In the spirit of fair housing, Lee Street Management will often make a special effort to accommodate underqualified or disadvantaged applicants. This effort is above and beyond our legal obligations under the Equal Housing and Fair Credit Laws.

We look for supplemental factors that might elevate a struggling candidate. This evaluation may lead us to ask ourselves the following types of questions:

1. Does the applicant have a good credit rating? In spite of a lesser income, has the applicant managed his money well in the past? We might consider this as evidence of strong ethics and a dedication to honor financial obligations.
2. Can the applicant show that he has paid comparable rent, in full and on time, to a previous landlord? If so, it is likely this pattern of behavior will remain consistent.
3. Does the applicant have other available liquid assets to cover the rent in the event of a financial crisis? Do they demonstrate a willingness to commit those assets?
4. Does the applicant have a disability? We might make a reasonable accommodation to relax our financial standards...particularly if it is a “borderline” situation. As a practical matter though, we never assume that a disabled person is automatically a poor or financially disadvantaged person.
5. Does the applicant have someone (in the State of Illinois) who would be willing to guarantee the lease and who could independently meet our financial criteria? The simple fact that a third party would be willing to obligate themselves for the benefit of the applicant is an intrinsically good reference.
6. Are there factors that may allow an applicant to devote a higher percentage of disposable income to rent (such as a demonstrated willingness to forego unnecessary personal luxuries.)
7. Does the applicant have any means of barter, such as a willingness or ability to contribute to the function of the building or the community? It is possible that an applicant could offset his rent by (voluntarily) offering to perform simple routine tasks (such as gardening, change lightbulbs, pick up litter, accept deliveries, provide entry for utility meter readers, wash windows, etc.)
8. Would the applicant be willing to consider a roommate? Often a roommate will afford both persons a greater opportunity and economy of living. Open-mindedness on this matter has often helped applicants overcome our minimum financial requirements.

Other considerations exist of course, but these few should be enough to convey our philosophy on the subject. In the end, our goal is to create a diverse and vibrant community that does it's best to include everyone. Please feel free to call us if you would like to explore our ideas further or find out how we can help you.