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Screening Criteria

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Applicant Screening Criteria

Income
  • Monthly income must be at least 2.5× the monthly stated rent. Applicants must provide income documentation (two most recent pay stubs).
  • 12 months of verifiable employment will be required if used as a source of income. If under 12 months, an offer letter or a bank statement with an ending balance equaling the rent for the entire year will suffice.
  • Self-employed applicants must submit the previous year’s tax return as proof of income. We will also accept three most recent months of bank statements.
Rental History
  • 12+ months of third-party rental history required.
  • Less than 12 months or lack of verifiable history will result in a “Full Security” approval.
  • Denial will occur if any of the following have occurred within the last 3 years:
  • Defaults in rent
  • Three or more material violations within a single consecutive year
  • Outstanding balances of any amount
  • Evictions
Credit & Bankruptcy
  • Applicants with past due credit of $5,000 or more will require a cosigner for approval.
  • Bankruptcies are permitted only under the following circumstances:
  • A bankruptcy that has been discharged
  • A Chapter 13 bankruptcy currently under active repayment
Criminal History
  • Misdemeanor offenses: Denial if within the last 3 years
  • Felony offenses: Denial if within the last 7 years
  • In Oregon, an Individual Assessment is required if an applicant is denied for any of the following offenses (Washington does not require this assessment):
  • Drug-related crime
  • Violent crime involving a person
  • Sex offense
  • Crime involving financial fraud, including identity theft or forgery
Any other crime if the conduct would adversely affect:
  • Property of the landlord or a tenant, or
  • The health, safety, or right to peaceful enjoyment of the premises by residents, the landlord, or the landlord’s agent
 

Cosigners

Income
  • Must make 4x monthly rent in gross income in Portland.
  • 12 months of verifiable employment will be required if used as their source of income.
  • Self Employed? Must submit the previous year’s tax return as proof of income. We will also accept three most recent months of bank statements.
Rental History
  • 12 months of verifiable contractual rental history form current unrelated, third-party landlord, or home ownership, is required. 
Eviction History Criteria
  • 5 years of eviction-free history is required. Eviction actions that are dismissed or resulted in a judgement for the applicant will NOT be considered.
Credit
  • 10 or more unpaid collections (not related to Student or Medical Expenses) will result in a denial of the application. 

Understanding EkoLiving’s Rental Application Process

EkoLiving uses consistent, transparent screening criteria to evaluate rental applications across all of our communities. Our goal is to make the application process as clear and fair as possible—so that prospective residents know what to expect before they apply, and so that our decisions are based on objective, documented factors rather than subjective judgment.

All applicants are evaluated using the same criteria, regardless of background. This includes income verification, credit history review, rental history, and a criminal background check in accordance with Oregon’s Fair Chance Housing ordinance. Specific thresholds and requirements are detailed in our screening criteria document, which is available to all applicants prior to application submission.

Reasonable Accommodations

EkoLiving recognizes that standard screening criteria may sometimes create barriers for applicants with disabilities or unique financial circumstances. We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations in the screening process on request. If you believe a standard criterion would unfairly affect your application due to a disability or other protected status, please contact our leasing team before submitting your application so we can discuss options.

We strongly encourage prospective residents to review our full screening criteria document and to contact us with any questions before beginning an application. Our leasing team is knowledgeable, helpful, and happy to explain any aspect of the process. We want qualified applicants to have the best possible chance of a successful application.