of 500 or higher. However, Landlord will consider other provided indicia of creditworthiness if applicant does not have a credit score, and Landlord will not reject an applicant on grounds of insufficient credit history unless the applicant in bad faith withholds credit history information that might otherwise form the basis for a denial.
  • Negative information provided by a consumer credit reporting agency indicating past-due unpaid obligations in amounts less than $1,000.00. Medical, educational, and vocational training debt will not be considered.
  • Balance owed for prior rental property damage in an amount less than $500.00.
    Landlord will not reject a financially responsible applicant for a bankruptcy that has been discharged or for having an active Chapter 13 bankruptcy case at the time of application.

CRIMINAL CONVICTIONS AND PENDING CRIMINAL CHARGES:

Landlord will conduct a public records search on all adult applicants and proposed adult occupants to determine whether said person has a record of criminal conviction, or a criminal charge pending at the time of application, for the following types of crimes: a drug-related crime, a person crime, a sex offense, a crime involving financial fraud (including identity theft and forgery), or any other crime based on conduct that would adversely affect property of the landlord or a tenant, or the health, safety, or right to peaceful enjoyment of the premises of landlord, residents, or the landlords agent(s) (hereafter, “disqualifying crime”). If the applicant has any pending charge or conviction for a disqualifying crime, then the applicant shall be disqualified if the subject pending charge/conviction falls within the categories below:

  • Misdemeanor offense(s) for which the dates of sentencing occurred less than 3 (three) years before the date of the application.
  • Felony offense(s) for which the dates of sentencing occurred less than 7 (seven) years before the date of the application.
  • Any court-mandated prohibition that would prohibit the applicant from living at the subject property.
    If the applicant otherwise qualifies for rental under all other criteria, and would only be denied based on the above criminal conviction factors, Landlord will consider any supplemental evidence submitted by applicant to determine whether any disqualifying convictions/charges may be mitigated by the same. Landlord may consider, without limitation, the nature and severity of the relevant incident(s), the number and type of the relevant incident(s), the time elapsed since the incident(s) occurred, the age of the individual at the time if the incident(s), subsequent rehabilitation, educational, and/or vocational efforts, and/or positive rental history. Landlord will not reject an applicant solely for arrests that did not result in convictions (except for pending charges as set forth above); participation in or completion of a diversion or a deferral of judgment program; a conviction that has been judicially dismissed, expunged, voided or invalidated; a conviction for a crime that is no longer illegal in the State of Oregon; or any conviction, determination or adjudication issued through the juvenile justice system.

RENTAL HISTORY:

A recent eviction judgment or a negative rental history factor will disqualify an applicant.

  • “Recent eviction judgment” means: A general judgment entered against the applicant in an Oregon Forcible Entry and Detainer case (ORS 105.105-ORS 105.168) fewer than 3 (three) years prior to the date of application. However, a recent eviction judgment shall not disqualify applicant if (a) said judgment was in a case based upon a no cause termination notice; or (b) said judgment was a default judgment and applicant presents credible evidence that they had already vacated the unit at the time that notice of the case was served. FED cases that were dismissed or resulted in a general judgment for the applicant prior to the date of application, and/or FED cases resulting in a judgment that was set aside or sealed pursuant to state law will not disqualify an applicant.
  • “Negative rental history factor” means: Information obtained from a written or oral rental reference check that indicate any of the following: (a) defaults in rent (three or more nonpayment of rent notices within one year);
    • (b) an outstanding balance owed to a prior landlord;
    • (c) lease violations that resulted in a termination with cause;
    • (d) Three or more material violations of a rental agreement within 1 (one) year prior to the date of application, if said violations resulted in notices issued to the applicant.
      Landlord will not disqualify an applicant based on any other information received from a rental reference. An applicant will not be disqualified for insufficient rental history unless the applicant in bad faith withholds rental history information that might otherwise form a basis for denial.

NO REPEATED RENTAL AGREEMENT VIOLATIONS WITH LANDLORD:

Landlord may refuse to process the application
of an applicant who has verifiable repeated rental agreement violations with Landlord when each of the following circumstances exists: (a) at least 3 violations have occurred within a 1-year period, and the most recent violation occurred within 365 days before the applicant’s date of application; (b) applicant received notice of each of the 3 violations in writing at the time each violation occurred; and (c) none of the 3 violations was dismissed, cured, or resulted in a general judgment for the applicant before the applicant submitted the application. If a Landlord refuses to process the application of an applicant for this reason, Landlord shall provide the applicant with copies of the relevant notices considered.

HEALTH OR SAFETY THREAT:

An applicant who presents a direct threat to health and/or safety of residents, Landlord and/or its agents, or the property, will be disqualified.

APPEALS PROCESS:

Applicants who are not approved for residency (denied) will have 30 days to appeal the denial.
The applicant may submit information and/or documents that applicant believes may correct, refute or explain negative information that formed the basis of the landlord’s denial. If Landlord approves an application reviewed on appeal, then the applicant will be prequalified for rental opportunities at the landlord’s property for the 3 months following the date a landlord approves an application reviewed on appeal, and the applicant’s screening fee for the 3 months following the approved appeal will be waived. Prior to waiving the screening fee, the landlord may require the applicant to self-certify that no conditions have materially changed from those described in the landlord’s approved application.