FirstKey Homes is committed to providing equal housing opportunities and a quality experience for families who participate in the US Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Housing Choice Voucher Program, also known as Section 8. The following is a general overview of the eligibility process for prospective residents from the initial application phase to final execution of the lease.
How it Works
Once a property has been identified, the applicant must notify FirstKey Homes of their interest in the property, as well as their intent to use a housing voucher for rent. The local market office will then contact the Housing Authority (HA) to verify if the housing subsidy is equal to or greater than the rental rate of the property.
After the information is verified, our local market team will inform the applicant of the security deposit amount. If the applicant chooses to proceed, s/he will complete the application and pay a $55 non-refundable fee for a CoreLogic SafeRent Score, which is comprised of your credit history, consumer reports and criminal background. *Please review our Resident Selection Criteria for more information regarding the CoreLogic SafeRent Score and fees required for an application. Applicants meeting the required SafeRent Score and criminal background check will be notified by the local market of their application status; then will be required to pay the security deposit and provide the desired move-in date. (NOTE: If an applicant fails the credit and background check, their application will be canceled in accordance with the standard procedures of FirstKey Homes.) The applicant will also submit to the local market the Request for Tenancy Approval (RTA) received from the HA.
A provisional lease will be generated with a caveat stating that the final lease is contingent upon the successful execution of a Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) Contract between the HA and FirstKey Homes. A pre-inspection of the property will be conducted by FirstKey Homes, after which the RTA will be submitted to the HA.
The HA will conduct an initial inspection of the property. If the property passes inspection, the HA will make an offer to FirstKey Homes. Once the offer is accepted, the lease will be executed between FirstKey Homes and the resident. The signed lease will be forwarded to the HA for drafting of the HAP Contract. If the offer is rejected and the HA does not accept the counteroffer, the security deposit will be refunded to the applicant within ten (10) business days of the cancellation date.