HomeScreen will make a recommendation based upon the applicants’ criminal background, income verification, and rental verification.

Applicants must pass all three parts of the screening for a full recommendation. If they do not pass one section of the screening, they may be recommended with an additional deposit or a co-signer.

Each landlord who uses HomeScreen will accept or deny the application after HomeScreen makes a recommendation. The landlord always makes the final decision regarding leasing.

Criminal Background

  • HomeScreen will not recommend any applicants who have a violent felony or federal conviction in the past 10 years. The date of the criminal activity must have occurred within 10 years of the day the application is submitted.

  • HomeScreen defines violent felony and federal crimes as crimes involving people, property, drug distribution, and drug manufacturing. Examples of these felonies include: armed criminal action, arson, assault, sexual assault, burglary, counterfeiting, drug trafficking, endangering the welfare of a child, fraud, identity theft, manslaughter, murder, robbery, stalking, or theft.

  • HomeScreen does not consider arrest records or pending charges when making a recommendation, only convictions. 

  • HomeScreen does not consider non-violent felony convictions like non-payment of child support, possession of a controlled substance, or DUIs when making a recommendation. 

  • HomeScreen does not consider infractions, ordinance violations, or misdemeanor convictions when making a recommendation. 

Income Verification

  • HomeScreen will recommend applications as long as the gross household income is verified to be at least 3x the amount of rent the applicants are required to pay.

  • HomeScreen will include all taxable income sources, including income from employment, as an independent contractor, Social Security, Disability, and Child Support.

  • HomeScreen will consider a Section 8 or other housing voucher as a form of income and will deduct the value of the voucher from the amount they are required to pay .

Rental Verification

  • HomeScreen will not recommend anyone who has had a judgment to a landlord in the past five years, including if the judgment is for possession of the property only.

  • HomeScreen will not recommend anyone who owes a balance to a current or landlord in the past five years if there is no payment plan in place.*

  • HomeScreen will not recommend anyone who paid late 50% or more of the time during their current tenancy if there is no payment plan in place.*

  • HomeScreen will not recommend anyone who caused damages that were not covered by the security deposit.

  • HomeScreen will not recommend anyone who caused multiple disturbances at his/her residences in the past five years

    *We acknowledge that Covid-19 impacted renters, especially low-income renters, disproportionately. Knowing this, we have adjusted our screening guidelines in the wake of the pandemic: if the applicant is making payments toward the balance or working on obtaining rent assistance, HomeScreen now will leave the rental history section pending, resulting in a recommendation of an additional deposit assuming all other sections of the application pass screening.