Please thoroughly review the information below prior to completing the application. Application processing can take anywhere from 2 – 6 weeks depending on responsiveness of past landlord references.
Housing Application Process:
Applicants must complete a pre-application form. You may download the pre-application form or pick up a paper copy from our office located at 322 E. 2nd Street, Iowa City. All pre-applications must be submitted with a $25.00 check or money order. The application Fee is nonrefundable.
Information collected in the pre-application will be used to:
- Determine your rental history for the past three years and complete landlord reference checks based on your rental history.
- Complete a criminal conviction and eviction screening for all adult household members (18 and over).
- Verify household income to ensure applicant can pay rent and utilities.
- Determine if your household income meets the applicable income limit for our properties. Income limits vary for each property.
- We do not check your credit score.
When we check landlord references, we want to verify that:
- You do not owe any money to your landlord.
- You regularly paid your rent on time.
- You received the majority of your security deposit back. (some landlords just automatically take these deposits and consider them income – not sure that this is a fair measure)
- You were not evicted.
- You didn’t allow people not authorized on the lease to live with you.
- The landlord would consider re-renting to you.
We will also conduct a criminal conviction background check for everyone 18 years of age and older. Applications will be denied if:
- You have felony convictions such as assault, battery, deadly conduct, weapon charges, injury to children or elderly persons, kidnapping, manslaughter, murder, or robbery, in your lifetime.
- You have a sex crime conviction in your lifetime your application will be denied. Any member of your household who is subject to any state sex offender registration program will be denied housing.
- You have had a felony conviction in the past three (3) years.
- You have any other serious/aggravated misdemeanor conviction in the past three (3) years.
- You have been convicted of one of the criminal offenses described above and have been given a deferred judgment, you will be denied housing until the conviction has been completely expunged from your record. If you have been convicted but your sentence has been deferred, you will be denied.
If you meet the criteria in the pre-application, a letter of approval will be sent to you. The approval letter will outline the next steps in the process.
If you do not meet the criteria in the pre-application, a letter of denial will be sent to you. If you feel the denial was in error, you will have the opportunity to appeal. The denial letter will outline the appeal procedure.
Our process for selecting and approving residents is governed by a document called the Tenant Selection Plan that outlines the entire application process. The information listed above is not a substitute for reading our entire tenant selection plan, additional terms and conditions may apply to people seeking housing. Please contact our office if you would like more details or are interested in a copy of our full Tenant Selection Plan.
