1) SECURITY DEPOSIT: What is the security deposit?
Kelly Property Group uses a market standard security deposit equal to one month's rent. Well-qualified applicants may be eligible for a lower security deposit. Conditionally qualified applicants may be required to pay a double security deposit, in addition to other requirements. For more details about qualification and security deposit requirements, please see our Rental Criteria.
2) QUALIFICATION CRITERIA: What are your income and credit qualification criteria?
KPG uses your provided income and ID documents to generate a "grade" to qualify for the applicant pool, and includes options for well-qualified, standard qualified, and conditionally qualified applicants.
***WELL-QUALIFIED*** applicants with a grade of A+/A:
— Earn combined gross income of 4x (high) to 5x (highest) the monthly rent
— Have a TransUnion ResidentScore of 600+ (high) to 620+ (highest)
— May qualify for security deposit and second month rent discounts
***STANDARD QUALIFIED*** applicants with a grade of B:
— Earn combined gross income of three times the monthly rent or higher
— Have a TransUnion ResidentScore of 560+
— Pay a standard security deposit equal to one month's rent
***CONDITIONALLY QUALIFIED*** applicants with a grade of C or D:
— Earn combined gross income of 2x (low conditional) to 2.5x (conditional) the monthly rent
— Have a TransUnion ResidentScore of of 524-537 (low) or 538-559
— Are required to provide a double security deposit, a qualified cosigner/guarantor, and/or pay the last month’s rent up front
3) APPLICATION FEE: How much does it cost to apply?
KPG uses a FREE online screener app for *pre-screening* only. Anyone can apply to the FREE screener app at any time. This is the first step for all applicants. Visit the website or schedule a showing for free screener information.
FULL APPLICATION FEE: If you qualify after the screener, a full background/credit check fee for the amount permitted by California law will apply per each adult who will live in the unit. This fee is only requested if applicants pre-qualify and are invited to the document confirmation stage. The fee is used entirely to order background and full credit checks; KPG does not retain any portion of the fee.
KPG does not charge you a fee for the background or credit check unless you already pre-qualify and we expect to sign a lease for a specific unit with you.
In 2023, this fee is: $52 per adult applicant.
All occupants over the age of 18 must provide original documents in person and pay the fee for a full background and credit check prior to be offered / signing a lease.
4) LEASE LENGTH: What kind of leases do you offer?
All leases are 6 months and automatically convert to month-to-month at the end of the original lease term. All occupants over the age of 18 must complete a full lease application and sign onto the lease in order to live here. We do not offer month-to-month or year-long leases at initial signing.
5) OCCUPANCY LIMIT: Do you have occupancy limits? How many people are allowed to live with me?
KPG uses an industry standard occupancy limit of 2 persons per bedroom, plus 1. For our standard 2-bedroom apartments, this means an occupancy limit of 5. Single family homes, condos and townhouses use the same standard.
Occupancy limits apply to all living beings at the property. All minor children, pets, service animals or emotional support animals must be reported and listed as additional occupants during the lease application and count toward the occupancy limit. Individual infants do not count toward the occupancy limit until they reach 1 year of age. KPG reserves the right to enforce the occupancy limit for multiple infants.
All leases include fees of 25% of the monthly rent charged for EACH unauthorized guest, additional occupant over the occupancy limit, unauthorized pets or animals, and for additional pets or animals over the occupancy limit.
6) UTILITIES: What utilites are included?
KPG rent does not include any utilities.
===== SINGLE FAMILY/CONDO RENTERS =====
If you are renting a single-family home, condo or townhouse from KPG, you are responsible for paying for all utilities and setting up accounts yourself. You are required by your lease to have accounts for all utilities required for minimum habitability or as required by local law, including trash, recycling and yard waste, water, electricity, and any other utilities required to operate all appliances in the home (such as natural gas, if required for heating/cooking).
In the event any utilities are covered by an HOA fee, these included utilities will be listed specifically in your lease.
For more information, please see the web site, visit an Open House or schedule a private showing.===== APARTMENT RENTERS =====
Apartment tenants must pay for their individual unit utilities, as well as pay a proportional share of community utilities.
——> INDIVIDUAL UNIT UTILITIES: If you are renting one of our multi-family apartment units, you are responsible for paying for all individual unit utilities and setting up accounts yourself. You are required to have accounts for both electricity and natural gas (via SoCal Edison and SoCal Gas) to operate all appliances required for minimum habitability. Cable/phone/internet service is optional for your unit but often preferred, and you are also required to set up that account yourself as well (hard wire cable available via Spectrum).
——> PROPORTIONAL SHARE OF COMMUNITY UTILITIES: Multi-family apartment tenants also are required by your lease to pay a fair portion of community utilities that benefit all residents, based on occupancy and usage using our Ratio Utilities Billing System (RUBS, for short) to calculate a fair share. RUBS community utilities monthly billing includes, but is not limited to, water, sewer, trash, recycling and organic waste, facility electricity, facility gas, facility pest control, and facility security cameras.
Monthly share prices from 2021-2023 for ALL utilities combined have historically ranged from $25-45 per adult depending on the season and conservation efforts by all residents. For example, this would work out to a solo tenant living alone paying $25-45 per month, and a couple living together with no children or pets paying $50-90 per month. Share prices are reduced for children, infants, pets, and service/emotional support animals.
7) PETS: Do you allow pets?
KPG allows cats under 20 pounds and dogs under 45 pounds to reside in the unit with you as a pet, subject to standard breed restrictions and behavioral constraints. Pets require an additional pet application, a signed pet addendum, and an additional $500 security deposit, as well as pet rent amounting to $50 per month per pet.
Only cats and dogs are permitted as pets. No other animals are permitted as pets. This includes, but is not limited to, birds, fish, rodents, reptiles, insects, and other exotic animals.
Pet deposit is refundable upon move out pending damage evaluation.
Pets count toward the occupancy limit. Maximum of 2 pets per unit.
PET SHOULD BE DISCUSSED IN ADVANCE OF ARRIVAL:
Pets must be reported during the application process or upon adoption. Failure to report an existing pet during the leasing process will be considered a failure to accurately complete the application or a misrepresentation and will result in at-fault termination of your lease.
KPG strongly recommends you consult with the property manager before signing a lease or in advance of obtaining a pet after lease signing to ensure your pet conforms to our requirements and will be permitted to live with you. Pets that do not conform to our requirements will be issued a notice to comply, and failure to remove the pet will result in the at-fault termination of your lease.
8) SERVICE DOGS/ESAs: What are your policies related to service dogs/ESAs/Emotional Support Animals?
KPG adheres to state and federal law that applies to housing providers with regard to service dogs and emotional support animals. These laws can change and update year to year.
Please note that a service dog and emotional support animals are not pets, and they require supporting documentation to be considered as an accommodation that is protected by law instead of being subject to our pet policies, restrictions, and deposits and fees.
LEGAL NOTE: There is widespread fraud in relation to emotional support animals in the state of California, including fraudulent documentation providers who prey on tenants with legitimate and verifiable accommodation needs who are unaware of this black market, fraudulent industry. As a result, KPG has specific requirements for supporting documentation that are in line with AB 468 and practices by authorized, legitimate providers who provide such accommodation documentation on a routine basis.
Please ask about our documentation procedures if you require an accommodation for an emotional support animal. Failure to report a pending arrival of an service dog or emotional support animal to KPG in advance of the animal's arrival, in order to ensure documentation is verifiable, legitimate, and otherwise properly in order, may result in fees related to unauthorized animals/pets. Such fees are outlined in your lease as 25% of your total rent amount for each unauthorized animal/pet that does not have legitimate, verifiable documentation in compliance with the law.
REPORTING ALL ANIMALS IS REQUIRED IN ADVANCE:
All existing service dogs or emotional support animals must be listed as additional occupants during the lease application. Failure to report a service dog or emotional support animal during the leasing process will be considered a failure to accurately complete the application or a misrepresentation and will result in at-fault termination of your lease.
Service dogs and/or ESAs/Emotional Support Animals obtained after lease signing must be reported to KPG in advance of their arrival in order to ensure documentation is properly in order and avoid fees related to unauthorized animals/pets. Properly reported and documented service dogs and emotional support animals are both authorized and added to your lease via required written addendum.
For more information, please see the web site, visit an Open House or schedule a private showing.
9) SECTION 8/THIRD PARTY HOUSING VOUCHERS: Do you accept Section 8? Do you accept third party housing vouchers or 3rd party checks?
KPG strongly encourages all applicants with Section 8 or any similar housing voucher to check with your case worker about our leasing criteria before starting this process.
KPG considers section 8 and other third party vouchers to be income as required by California law. However, we do not waive or alter our leasing criteria for vouchers or third party checks. Regardless, anyone is welcome to fill out a screener app or request a full application at any time.
PROOF OF VOUCHER:
To apply with Section 8 or other voucher income, you must upload the ENTIRE voucher packet in the proof of income area of the application. KPG checks the packet during the screening process, just as we do other types of income verification.
PROOF OF INCOME:
Please note that Section 8 / Voucher income alone is not sufficient for an application to rent with KPG. Even if you are a Section 8 or voucher applicant whose rent would be paid primarily by a third party check, you must still provide proof of ability to pay your required minimum portion of the voucher as stated on the voucher packet, AND the minimum unit and community utilities amounts each month AFTER the voucher you provided pays your rent, as well as other standard minimum living expenses. This criteria applies to all prospective tenants, regardless of income source. As a result, you still are required to provide formal proof of legal income AND banking statements that reflect that income for your application, along with your voucher packet.
You are responsible for confirming voucher requirements.
Check with your case worker to make sure KPG’s unit & lease qualifies for your voucher — many vouchers are strict or conflict with our leases. See other related Section 8 questions for more information.
KPG has successfully worked with various third parties for vouchers and payments for applicants who otherwise meet our leasing criteria. In particular, we have had multiple successful tenancies through Valley Oasis. However, individual clients may have a better fit with other properties or programs, depending on your personal circumstances.
We do not waive or alter our leasing criteria for vouchers or third party checks. We recommend you review our leasing criteria and check in with your case worker BEFORE filling out a screener app to save you time & effort.
10) LOCAL ORGS: Do you work with Valley Oasis? Do you work with Grace Resources? Do you work with Hope of the Valley?
KPG has successfully worked with various third parties for vouchers and payments for applicants who otherwise meet our leasing criteria. In particular, we have had multiple successful tenancies through Valley Oasis coordinating payment for some portion of the application fee, security deposit, or move in rent funds for applicants who are standard qualified, conditional qualified, or low conditional qualified. However, individual clients may have a better fit with other properties or programs, depending on your personal circumstances.
We do not waive or alter our leasing criteria for vouchers or third party checks. We recommend you review our leasing criteria and check in with your case worker BEFORE filling out a screener app to save you time & effort.
11) DENIED SECTION 8: Why did you not accept my Section 8 application?
Kelly Property Group considers section 8 and vouchers to be income as required by California law. KPG requires the SAME lease for ALL tenants, no matter their income source. KPG does not change leases or criteria for vouchers.
Applicants with verifiable documents and information recieve a detailed letter via email explaining the individual elements of their application that do not meet our leasing criteria. If you did not receive this letter or cannot find the email, please reach out to request a duplicate be sent to you. You can call or send a text message to the Applications Department at 661-235-5540, or send your request via email to team@kellyproperty.group. Please note the end of the email is dot group, not dot com.
12) SECTION 8 PROOF OF INCOME: I have Section 8, why do I need proof of income?
KPG uses the same criteria to qualify regardless of income source. Even if you are a Section 8 or voucher applicant whose rent would be paid primarily by a third party check, you must still provide proof of ability to pay your required minimum portion of the voucher as stated on the voucher packet, AND the minimum unit and community utilities amounts each month AFTER the voucher you provided pays your rent, as well as other standard minimum living expenses. This criteria applies to all prospective tenants, regardless of income source. As a result, you still are required to provide formal proof of legal income AND banking statements that reflect that income for your application, along with your voucher packet.