Rental Criteria

Ruben J. Menashe, Inc.

Ruben J. Menashe, Inc. conducts an Individualized Assessment of each applicant.  Below you will find the criteria we use when conducting our assessment.  If you have Supplemental Evidence which you feel we should be aware of, please submit it with your application to ensure prompt processing.

APPLICATION PROCESS

Steps to become a resident with Ruben J. Menashe, Inc.

Select your rental unit.  Please note that under Portland Ordinance, priority is given to mobility-disabled applicants for Type-A Accessible Units.

  1. Complete an application for each household member whom is 18 years of age or older, emancipated minors and heads of household under 18 on the designated form. A complete and accurate application is required.  Materially incomplete applications may not be processed.  You will receive a notice of our receipt of your application within five (5) business days of it being complete. Once complete, applications are processed in the order they are received.
  2. Pay your non-refundable credit/screening fee of $­­­40 dollars per applicant. Check or Money Order Only.
  3. Identify which applicant(s) will be designated as the “Financially Responsible Party”
  4. Be prepared to wait up to five (5) business days for the information on your Application to be verified, and your credit and criminal background screening to be processed.
  5. You will receive one of three responses regarding your application: 1) Accepted; 2) Conditionally Accepted; 3) Denied. A Conditionally Accepted application may require more information, a co-signer or additional security deposit. If your application is denied, you will receive a reason for the denial.
  6. Once you have been approved, you will have 72-hours to pay the required Security Deposit and sign the Agreement to Execute Rental Agreement. Failure to do so will relinquish your unit reservation. If additional Security Deposit is required under a Conditional Approval, the additional amount may be paid in installments.
  7. Upon or before move-in, a Rental Agreement must be signed by all adult parties. You are encouraged to carefully read the Rental Agreement, and all other terms and conditions of occupancy at the time of application.

GENERAL CRITERIA STATEMENT

  1. Positive Government-issued identification with a picture will be required. Any of these forms of identification are acceptable: Social Security Card, Valid Permanent Resident Alien Registration Receipt Card; Immigrant Visa; Individual Taxpayer ID Number (ITIN); Non-immigrant Visa; Any government-issued identification; Any non-governmental ID or combination of ID’s which would permit us to reasonably verify your identity.
  2. A complete and accurate Application will be required
  3. Applicants must be able to enter a legal and binding contract.
  4. Inaccurate, falsified or intentionally misleading information will be grounds for denial.
  5. Any individual, who may constitute a direct threat to the health and safety of an individual, the complex, or the property of others, will be denied.
  6. Any applicant who fails to fully meet the criteria in all four of the following areas; Income, Employment, Rental and Credit, may be denied unless Supplemental Evidence can be provided or a qualified co-signer can be provided or in some cases, both.
  7. In-order to qualify as a co-signer, the co-signer must have income of at least 3x the rental amount of the unit you apply for.

INCOME CRITERIA AND CONTINGENCIES

  1. Monthly household income should be equal to either 2.0 or 2.5 times the stated monthly rent (depending on the rent of the unit for which you are applying). See your leasing agent for details on which multiplier applies to you. If verifiable monthly income, or sufficient cash resources equivalent to the monthly rent times the lease term cannot be demonstrated, the application may be denied. “Verifiable” sources can be, but are not limited to: bank accounts, alimony/child support, trust accounts, social security, grants/loans, rental assistance payments (including section 8) and the like.
  2. Co-Signer income must be at least THREE (3) times the monthly stated rent.
  3. All income verification should be provided in writing.
  4. Self-employed applicants will be required to show proof of income through copies of the previous year’s tax returns, K-1’s or other acceptable means.
  5. For applicants with rental vouchers, such as Section 8, the rental amount will be reduced by the amount of the voucher and then the multiplier will be used to calculate minimum income. For example: RENT: $1,000.00. Voucher: $600.00. Remainder is $400.00. 2.5 x $400.00 = $1,000.00 is the minimum monthly income.

EMPLOYMENT CRITERIA AND CONTINGENCIES

  1. Six (6) months of continuous verifiable employment will be required. If this is not available, Supplemental Evidence will be considered.
  2. Self-employed applicants will be verified through the state. A recorded business name or corporate filing will be sufficient to meet employment requirements.
  3. A larger security deposit up to 1.5x the monthly stated rent may be required when employment history does not meet the requirements.
  4. If an applicant is currently unemployed, but applicant meets all other areas of the criteria for an approval, then applicant may qualify with an increased security deposit not to exceed 1.5x the monthly stated rent.

CREDIT CRITERIA AND CONTINGENCIES

  1. Negative or adverse debt on a credit bureau (ie… Slow pay, Collections, Bankruptcies, Repossessions, Liens, Judgments & Wage Garnishment programs) in amounts greater than $1,000.00 may result in outright denial or could require an increased security deposit up to 1.5x the monthly stated rent and/or a qualified co-signer.
  2. Three (3) or more unpaid collections greater than $1,000.00 (excluding Medical or Education Debt) reported from the credit bureau will result in application denial.
  3. An open bankruptcy (Chapter 7 or 11) on your credit history will result in application denial. A discharged bankruptcy less than 5 years old will require a qualified co-signer and/or increased security deposit.
  4. A FICO score of less than 500 may result in denial.

RENTAL CRITERIA AND CONTINGENCIES

  1. Twelve (12) months of verifiable contractual rental history from a current third party landlord or home ownership is required. If 12 months is not available, two landlord references will be required.
  2. A lack of verifiable rental history may result in increased security deposit, or a co-signer.
  3. Home ownership is verified through the county tax assessor. Mortgage and property tax payments must be current.
  4. Home ownership negotiated through a land sales contract is verified through the contract holder.
  5. An eviction less than three (3) years old may result in additional security deposit, a co-signer or denial depending on Supplemental information.
  6. Rental history reflecting more than $500 in property debt will be denied. If property debt is settled, such history may result in an increased security deposit and/or a co-signer.
  7. Rental history demonstrating documented noise or other disturbance complaints may result in application denial.
  8. Rental history demonstrating residency, but not contractual rental history, may require additional security deposit and/or a co-signer.
  9. A co-signer may also be required when contractual rental history does not meet the criteria, but residency can be verified with parents, student housing or military housing.
  10. Three (3) or more 72 Hour Notices within a period of one year will result in application denial.
  11. Three (3) or more NSF checks within a period of one year will result in denial.
  12. Rental history reflecting eviction, past due or unpaid rent or damages will result in denial, unless all debts are settled. Such history will result in increased security deposit and/or a co-signer.

OCCUPANCY POLICY

  1. Occupancy is based on the number of bedrooms in a unit.

(A bedroom is defined as a space within the premises that is used primarily for sleeping, with at least one closet for clothing)

  1. Two (2) persons are allowed per bedroom plus one additional person under the age of two (2), for the entire unit.

DISABLED ACCESSIBILITY

Ruben J. Menashe, Inc. gives priority to mobility-impaired applicants. Ruben J. Menashe Inc. allows existing premises to be modified at the full expense of the disabled person, if the disabled person agrees to restore the premises to the pre-modified condition per Fair Housing guidelines (Reasonable Accommodation). Applicant should provide:

  1. Written proposals detailing the extent of the work to be done.
  2. Written assurances that the work will be performed in a professional manner by a licensed/bonded contractor.
  3. Written approval from the landlord before modifications are made.
  4. Documents identifying the names and qualifications of the contractors to be used.
  5. All appropriate city, county or state building permits and required licenses made available for landlord inspection.
  6. A restoration deposit may be required per Fair Housing guidelines.

CRIMINAL CONVICTION CRITERIA

Upon receipt of the complete rental application and screening fee, Agent will conduct a search of public records to determine whether the applicant or any proposed applicant has been convicted of, or pled guilty to, or no contest to, or current pending charges, to any crime. Your application may be rejected for any of the following:

  1. A conviction, guilty plea or no-contest plea for any felony involving injury, kidnapping, death, arson, rape, sex crimes, extensive property damage or drug related offenses, burglary, robbery; OR
  2. A conviction, guilty plea or no-contest plea where the date of disposition release or parole have occurred within the last 7 years for any other felony charges not listed above; OR
  3. A conviction, guilty plea or no-contest plea where the date of disposition release or parole have occurred within the last 5 years for any misdemeanor or gross misdemeanor involving assault, intimidation, sex-related, drug-related, property damage or weapons charges; OR
  4. A conviction, guilty plea or no-contest plea where the date of disposition release or parole have occurred within the last 3 years for any B or C misdemeanor in the above categories or those involving criminal trespass I, theft, dishonesty or prostitution.

Pending charges or outstanding warrants for any of the above will result in the suspension of the application process until the charges are resolved.  Upon resolution, if an appropriate unit is still available, the processing of the application will be completed.  No unit will be held awaiting the resolution of pending charges.

Supplemental Evidence may be submitted and will be considered before an application is denied for any of the above.

DENIAL POLICY

Failure to meet any of the above criteria outlined in this document may result in the denial of your application.  Should this occur, you will be informed of the reason for a denial of your application.  You have the right to dispute the accuracy of any information provided to Ruben J. Menashe, Inc. by a screening service or credit reporting agency. If your application is denied due to unfavorable information received during the screening process, you may appeal our decision within 30 days following the denial. This appeal should provide information and/or evidence which corrects, refutes or explains negative information which formed the basis of the denial.

If you wish to submit an appeal, Write to: 

Equal Housing Opportunity Manager
Ruben J. Menashe, Inc.
11359 NE Halsey Street
Portland, Or. 97220

OR send the appeal in an email to [email protected].  State that your application has been denied (please include the property name and unit number) and state that you feel that you qualify as a resident under the criteria set out above. Provide the Supplemental Evidence you wish for us to consider.

If your appeal is approved, you will be prequalified for a three-month period for the next available unit. We will not charge an additional screening fee during the pre-qualification period.

Should you need to contact the credit screening company which supplied the information to us: Real Page Screening, Inc. at (866) 934-1124. From there you may

  1. Contact the credit reporting bureau to identify who is reporting unfavorable information.
  2. Correct any incorrect information through the credit reporting agency(s) as is their policy.
  3. Request the credit reporting agency to submit a corrected credit check to the appropriate screening company.

Please be advised:

  1. INCOMPLETE, INACCURATE OR FALSIFIED INFORMATION WILL BE GROUNDS FOR DENIAL, AND/OR EVICTION IF DISCOVERED AFTER MOVE-IN.
  2. Any applicant whose tenancy may constitute a direct threat to the health or safety of an individual, or whose tenancy would result in physical damage to the property of others will be denied.

THANK YOU FOR CONSIDERING ONE OF OUR COMMUNITIES FOR YOUR HOME