Q&A:  Verifying Eligibility

Question: I have always been told that an application could not be rejected before ALL information had been verified.  I have searched the 4350.3 to see if there is still a requirement that all information must be verified before a rejection and I don’t find anything.  What is the requirement?  Randee in NC  

Answer: When you receive a completed application, the household must either be processed for admission, added to the waiting list, or rejected based on a preliminary determination of eligibility [4350.3, 4-16(1)].  When you begin verifications to determine whether the household is eligible to move in, you may discover that the family doesn’t pass criminal or credit checks, is over income, etc.  Once you determine that a household is not eligible, there’s no need to continue to verify other items on the application; you can reject the application, citing the specific reason for the rejection to the tenant.