For owners
Tenant Screening in Portland
How we approve residents for your property, and the fair housing laws every screening follows.
How we approve residents
- Fair housing, always. We follow federal, Oregon and Washington fair housing laws, and Portland’s FAIR ordinance for homes in Portland.
- Income of at least 2 times the rent.
- Published criteria. Separate criteria for Portland, the rest of Oregon and Washington, plus co-signer, rental reference and pet policies. Applicants can read them before they apply.
- An independent screening company. Background checks are run by a third party that specializes in them, which also protects you and us from discrimination claims.
- Applications in the order received. Timestamped, as Portland requires.
- Typically 3 to 5 business days from application to decision.
- Pets by policy. Up to two pets with management approval at most pet-friendly properties, with monthly pet rent instead of a pet deposit. Assistance animals with a valid letter are not pets.
Our criteria documents
- Portland screening criteria: not financially responsible
- Portland screening criteria: financially responsible (standard)
- Portland screening criteria: financially responsible (low barrier)
- Oregon rental criteria: outside Portland
- Washington screening criteria
- Co-signer screening criteria
- Rental reference requirements
- Pet policy
Portland’s FAIR rules, in brief
Portland’s Fair Access in Renting (FAIR) ordinance governs how a rental is advertised and how applications are received and judged. The main points, as of September 2026:
- The home must be advertised at least 72 hours before applications are accepted.
- Applications are processed in the order received, with documented timestamps.
- Income requirements can’t exceed 2.5 times the rent, or 2 times for higher-rent units. Ours is 2 times.
- Criminal history is limited: no arrests without a conviction, no expunged records, and no misdemeanors more than 3 years old or felonies more than 7 years old.
- An application can’t be rejected for a missing Social Security number or for immigration status; Oregon now requires the same statewide.
Source: Portland City Code 30.01.086. This is a summary, not legal advice.
Last reviewed September 2026.
Want screening handled for you?
It’s included in management, for a single home or a whole building.