Application Criteria
All applicants for residency will be processed through a credit-reporting agency. All adults 18 years of age or older, or emancipated minors with written proof of emancipation, must complete and sign an application. Willow Bridge does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, familial status, national origin, handicap, or any other protected class recognized under applicable federal, state and/or local law. Provided, however, if the property has been designated as a senior community: (i) the community is exempt from familial status discrimination under federal law; (ii) the community is intended to qualify as housing for older persons pursuant to the federal Fair Housing Act; and (iii) at least 80% of the community’s occupied units will be occupied by at least 1 person 55 years of age or older.1
In reviewing the application, the following criteria will be used to determine the applicant’s suitability for residency.2
1. CREDIT
All credit status for the last two (2) years will be checked through the appropriate Credit Bureau. A minimum credit score of 550 is required. If allowed by applicable law, exceptions to the minimum credit score requirement will be made upon (i) an applicant providing a guarantor/co-signor for the lease that meets all credit requirements, or (ii) an applicant providing a total deposit in the amount of one times (1x) expected monthly rental amount. Guarantors will be required to have a minimum credit score of 675. In circumstances of a social security number alert, applicant will be required to complete an additional Social Security Number (SSN) Verification Form and pay a $6 processing fee or the application process will terminate without approval.
2. RESIDENCE OR RENTAL HISTORY
The last two (2) years residence or rental history is required. All appropriate phone numbers and addresses, and where this information may be VERIFIED, must appear on the occupancy application. The credit report and other sources of rental history will be checked to verify resident and rental history information. Applicants with a rental history reflecting either six (6) or more late payments OR four (4) or more NSF checks received within the relevant two (2) year period will be denied. In addition, all resident rental history within the relevant two (2) year period must be free of rental housing evictions and landlord debt in excess of $1,500 or the application will be denied.
Applicants with a history of landlord debt in an amount less than $1,500 will be approved upon providing sufficient proof of payment of, or release from, such outstanding debt and payment of a total deposit, if allowed by law, in the amount of one times(1x) the expected monthly rental amount. Applicants with outstanding debt to any Willow Bridge Property Company affiliate – unrestricted by the two (2) year time period set forth above – (i) must pay any balance under $1,500 in full, or obtain a release therefrom, and pay a total deposit, if allowed by law, in the amount of one time (1x) the expected monthly rental amount, or (ii) will be denied for any debt in excess of $1,500 unless, upon request and review, such applicant is able to obtain a release therefrom.
3. INCOME
Applicant’s income will be verified. Management will accept any legal, verifiable source of income paid directly to the applicant or a representative of the applicant. Legal sources of income include, but are not limited to, the following: employment income, retirement benefits, spousal/child support, I20s, savings accounts, welfare, Social Security disability benefits, housing choice vouchers, or any other legal, verifiable source of income. Monthly rent cannot exceed 35% of total gross monthly income for approved applicant(s). If the property participates in the section 8 housing program, income requirements will apply to the household’s share of the monthly rent. If allowed by applicable law, exceptions to the percentage of gross monthly income requirement will be made only upon (i) an applicant providing a guarantor/co-signor for the lease that meets all credit requirements and for whom the monthly rental amount does not exceed 20% of their total gross monthly income, or (ii) an applicant providing a total deposit in the amount of the household’s share of the expected monthly rental amount.
4. CRIMINAL HISTORY
The criminal records of all household members over the age of 18 will be checked and reviewed for certain felony and Class A misdemeanor offenses. The information gathered as the result of this check would affect the approval of the application as follows:
A. Applicants with any of the following felony convictions (or similarly classified offenses in jurisdictions outside of Texas) in the twenty (20) year period preceding the date of application will be automatically denied approval: murder, capital murder, aggravated kidnapping, sexual assault, aggravated sexual assault, indecency with a child, sexual performance by child, first degree criminal solicitation, compelling prostitution, trafficking of persons, aggravated robbery, burglary if committed with the intent to commit felony sexual assault, aggravated sexual assault, sexual abuse of a child, or prohibited sexual conduct, offenses under Section 481.134(c), (d), (e) or (f) of the Texas Health and Safety Code (or, such applicable state law, if allowed by law) if it is shown that the offender has been previously convicted of an offense for which punishment was increased under the aforementioned sections, offenses under Section 481.140 of the Texas Health and Safety Code (or similarly classified offenses in jurisdictions outside of Texas) relating to any felony conviction increased in punishment as a result of use of a child in commission of such offenses, and any offense where the offender used or exhibited a deadly weapon during the commission of a felony offense or during immediate flight therefrom.
B. Applicants will be automatically denied for any prior conviction for manufacturing or distribution of a controlled substance (or similarly classified offenses in jurisdictions outside of Texas).
C. Applicants will be automatically denied if they are currently subject to a registration requirement under Article 62.001, Code of Criminal Procedure, Sex Offender Registration Program (or similar Sex Offender Registration Programs in jurisdictions outside of Texas).
D. Any other felony or Class A misdemeanor conviction other than those set forth in 4.A. above related to violent criminal activity (or similarly classified offenses in jurisdictions outside of Texas) will result in denial if the conviction occurred in the seven (7) year period preceding the date of application.
E. Any conviction of Theft under Texas Penal Code Sections 31.03 (as defined by 31.06) or 31.04 related to Theft by Check or Theft of Services (or similarly classified offenses in jurisdictions outside of Texas) in the three (3) year period preceding the date of application will result in conditional approval and, if allowed by law, require the applicant to agree to pay all amounts due and payable by applicant within the initial lease term (including all rental payments, deposits, and other lease charges) with certified funds.
F. Notwithstanding the above, any applicant may provide documentation disputing the negative criminal activity or provide evidence of circumstances that mitigates the negative criminal activity. Any request for reconsideration of a denial of tenancy due to criminal activity shall be submitted within fifteen (15) calendar days of such denial and management shall make a determination, within twenty-one (21) calendar days thereafter, as to whether to uphold the denial of tenancy.
G. Failure to accurately report any criminal activity constitutes a non-curable material falsification and is grounds for termination of tenancy regardless of when such material falsification is discovered.
5. NON U.S. CITIZENS
Unless prohibited by applicable state or local law, non-U.S. Citizens must be able to provide documentation from U.S. Immigration to verify legal residency in the United States as of the effective date of the lease agreement.
6. OCCUPANCY POLICY
A maximum of two persons per bedroom plus a child under two (2) years old will be allowed to occupy a unit or as may be restricted by applicable state or municipal code.
1 For senior communities, any of the following documents are considered reliable documentation of the age of occupants residing in a unit: (i) driver’s license; (ii) birth certificate; (iii) passport; (iv) immigration card; (v) military identification; (vi) any other state, local, national or international official documents containing a birthdate of comparable liability; or (vii) a certification in a lease, application, affidavit or other document signed by any member of the household age 18 or older asserting that at least 1 person in the unit is 55 years of age or older.
2 These criteria do not constitute a representation or warranty that everyone residing within the community meets the requirements. For example, there may be persons who have resided within the community since before these criteria were established. In addition, Willow Bridge’s ability to confirm compliance with the represented criteria is limited to the information Willow Bridge receives from the various credit reporting services used. Willow Bridge also has an appeals process by which applicants may provide evidence of circumstances to mitigate negative criminal activity and seek exception after individualized review and assessment.
