Screening & Credit Requirements

It is Park 52’s policy to actively pursue and offer equal housing for all persons regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, familial status, disability or any other federal, state and local laws regarding fair housing.

Our Screening and Credit Requirements are as follows:

1. Completing an Application: Every person age 18 and above must complete a rental application and meet our screening qualifications. If any applicable fields are left blank or are filled incorrectly, it will be considered an incomplete application and will be returned for completion. Falsifying or omitting pertinent information is grounds for denial of your application and forfeit of the holding deposit. Park 52 does not accept comprehensive re-usable/portable tenant screening reports.
2. Identification/Social Security Card: Valid Photo ID with Date of Birth: Driver’s License, State ID, Military ID (both sides), Passport etc. Document providing Social Security Card, W2, TIN, or most recent year filed tax return. If you have not been issued a Social Security number or a TIN number, please input 999-99-9999.
3. Income Requirements: Household income requirements vary by property or city, but most require a minimum of 3 times the rental amount in the household’s gross monthly income (or 3 times your monthly portion) with verified sources of income from Federal, State, Local or non-profit entities. 1 year of established employment or like field is required, or may result in a conditional approval.
4. Source of Income/Verifiable Documents, submit any/all that apply:
   • Current Employment in Washington State:
   • • Most recent paystub reflecting hours, wage, and year to date information within 30 days
     • Most recent bank statement showing income deposit with applicant’s name printed on it 
   • New employment or Transfer with current employment in Washington State:
   • • Offer or Transfer on Letterhead reflecting start date, hours, and wage information
   • Disability, Retirement, SSI, Financial Aid, etc.  (All Items below are required)
     • Provide most recent Award/statement letter from source of income
     • 1 month of recent bank statements with deposit of source of income with applicant’s name printed on it for verification.
   • Child Support (All Items below are required)
     • Must be court ordered with no past due balance owing
     • Provide front & back page of Child Support Distribution and Disbursement Statement
     • Most recent bank statement with the source of income and applicant’s name printed on it for verification
   • Self Employment (All Items below are required)
     • Last 3 months of bank statements with applicant’s name printed on them for both Business & Personal accounts.
     • Copy of recent year filed tax returns for the business
   • Housing Vouchers:
     • Housing Voucher
     • Shopping Guide/Estimated Housing Assistance payment & maximum rent reflecting the tenant’s portion
     • The applicant needs to verify with their voucher program the property is covered by the voucher
     • Park 52 will verify all occupants are covered by the voucher program
   • Assistance Programs/Pledge Letters
     • Itemized Pledge Letter with the specified amounts the program is providing for each of the 4 items below
       1. Application Fees ($65 per adult)
       2. Rent: Maximum amount of monthly assistance
       3. Deposit/Holding Deposit: Maximum amount of assistance
       4. List of all occupants the assistance covers
     • If the assistance program is unable to make electronic payments, 2 separate check payments are required. One check for the application fees and the second for the deposit.
5. Roommates/Occupancy Standards: No more than 3 adults per property and no more than 2 occupants per bedroom plus 1 additional occupant in the household will be allowed.
6. Credit Requirements: Our office requires that you have reasonable credit, meaning there needs to be more positive standing accounts to outweigh delinquent payments and/or collection accounts. If the credit reflects more past due accounts than positive accounts, but the combined past due amount is less than $1000, a conditional approval may be offered pending all other screening criteria is met. No established credit could result in a conditional approval offered pending all other screening criteria is met. City of Tacoma properties are not eligible for conditional approvals. (See Section 9)
   • Discharged bankruptcies are acceptable after 6 months of re-established credit.
   • Medical collections and deferred student loans are not included in the credit assessment.
7. Address/Rental History:
   • Provide a chronological history of addresses where you lived, until a minimum of 2 verifiable unbiased rental references are provided. No gaps in history. 
   • Renting from family/friends and/or renting a room is not considered unbiased.
   • All current and previous lease terms and financial rental obligations must be fulfilled.
   • Applicants must provide accurate information to contact all landlords. Park 52 will initiate contact to references, however, it is the applicants responsibility to help complete a reference for the screening process.
   • Evictions/Outstanding Balances: For us to consider your application, there must be NO balance owing to previous Landlords and positive rental history re-established since that landlord reference. Applicants must also meet the remainder of the screening requirements (outside of 59.18.630 protections).
   • Applicants with limited or no rental history need to meet all other screening requirements and may result in a conditional approval. (See Section 9).
   • Poor references from current or previous landlords may result in denial of your application.
   • Homeownership will be verified.
8. Criminal History: All criminal history will be considered based on the Fair Housing/HUD Guidelines, including the seriousness of the crime, the date of the conviction, probationary period, court required classes, and/or compliance items. Please provide a written explanation including the offense date, type of charge/conviction and amount of time served and documentation from the courts including police reports along with your application you submit.
9. Conditional Approval: If a conditional approval is offered it typically results in a double deposit and the lease terms may be changed. 
   • City of Tacoma properties do NOT qualify for double deposit conditional approvals as a result of legislation passed December 8, 2023.
10. Pet Possible Properties: For your pet to qualify at a pet friendly property, it must be at least 1 year of age, you must provide verifiable rental history with your pet, and a $500 minimum pet deposit is required.(additional fees may be added per pet). The pet deposit for properties within the City of Tacoma is limited to 25% of the monthly rent. (See property listings for requirements). Small pet properties will not accept animals over 30lbs. Large pet properties will not accept animals over 75lbs. Allowance of pets varies from property to property. A photo of your pet is required for our files.
    • The following breeds may be prohibited based on owners preference and/or homeowners insurance: Pit Bull, Pit Bull Mix, American Staffordshire Terrier, Rottweiler, German Shepherds, Doberman Pinschers, American Bull Dogs, Bull Mastiffs, and breeds mixed with any of the above. (Properties with in the City of Tacoma are not subject to these breed restrictions, but must meet the property’s pet friendly limitations).
    • Service/Companion Animals are the exception to the pet friendly policy. Submit a letter from a qualified provider guideline are followed to meet Fair Housing and HUD standards, for a reasonable accommodation request. Park 52 will verify the documentation.

11. Approval Of Application: Applicant must have the ability to pay the Holding Deposit within 24 hours of approval of application, and rent/remainder of Security Deposit in full, prior to move-in. If a deposit is to be paid by an authorized agency, letter of pledge needs to be provided within 24 hours.

    Financial responsibility of the property must be taken by the Applicant/Tenant within 5 days of their approval date (or the property’s available date).