1. Tools for Finding Housing
Helping Clients and Landlords

2. Our clients All long-term homeless
All have a physical, mental disability and/or chemical dependency
Most have no rental history versus bad rental history
Most have criminal records
60% African American
20% White/Caucasian
10% Native American
10% Other
Race
18-23= 27
24-30=67
41-50= 175
51-61= 183
62+= 29 (FY 2016 at intake)

3. Our Clients

4. Our Clients

5. Our Landlords Over 300 landlords, 400 different properties
Single family homes in Champlin to artist-lofts in downtown Minneapolis
Majority small, private owners
Few affordable housing companies

6. Tenant Screening Major tenant screening companies
CoreLogic SafeRent, Rental History Reports, Multihousing Credit Control, Experian, Transunion
Landlord must disclose prior to application:
Application fee amount
Ranges from $15.00 to $75.00
Address and telephone number of screening company
Tenant Screening Criteria
Criminal Background Requirements
Credit History Requirements
Rental History Requirements
Income Requirements

7. Tenant Screening- Criminal Background
Common question on application:
“Have you even been convicted of a crime?”
Landlords expect:
No felonies for 10 years
No charges, convictions or arrests for 7 years
Lifetime disqualification for murder, arson or sex offense
No open cases or unpaid fines
No crimes against property (trespassing, damage to property, breaking and entering)
Commonly fall into the category of “homeless crimes”

8. Tenant Screening- Credit History
Common question on application:
“Have you ever filed bankruptcy?” “Have you ever had a property foreclosed upon?” “Do you or have you ever had an account in collections?”
Landlords expect:
No history of late payments
No monies owed to previous landlords
When clients owe, typically over $
No open collection accounts for utilities
Electric, gas or water bills
Also includes phone and cable bills

9. Tenant Screening- Rental History
Common question on application:
“Have you ever been evicted, asked to vacate, or refused to pay rent?”
Landlords expect:
At least 2 years of verifiable rental history
No history of U.D.s (ever or typically for 7 years)
No history of lease violations
Positive references from previous landlords

10. Tenant Screening- Income
Common question on application:
“Do you make at least 3 times the rent in income?”
Landlords expect:
You will pay no more than 30% of your income towards rent
Income can be verified in writing from a 3rd party
Ability to verify income from a current and previous employer
2 years of employment history

11. Our Clients Do Not Meet Most Rental Criteria
How to combat deficiencies in meeting rental criteria?
What can we do to improve our chances?

12. What Works at St. Stephen’s
Drop-in Housing Location Meetings
In these meetings we search for housing, but also:
Review preemptive background checks
Practice communication skills
Reflect on non-verbal skills
Discuss appearance and chemical dependency issues

13. Our Experience with Preemptive Background Checks
Sept Sept. 2015
Paid $ in application fees
Submitted 263 applications
187 approved
76 denied
71% success rate
Sept Sept. 2016
Paid $ in application fees
Submitted 260 applications
221 approved
39 denied
85% success rate

14. Preemptive Background Checks- Landlords
For landlords: This is a business and time is money!
Providing background checks upfront:
Prevents lengthy wait times for reports to come back
Helps landlord with vacancy
Fewer showings and application appointments
Builds trust and transparency between agency/landlord
Landlord feels nothing is being hidden
Landlord can ask questions directly to client

15. Preemptive Background Checks- Clients
Client are prepared to explain criminal and rental history
Not surprised by findings
Do not stumble over reporting their background
Clients and Staff can role-play explaining their background
Can practice communication skills in a safe place

16. Explain that I was a property manager so I have experience reviewing background checks and understand what landlords/companies are looking for when reviewing

17. Reflecting on Non-Verbal Skills
Staff can see how client communicates non-verbally
Dan will not shake hands; he is worried about germs
Sharon won’t make eye contact; she is a victim of abuse
Michael has questionable boundaries

18. Discussing Appearance and Chemical Dependency Concerns
Staff can see how clients dress and manage addiction
Ralph always wears clothing with marijuana emblems
Kelly is an alcoholic
Mary is on methadone and nods-out during meetings

19. Thank you