4-28 Ensuring That Screening Is Performed Consistently

• A. Procedures

While owners have discretion in establishing screening criteria, they must apply the criteria consistently to all applicants. To ensure that applicants are treated consistently during the screening process, good practice suggests that owners should:

1. Use consistent staffing. Have one or a limited number of staff conduct the screening to reduce inconsistencies that occur, because employees may interpret policies and procedures differently.

2. Provide instructions. Develop step-by-step instructions for staff who are conducting screening activities to help to ensure consistency.

3. Use standard forms. Whenever possible, use standard forms to document fair practices and to increase the likelihood that each applicant will receive the same consideration.

4. Use objective criteria. For example, when interviewing an applicant’s former landlord about rent payment and rental history, the owner should ask fact-based questions. Owners must avoid subjective questions that ask for opinions or do not directly relate to the tenant's ability to meet the requirements of the lease. (See Figure 4-7 for examples of appropriate and inappropriate questions.)

5. Follow a formal, written process for collecting information. Owners must not take into consideration informal information or “gossip” about an applicant. Such information may be discriminatory and will affect applicants inconsistently since the owner does not collect it for all applicants.

HUD Occupancy Handbook Chapter 4: Waiting List and Tenant Selection

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Section 4: Selecting Tenants from the Waiting List

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