Resident Qualifications: Affordable Housing Units Effective 12/6/16 To be eligible to live in affordable housing units at Haddon or Colwell Apartments, all applicants must meet certain income and household criteria based on the funding restrictions for the property. Plymouth uses screening criteria to determine an applicant's household s suitability for housing. This is a summary of resident qualification criteria for the affordable housing units in these two buildings. An exception to Plymouth s stated criteria is made only through the application appeals process, defined below. At least one member of the household must be 18 years of age or legally emancipated with proof of emancipation. All adult applicants must provide current, unexpired government issued photo ID and proof of social security number, if a social security number has been issued. If a household member has never been issued a Social Security Number, he or she must provide a third party-issued document (birth certificate, VISA, immigration paperwork, W-2, student ID) in addition to the government-issued photo ID. Any material falsification (falsifying or omitting information that relates to eligibility) in the application process will disqualify the household, resulting in a denial of the application or, if discovered after the lease signing, a requirement that the household vacate the unit. Threatening, abusive, aggressive, or otherwise negative behavior at any point in the application and leasing process, up to and including the lease signing appointment, will result in cancellation of the application. Students Students are welcome at Haddon. Student restrictions apply at the Colwell. Part-time students may be eligible; however status is determined by the institution and must be verified. Students enrolled or planning to be enrolled full-time for five months or more within the calendar year will not be permitted to live at the Colwell unless they meet one of the exceptions allowed by the Washington State Housing Finance Commission: Receiving benefits under Temporary Aid to Needy Families. Enrolled in a training program funded by the Workforce Investment Act or similar local or state law. A single parent of a minor child where neither the parent nor the child is a dependent of another person. Married and filing a joint federal tax return with a spouse. Previously under the care of a state foster care system. Income All apartments have a maximum income limit. All sources of income must be disclosed, documented, and verifiable for all household members according to the standards of the funders for each building. Page 1 of 5
Applicant household gross income must be at least two (2) times the rent per month OR applicants must have accessible and verifiable financial assets to cover the rent for the affordability gap for the length of the lease. Minimum income requirements must be met through one of the following: Ability to document at least 30 days of current and verifiable employment at the time of application. A verifiable letter offering employment which is not temporary or seasonal and will commence on or before the beginning of the lease term. A notarized gift affidavit to verify regular financial gifts to the household. A verifiable unearned income source (SSDI, Public Benefits, VA income, trust disbursements, etc.) which will continue for the duration of the lease term. Accessible financial assets (Pension, Annuity, etc.). Note: Applicants with a rent subsidy voucher (Section 8, Shelter Plus Care, HOPWA, etc.) do not need to meet the minimum income requirement. No time limit vouchers are accepted unless the voucher covers the term of the lease. Public records Civil: Any bankruptcy must be discharged. No judgments involving a property management company in the past three years and no judgments with Plymouth ever. Criminal Convictions and Pending Charges: If the applicant, or any member of the applicant s household who will be living in the unit, has a record of convictions which may fall under the below list of described criminal acts, the application will be denied. Criminal convictions for offenses listed below that occur after the application approval but prior to the lease signing will result in a denial of the application. The applicant may choose to appeal the denial per the Appeals Process below. All dates listed below are based on the last date of court or supervisory contact for the conviction. Traffic offenses are not relevant to eligibility for housing. Felony convictions within the last seven (7) years involving arson, assault, burglary, fire, firearms, homicide, kidnapping, malicious mischief, nuisance, robbery, controlled substance manufacturing or possession, distribution or sales, or sexual offenses. Misdemeanor or gross misdemeanor convictions for possession of controlled substances in the last three (3) years. Convictions within seven (7) years involving methamphetamines. Gross misdemeanor or misdemeanor convictions in the last two (2) years involving arson, assault, burglary, fire, firearms, homicide, kidnapping, malicious mischief, nuisance, robbery, controlled substance manufacturing or possession, distribution or sales, or sexual offenses. Two (2) or more misdemeanor assault or gross misdemeanor assault convictions in the last seven (7) Page 2 of 5
years. Offenses which currently require applicant or any member of the household to register as a sex offender. Note: The word "Convictions" as used herein includes: "Nolo contendere," no contest, Alford pleas, guilty pleas, a guilty verdict and any other disposition involving a finding of guilt or an admission of wrongdoing. Rental History All living situations must be verified for the prior three years for all adult household members, and ONE of the following must be met by at least one member of the household: Twelve (12) months verifiable positive residential rental history up to present by the date of move-in; rental history can be a room rental or with roommates as long as the applicant paid rent directly to the landlord and it can be verified under the applicant s name. Paying rent to friends or relatives is not considered rental history. Paying program fees for a transitional housing program qualifies if timely payment can be verified with the program. 90 days of continuous income history at two (2) times the rent and consumer credit history with delinquent accounts of no more than $1000 (excluding medical and student debt). A housing subsidy does not substitute as income for this criterion. Recent Homeowners must document 12 months of timely mortgage payments to substitute for rental history. Recent homeowners in foreclosure must demonstrate that mortgage payment exceeded 40% of income. All proceeds from sale and/or income from rent must be disclosed and documented at the time of application. Plymouth is intended as the primary residence. Recent military veterans with a gap in the rental history in the past twelve (12) months caused by their military service may have the residential rental history requirement waived with proof of military service or honorable discharge. There cannot be more than six (6) months between the date of discharge and the gap in rental history. ALL of the following must be met by all members of the household: No prior evictions or unlawful detainers in the past three years and no evictions or mutual terminations from a Plymouth property ever. Outstanding debt owed to any landlord must not exceed $1,000, and for any money owed the applicant must have a current and verifiable payment plan. No debt can be owed toward Plymouth. No current 3-Day Notices to Pay or Vacate or 10-Day Notice to Comply or Vacate for monetary defaults or behavioral violations of the lease. No more than two (2) legal notices in the past twelve (12) months for any member of applicant household. Applicants whose landlords or program administrators report repeated late payments or behavior that threatened the quiet enjoyment, safety, or health of the property during the tenancy, even if a legal notice was not issued, will be denied. Applicants whose previous landlords or program administrators would not re-rent to them will be denied. Note: No victim/survivor of domestic violence will be denied housing based solely on their status as a victim Page 3 of 5
of domestic violence. Page 4 of 5
Occupancy Standards Colwell and Haddon occupancy standard is two persons per bedroom plus one additional person per unit. All applicant households must meet occupancy standards for the unit they wish to apply for, and occupancy standards will be enforced throughout their residency. Occupancy standards are as follows: Studio 1 BR 1 2 people 1 3 people Pets One (1) cat or dog per household is allowed at Colwell and Haddon as long as a pet deposit has been paid and Pet Agreement signed at lease signing. The cat or dog may not weigh more than thirty (30) pounds at full maturity. In addition to the cat or dog, no more than one (1) other common household pet (bird, rodent, rabbit, fish aquarium, or turtle) is allowed per unit. Fish aquariums may not exceed twenty (20) gallons in size. Note that service or companion animals used to assist persons with disabilities are not considered pets and are excluded from the requirements of the pet policy, pet rules, and pet deposit, but should be requested via Plymouth s Reasonable Accommodation process. All animals, regardless of whether they are designated as pets or service/companion animals, must be inoculated and licensed in accordance with state and local law, and cats or dogs must be spayed or neutered by six months of age. Proof of inoculations, licensure, and spay/neuter status must be provided at lease signing or prior to the animal being brought onto the premises. Nondiscrimination Plymouth Housing Group welcomes qualified tenants without regard to race, color, religion, creed, ancestry, political ideology, sex, marital status, age, parental status, veteran status, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, Section 8 housing subsidy, source of income, or use of a service animal. Plymouth provides reasonable accommodations to persons with disabilities. Appeals Process A denied applicant may appeal by submitting a written request for reconsideration to the Director of Property Management within ten (10) business days of being notified of the denial. Appeal requests must address all reasons the application was denied and include any third party supporting documentation. Specific units will not be held for applicants during the appeal process. The Director of Property Management or designee will review the appeal request and make a decision within ten (10) business days of receiving the request. The Director of Property Management will mail a letter with the decision to the applicant(s) and email a copy of the decision letter to the Eligibility & Outreach Specialist, Director of Compliance, Rental Office Manager, Property Manager, and Building Manager. Page 5 of 5