We are excited you would like to apply for one of our properties! Before applying, please take a moment and review the application process and general qualification guidelines below.

Reserving and Applying

RESERVATION PROCEDURES: To reserve a property a holding deposit in the amount of $500 is required. This holding deposit is non-refundable at time of receipt and will only be refunded if applications are not approved. Holding deposits are applied toward move-in funds upon applicant approval. A holding deposit is required before any applications will be accepted. Holding deposits are taken on a first-come, first-serve basis. A holding deposit is the only way that you may reserve a place in line for a property. You may place a holding deposit sight unseen. Holding deposits may be paid online at www.BlueOakChico.com on the specific property’s listing page using the RESERVE NOW button. If there is a Pending Applicants banner across the main property picture on www.BlueOakChico.com and there is not a Reserve Now button option it means there is currently a holding deposit on the property.
All applicants (anyone that is going to be residing in the property) over the age of eighteen (18) years of age and emancipated minors with written proof of legal emancipation must fill out a separate application. You can apply online here. The application fee is $45 per applicant and $35 per cosigner (cosigners can apply online here). The application fee is nonrefundable. All applicants must provide a different email address.
Rental applicants with household pets or assistance animals (including service animals and support animals) are required to submit a per pet/animal application through a third-party screening vendor as part of our rental application process.There is a pet application charge of $20 for the first pet, $15 for each additional pet or $0 for assistance animals. Assistance animals for persons with disabilities (including service animals and support animals) are not pets and are not covered by our pet policy. However, they do require our prior written approval. We will handle all requests for assistance animals per federal and state fair housing laws.
Please see below for our screening criteria:

Income Requirements

Gross monthly income must be greater than three (3) times the monthly rent amount (this amount is combined for all applicants).
We will accept all sources of income which are lawful, verifiable, and paid to the applicant, a representative of the applicant, or on behalf of the applicant (including public assistance and rent subsidies, such as Section 8 or VASH). Only current income will be considered.
Acceptable proof(s) of income include, but are not limited to:
- If employed: copies of the most recent paystubs covering at least two month's of pay.
- If self-employed: most recent year tax return plus 2 months of bank statements that verify current income.
- Other forms considered but not limited to: social security benefits, retirement benefits, verifiable new job offer and acceptance letters, child support, spouse support, and/or any other written proof of lawful, verifiable income as discussed above.

Credit Requirements

Credit scores, delinquent accounts, late payments and amount of debt and are all heavily weighted in the approval process.
An average Transunion FICO credit score of 660 or higher across all applicants will not result in increased security deposit.
An average Transunion FICO credit score between 625 and 660 across all applicants will result in conditional approval (increased deposit).
An average Transunion FICO credit score below 625 across all applicants will result in denial.
A Transunion FICO credit score below 585 will result in denial.
No established credit with no credit score will result in denial.
No more than one (1) non-medical or student loan account in collections with balance owing for any one applicant or guarantor (denial).
No more than $500 currently outstanding in collections (non-medical or student loan) for any one applicant or guarantor (denial).
No open bankruptcies. No bankruptcies in the previous 5 years for any applicant or guarantor (denial). If bankruptcy is over five years old the applicant must have re-established credit.
If you are an applicant who receives a government rent subsidy, including a Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher, you have the option of providing alternative verifiable evidence of your ability to pay the rent each month in lieu of allowing us to use your credit history. If you receive such a subsidy to cover a portion of your rent each month, you have the following options.

You may authorize us to use your credit history as part of the application process; or
You will provide us alternate evidence of ability to pay the rent requested by us, including, but not limited to, rental ledgers, bank statements, pay records, government benefit payments, and verification of any other sources of income to demonstrate ability to pay the rent each month.

Rental/Residence History

Reasons for conditional approval (increased deposit) or denial:
- Unverifiable rental or residence history (conditional).
- Past due balance owing to a landlord/mortgage holder (excluding covid-related rental debt as defined under California law), (denial).
- Prior unlawful detainer judgment (denial).
- Less than two rental references (conditional).
- No rental history (living at home or in dorms) (conditional).
- 3 or more late rent or mortgage payments during a 1 year period (excluding covid-related rental debt as defined under California law), (conditional). 5 or more (denial).
- 2 or more rent or mortgage payments returned for insufficient funds (conditional). 3 or more (denial).
- Any documented complaints of unreasonable interference with the quiet enjoyment of neighbors (denial)
- Any documented instances of violating a lease (denial)
- Any documented instances of property damage in excess of ordinary wear and tear (denial)
- Unauthorized pets (denial)
- Any instances of conduct which unreasonably interfered with management operations (denial)
- Unauthorized breaking of lease (conditional)

Criminal History

Criminal Background is reviewed on a case-by-case basis. We look at Felonies for:
- Violent Offenses (fatal and non-fatal) (within past 8 years, denial)
- Drug Offenses (manufacturing/distribution) (within past 8 years, denial)
- Property Offenses (destruction related and theft related) (within past 5 years, denial)
- Weapons Offenses (within past 8 years, denial)
- Terrorism Offenses (within past 10 years, denial)

Cosigners (Guarantors)

Guarantors may be considered on certain properties if you lack proper income or have no credit history. Guarantors cannot be used in lieu of poor credit, unlawful detainers (evictions), criminal history or poor rental history.
Guarantors are required to fill out the cosigner application, which can be found here. A credit check and employment/income verification will be performed on all guarantors. Guarantors must provide proof of income.
Guarantors must be a U.S. resident. We do not accept guarantors that are an entity or a company.
All guarantor income is combined and must be greater than four (4) times the monthly rental amount.

Fair Housing

As a company, we do business in accordance with the Federal Fair Housing Law and California Fair Housing Law and welcome Persons of all Race, Color, Religion, Sex, Handicap/Disability, Familial Status, National Origin, Sexual Orientation, Ancestry, Age, Marital Status, Medical Condition, Gender, Gender Identity, Gender Expression, Genetic Information, Citizenship & Immigration Status, Primary Language, Veteran or Military Status, any arbitrary basis and/or any other protected class under federal/state/local laws.