Valera & Associates LLC dba The Boulevard

Tenant Application & Qualification Policy                                  

Effective Date: May 22, 2026

 


Purpose

This policy establishes consistent, fair, and lawful standards for reviewing rental applications. It ensures compliance with:

  • Federal Fair Housing Act (42 U.S.C. §3601 et seq.)
  • Hawaiʻi Fair Housing Laws (HRS Chapter 515)
  • Hawaiʻi Residential Landlord-Tenant Code (HRS Chapter 521)
  • Any applicable county ordinances.

Our goal is to apply these standards uniformly to all applicants to avoid discrimination and ensure fairness.

 


1. Fair Housing Compliance

We do not discriminate against any applicant or tenant based on:

  • Race or color
  • National origin
  • Religion
  • Sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression
  • Familial status (including pregnancy, children, or custody arrangements)
  • Disability (physical or mental)
  • Age, marital status, or ancestry
  • HIV infection or other protected medical status
  • Veteran or military status
  • Lawful source of income (including housing vouchers, Section 8, or rental assistance programs)

Reasonable accommodations will be provided for applicants/tenants with disabilities as required by law.

 


2. Application Process

·      Application Fee: Each applicant must pay a application screening fee not to exceed $74, reflecting the actual cost of screening services.

  • The fee covers the actual costs of processing the application, including credit checks, background screening, rental history verification, income verification, and identity verification. The fee is non-refundable only to the extent of screening costs actually incurred. If no screening has been initiated at the time of withdrawal or denial, any unused portion of the fee will be refunded as required by HRS §521-43.5.
  • Screening reports will not be ordered until the application fee has been received.
  • Payment of the application fee does not guarantee approval, tenancy, or reservation of the property. Management will maintain itemized records of screening costs and will provide an accounting upon written request.
  • Each adult occupant (18 years or older) who will reside at the property must complete and sign a separate application.
  • Applications are processed in the order in which completed applications are received. A completed application includes:

 

  • Signed application form
  • Payment of application fee
  • All required supporting documents, including:

 

  • Copy of a government-issued photo ID (non-expired)
  • Two most recent pay stubs
  • One most recent bank statement (where the income is deposited)


Scanned hard copies or digital copies will be accepted. No screen shots allowed.

 

  • All applicants within the same household must submit completed applications, fees, and required documentation before the household will be placed in the processing queue.
  • Applications containing incomplete, inaccurate, inconsistent, or missing information and/or documentation may be considered incomplete, may not be processed, and may lose their place in the processing queue.
  • Delays caused by incomplete submissions or delayed responses from employers, landlords, references, financial institutions, or third-party screening providers are outside of management’s control.
  • Providing false, misleading, altered, or fraudulent information — including fake employer or landlord contact information or modified supporting documents — will result in automatic denial and may disqualify applicants from applying to any future rental properties managed by our company.
  • Verification requests sent to employers, landlords, and references must be completed before the application can proceed to final review.
  • Once all screening reports, verification responses, and required documentation have been received and reviewed, screening criteria information will be submitted to the property owner for final review and approval.
  • Final approval or denial is made solely by the property owner or authorized property management representative based on the overall application review and established screening criteria.
  • We are unable to expedite the application process by skipping any required screening, verification, or review steps.
  • Applicants will have up to 72 hours (three business days) from the time written notice is sent by management to provide or correct any missing documents or information and to ensure employer and landlord verification requests are completed. The clock begins upon email or written notification from management and excludes weekends and state or federal holidays. If all required documents, information, and verifications are not received within this period, the application will be considered incomplete, the applicant household may lose its position in the processing queue, and management may proceed to the next applicant. Applicants who require additional time as a reasonable accommodation for a disability may submit a written request for an extension, which will be considered on a case-by-case basis consistent with applicable fair housing law.


3. Qualification Criteria


A. Identification

  • Valid government-issued photo ID is required.


B. Income & Employment

  • Household minimum combined gross monthly income (including housing assistance or subsidy covering rent) = 2x monthly rent. All adult applicants’ income is pooled for purposes of this calculation. This standard is applied uniformly to all applicants regardless of income source, including Section 8 voucher holders and recipients of rental assistance, consistent with HRS §515.
  • Proof of income required (two recent pay stubs / new job acceptance letter / benefit letters, and one most recent bank statement where the income is deposited to).
  • For self-employed applicants: two most recent tax returns and six most recent bank statements.
  • Housing subsidies, Section 8 vouchers, and lawful alternative income sources are accepted.

C. Credit History

  • A credit report will be obtained.
  • Applicants with a history of serious unpaid debts, evictions, or rental collections will be denied.
  • Applicants with a pattern of late payments within the last 12 months may be denied. A single isolated late payment will be evaluated individually, taking into account the frequency, recency, dollar amount, and any mitigating circumstances provided by the applicant.
  • Lack of credit history will not automatically disqualify an applicant but may require additional verification or a co-signer.
  • A bankruptcy discharged within the last seven (7) years may result in denial. Each case will be evaluated individually, considering the type of bankruptcy (Chapter 7 vs. Chapter 13), the time elapsed since discharge, current credit standing, and evidence of financial recovery or rehabilitation. Applicants may provide a written explanation of mitigating circumstances for consideration.

D. Rental History

  • Prior rental references will be verified.
  • History of timely payments, lease compliance, and property care are required.
  • Evictions within the past 5 years may be grounds for denial (considering mitigating circumstances).

E. Criminal History

  • Criminal background checks may be conducted in compliance with HUD guidance and Hawaiʻi law.
  • Convictions that pose a demonstrable threat to health, safety, or property may disqualify an applicant.
  • Arrest records without conviction will not be considered.
  • Blanket denials for criminal history are prohibited. Each case will be evaluated individually, considering: (1) the nature and severity of the offense; (2) the time elapsed since the offense or completion of sentence; (3) evidence of rehabilitation or changed circumstances; (4) the relevance of the offense to tenancy (e.g., property damage, crimes against persons); and (5) any mitigating information provided by the applicant. Applicants will be given the opportunity to provide written context or mitigating evidence before a final denial is issued based on criminal history.

 


4. Co-Signers/Guarantors

  • Allowed for applicants who do not meet income or credit requirements.
  • Must meet the same financial criteria and sign a guaranty agreement.

 


5. Pets & Assistance Animals

  • Pet policies are property-specific and disclosed in advance.
  • Service animals and emotional support animals are not considered “pets.” They are permitted without additional fees, consistent with the Fair Housing Act.

 


6. Approval & Denial

  • Applicants will receive written notice of approval or denial.
  • If denied in whole or in part due to information in a consumer report (credit or background check), applicants will receive a written adverse action notice as required by the Fair Credit Reporting Act (15 U.S.C. §1681m). The notice will include: (1) the name, address, and telephone number of the consumer reporting agency that provided the report; (2) a statement that the reporting agency did not make the decision to deny and cannot explain the specific reasons for denial; (3) notice of the applicant’s right to obtain a free copy of their consumer report from the reporting agency within 60 days; and (4) notice of the applicant’s right to dispute the accuracy or completeness of any information in the report directly with the reporting agency.

 


7. Equal & Consistent Application

All applicants are evaluated against the same criteria. Exceptions are only made when required by law (e.g., reasonable accommodations for disabilities).