Skip to main content
+1 530-541-1333
The image is a logo for a company named EBMC Real Estate and Property Management.
The image is a logo for a company named EBMC Real Estate and Property Management.

Resident Selection Criteria

 

RESIDENT SELECTION PLAN

 

TAHOE PINES APARTMENTS

Is a 28 unit affordable housing community, serving individuals and families located in South Lake Tahoe, CA.    It is located at 3431 Spruce Avenue, South Lake Tahoe, CA.  It is comprised 60% & 50% Area Median Income restricted rents for programs including Tax Credit, and HOME.  All units are 12 - 2 BR / 1 BA units of 847 SF  and 16 - 3 BR / 1 BA units of 1057 SF. 

 

This community is funded through the Internal Revenue Service, Section 42 Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) Program, and other Federal funding.  Additionally there may be additional programs that restrict this community, as outlined in the Manager’s Certification.  All Resident qualification processes will be implemented in conjunction with the IRS Section 42 regulations, as amended and other applicable federal statutes of regulations, including but not limited to:

 

  • Federal Register notices/Final Rules
  • Code of Federal Regulations (CFR)
  • The Fair Housing Act (Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1968)
  • Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as applicable
  • Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990
  • State of California Fair Housing Laws
  • HUD Handbook 4350.1, as applicable
  • The Federal Fair Credit Reporting Act and state/local credit reporting laws

 

It is the mission of the community to provide safe, affordable housing of high quality to those in need; to establish stability and opportunity in the lives of residents; and to foster a diverse community that allows people from all ethnic, social and economic backgrounds to live in dignity, harmony and mutual respect.  With the benefit of the affordability component, households are able to grow their personal wealth, with the goal of “graduating” from the need of affordable housing, into opportunities of home ownership.

 

APPLICATION PROCEDURES

 

Applications will only be distributed when the Waiting List is open.  Applications will not be distributed when the Waiting List is closed.  Applications will be available in the office during normal business hours.   Application fees will be due for each household member 18 years of age and over, payable at time of interview, at the rate of:

 

$35.00 per person

 

Each adult applicant must remit information on a completed application and be willing to submit to a credit history, rental history, and criminal background inquiry, as well as income and asset verifications.

 

If there are more than two adult household members, additional application(s) must be completed and attached. 

 

Each application is prequalified to the standards outlined in this Resident Selection Plan.  You will be put on the waiting list based upon your pre-qualified income, and unit size selected, therefore, changes to your qualification measures must be done in writing and on an updated application. 

 

All application entries are to be made in blue ink.  Corrections or changes are to be made by lining through the original entry and entering the correct data.  Such changes must be initialed by the person making the change.

 

Signed and dated applications will be processed on a first-come, first-served basis.  The application MUST be completed an signed by the head of household and all household members 18 years of age and over before any applicant can be placed on the waiting list.  If an application is not completely answered, it will be returned to the applicant as denied unless 100% completed.  It will be accepted only as of the date of it being fully completed.  It will be the completion date that the application is considered accepted for rental processing purposes.  

 

No verbal approvals will be given or if perceived, will be valid.  All approvals must be in writing, and only after a full compliance review.

 

QUALIFICATION:  GENERAL REQUIREMENTS

 

  1. All adult household members MUST present a government issued photo ID at time of interview.
  2. Household MUST respond timely to interview appointments and cooperate with the certification process, responding to qualification requests within seventy-two (72) hours.  Failure to provide the documentation within that time will be grounds for denial. 
  3. All adult household members MUST attend eligibility interview appointment.
  4. Household MUST not be comprised entirely of full time students unless they meet the exemptions outlined in Section 42 of the IRC.
  5. Family members, age 6+ MUST provide proof of a social security number or certify that they have never been assigned a number.
  6. Households MUST provide the prior year’s tax return or evidence of non-filing from the IRS (2 years of tax returns for self-employed individuals, with the Schedule C.)
  7. The unit assigned MUST be the HOUSEHOLD’s sole place of residency.
  8. Household MUST cooperate fully with the qualification process, in a professional, respectful, cooperative manner.  Household is subject to disqualification for behavior displayed during tour or application process that will constitute a violation of the lease policies.
  9. Household MUST not submit false or untrue information on the application or omit required information.
  10. Household MUST pay the full security deposit at move-in.
  11. Household MUST accept the second offer of an apartment, opting to pass over the first offer of housing.  Household must re-apply after the second offer is declined.

 

QUALIFICATION:  OCCUPANCY REQUIREMENTS

 

Occupancy standards are the criteria established for matching a household with the most appropriate size and type of apartment.  Based on our regulatory restrictions, the occupancy requirements are as follows:

 

Bedroom

Household

Minimum

Household

Maximum

2

2

5

3

3

7

 

To determine the proper bedroom size for which a household may qualify, the following household members are to be included:

  1. All full-time members of the household, and
  2. Live-in attendants.
  3. Foster children
  4. Unborn children and Children in the process of adoption.

 

QUALIFICATION:  INCOME REQUIREMENTS

 

  1. Total family income will be calculated in accordance with the property regulatory program requirements.  The total household income projection MUST not exceed the applicable income limits published for the current qualifying period.
  2. Household MUST report ALL sources of income, to include, but not limited to:  Wages, benefit award, re-occurring gift income, interest income, child support, spousal support, grants, and routine expenses paid by another individual for your benefit.
  3. Household MUST not be spending more than 45% of the household’s combined monthly income for rent.
  4. Household MUST provide 3 months of consecutive paystubs if employed, or current award letter for any benefits received, no less than 120 days from anticipated move in date.  Applicant must provide adequate verification of income and we must be able to adequately verify income and/or income sources.
  5. The AMI set aside your household initially qualifies for, will remain your set aside, unless your household’s income increases greater than 10% at recertification.  In this case, you will be moved to the next higher set aside at recertification.

 

QUALIFICATION: CREDIT

 

  1. Applicants will have a review of the 36 most recent months of credit history.    It will be reviewed based on the following conditions:
  3. Household cannot have unpaid collections and grossly delinquent past due balances exceed $100.00, excluding medical bills or student loans.
  4. Household MUST not owe a utility provider for (water, gas or electric) services that must be connected during residency.
  5. Household MUST have any bankruptcy filing discharged for more than 36 months of interview date.  Household cannot have record of any un-cleared or non-discharged bankruptcy.
  6. Household MUST not owe balances to a landlord, property management company, or public housing authorities that pertain to rent, legal, or damage fees resulting from housing history.

 

QUALIFICATION:   CRIMINAL

 

These standards are established to comply with the federal laws, and a household member who has been involved in the following will not be admitted under any circumstances:

 

  1. A household in which any member is currently engaged in illegal use of drugs for which the owner has reasonable cause to believe that a member’s illegal use or pattern of illegal use of a drug may interfere with the health, safety, and right to peaceful enjoyment of the property by other residents
  2. Any household member who is subject to a nationwide sex offender lifetime registration requirement, and
  3. Any household member if there is a reasonable cause to believe that member’s behavior, from abuse or pattern of abuse of alcohol, may interfere with the health, safety, and right to peaceful enjoyment by other residents.  The screening standards are based on behavior, not the condition of alcoholism or alcohol abuse.
  4. Any household member involved in criminal activity defined as violence to person or property, that would threaten the health, safety or right to peaceful enjoyment of the premises by other residents or the health and safety of the owner, employees, contractors, subcontractors, or agents of the owner.
  5. A background reference check is conducted to determine that applicants and/or members of an applicant’s household have:
    1. NO record of felony convictions within the past seven (5) years;
    2. NO pattern of 3 or more misdemeanor convictions within the past seven (7) years;
    3. NO record of petty offenses within the past one (1) year;
    4. NO record of criminal sexual activity ever-NO TIME LIMIT;
    5. NO record of terrorist activity ever – NO TIME LIMIT.

 

QUALIFICATION:   LANDLORD /MORTGAGE

 

Renters:

  1. Household MUST have three (3) consecutive years of positive rental history, being named as leaseholder by prior landlord, demonstrating timely payment of rent, no housekeeping issues, no lease violations, no disturbance of the peace, no harassment, no improper conduct, or other negative references from the landlord or its agent. 
  2. Payment history MUST demonstrate no more than 2 late payments of rent in a six-month period for the past two years, and no more than 1 NSF in a one (1) year period. 
  3. Household MUST not have evictions reported in the last five (5) years.
  4. Household MUST have no prior evidence of illegal activity including but not limited to drugs, gang, etc.
  5. Household MUST have no unauthorized occupants living in the prior premises.
  6. Household MUST not own a personal residence that they could occupy.

 

Home Owners:

  1. Household MUST provide three (3) consecutive years of positive mortgage/debt service payment history, demonstrating timely payment. 
  2. Homeownership MUST be evident on credit report history to be considered.
  3. Household MUST provide evidence of all Short Sale documentation, if surrendered in lieu of foreclosure.
  4. Household MUST provide close of escrow documentation if they have disposed of the asset, requiring their occupancy in our community.

 

First Time Renter/Living with Friends/Family:

  1. Household MUST provide three (3) personal references and must pay a double deposit.

 

ALL ADDRESSES USED MUST BE LISTED ON THE APPLICATION (EVEN IF USED FOR MAILING, AND NOTED ON THE APPLICATION, UNDER ADDITIONAL INFORMATION).  ANY DISCREPANCIES BETWEEN THE APPLICATION AND CREDIT REPORT WILL BE VERIFIED AND MAY BE CAUSE FOR DENIAL.

 

 

VAWA PROTECTIONS

 

The VAWA protections apply to households applying for or receiving rental assistance payments under any LIHTC housing assistance program.  The law protects victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking, as well as their immediate household members, from eviction or denial of housing assistance if an incident of violence is reported and confirmed. 

 

Landlord will request in writing that the victim, or a household member on the victim’s behalf, certify that the individual is a victim of abuse and that the Certification of Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault or Stalking, FORM HUD-5382, or other documentation as noted on the certification form, be completed and submitted within 14 business days, or an agreed upon extension date, to receive protection under VAWA.  If the applicant needs alternative arrangements regarding the delivery of these documents, management will work with the applicant on other acceptable ways for providing the information.  All the information regarding the victim’s status will be kept confidential and in a separate file in a secure location in accordance with the community’s polices pertaining to Victims of Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Stalking, Human Trafficking, Sexual Assault.

 

GRIEVANCE/APPEAL PROCESS

 

Failure to meet one or more of the foregoing screening criteria may be grounds for rejection, however, each application is considered as a whole and the above-factors are considered as part of a weighted formula.  Should the applicants fail to meet the screening criteria, they will receive a notice in writing indicating that they have the right to appeal the decision.  This notice must indicate that the applicant has 14 days to dispute the decision.

 

Applicant must provide a written appeal and provide supporting documentation that refutes the reason for denial or providing additional supporting documentation to be considered.  You must provide this written appeal notification to the property leasing office, who in turn will forward your appeal to our compliance team.  Your request will be reviewed within 10 business days of receipt of the applicant’s request.  Additional information may be required to verify the supporting documentation provided to the property. 

 

Within five (5) days of the appeal review, the property will advise the applicant in writing of the final decision regarding eligibility.  Apartments will not be held for those applicants in the appeal process.

 

 

ADMINISTRATION OF WAITING LIST

 

The property is required to maintain a Waiting List of all eligible applicants.  Applicants must be placed on the Waiting List and selected from the Waiting List even in situations where there are vacancies and the application is processed upon receipt.  This procedure is necessary to assure the complete and accurate processing of all documentation for all applicants.

 

The property’s waiting list is established and maintained in chronological order based on the date and time of property’s receipt of the completed application. 

 

Applicants must report material changes in writing immediately, that will impact income qualification.  Please select your unit preference carefully and report your gross income accurately, as you will be contacted based upon the availability of the vacant unit and your qualifying income reported on your application.  (i.e.  You will not be contacted for a studio if you are a household of 5, seeking a 3 bedroom). Should an Applicant refuse an offered unit twice (2), they will be remove from the waiting list. If the Applicant would like to continue the waiting list again, they must reapply.

 

Applicants will have the opportunity to decline the first apartment offered and retain their place on the waiting list.  Should the applicant decline the offer of the second available unit, they will be removed from the waiting list.  You will not be moved to the bottom of the waitlist and must re-apply.  This ensures we have the most recent and accurate information for your household.

 

 

 

PURGING THE WAITING LIST

 

The Waiting List will be purged periodically.  Each applicant will receive a letter from the property, which will request updated information and ask about their continued interest.  This letter MUST be returned within the specified time or their application will be removed from the Waiting List.  It is the responsibility of the applicant to maintain a current address with the office, making changes in writing, in order to receive waitlist correspondence. Any correspondence returned undeliverable will result in application being denied and removed from the waitlist. 

 

OPENING/CLOSING OF WAITING LIST

 

The methods of advertising used to announce opening and closing of the Waiting List is contained in our Marketing Plan.

 

PREFERENCES

 

Every applicant must meet the Property’s Resident Selection Plan standards for acceptance as a resident.

 

For units designed as accessible for persons with mobility, special needs, visual or hearing impairments, households containing at least one person with such impairment will have first priority for those units.

 

Applicants with a Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher will be given priority preference, provided the voucher awarded matches the unit size selected on the application,  for non-accessible units as they have been identified by the local jurisdiction as being identified as income qualifying for the Housing Choice Voucher Program, and having the greatest need. 

 

UNIT TRANSFER POLICY

 

We only provide for a unit transfer for three reasons: 

  1. A Verified VAWA application
  2. Over/Under Utilization due to a change in the household size
  3. To accommodate a verified medical need
  4. A Landlord administrative need

 

A Unit Transfer List is maintained for those residents who have been approved for transfer.  Transfers are permitted only after the initial year of occupancy, as Move In is the initial qualifying period for the program, and thereby no changes in the household will be permitted.  Residents on the In House Unit Transfer List will alternate with the public Waiting List to ensure equal opportunity to housing. 

 

 

AVAILABILITY OF RESIDENT SELECTION PLAN

 

The Resident Selection Plan shall be posted in a conspicuous and public area at the site.  Changes to the Plan will be sent via U.S. mail to all persons on the active Waiting List.  When the Waiting List opens, the Resident Selection Plan will be distributed with applications and are available by request from management.

 

 

HOUSEHOLD CHANGES

 

All residents must recertify annually. Proposed changes of household composition and student status must be reported to Management immediately.  Adding household members is prohibited in the initial year of occupancy.  At first year recertification, HOUSEHOLD may add or remove occupants.  However, doing so must require the household to requalify under this program.  IN NO EVENT can household members be removed, without at least one of the originally qualifying household members remaining in the unit.

 

PETS

 

THIS SITE DOES NOT ALLOW PETS

 

SERVICE or ASSISTANCE animals are not considered pets and are not required to comply with the provisions of an Animal Policy.  Service or Assistance animals are those animals specifically required to assist individuals with documented disabilities.  Please notify Management if you require a Service or Assistance animal.  Applicants must provide current vaccination records, evidence of licensing and be prepared to have their Service Animal photographed at move for all animals. 

 

 

BED BUG DISCLOSURE

 

California Civil Code Section 1954.602 provides that a vacant unit that a landlord knows to be currently infested with bed bugs may not be shown, rented, or leased.

Civil Code section 1954.603 provides that "General information about bed bug identification, behavior and biology, the importance of cooperation for prevention and treatment, and the importance of and for prompt written reporting of suspected infestations to the landlord."  This will be provided to all residents upon move in and incorporated into the lease agreement.

Additionally, the Community will provide a pre-inspection of your belongings prior to taking occupancy, if requested.