How Our Referral & Client Pre-Screening Process Works
The five-step referral workflow, how consent is handled, what info to provide, turnaround, and the status updates you'll receive.
The Five Steps
1. Referral submission. You submit the client’s info: metro, household size, approximate income, voucher status, and any screening context. Free.
2. Pre-screening. We check the client’s numbers against current AMI limits and screen their profile against tenant selection plans for open communities in their metro.
3. Client contact with consent. Once you confirm consent, we reach out to the client directly. First contact confirms consent with the client, walks through options in English or Spanish, and answers questions.
4. Matching and application coordination. We shortlist open, qualifying communities. We coordinate applications and follow up. Where possible, we rebate the client’s application fee on approval.
5. Status update to you. With the client’s ongoing consent, we send you status updates: contacted, applying, approved, signed.
What to Include in a Referral
Minimum useful info:
- Client name (with consent to share)
- Contact info (phone, email)
- Metro (Austin, San Antonio, Houston, Dallas, Fort Worth)
- Household size
- Approximate annual household income
- Voucher status (in hand, applied, none)
- Any screening context (past evictions, credit, background)
- Accessibility needs (if any)
- Language preference (English or Spanish)
Bring more context if useful, less if that’s all you have.
Turnaround
- Pre-screening response: 1-2 business days
- First client contact: usually the same or next day after consent
- Initial matches: 24-48 hours after client intake completes
- Placement: metro-dependent, typically weeks
Consent and Privacy
- We never contact a client without your confirmation of consent
- We verify consent again on first client contact
- Status updates require the client’s ongoing consent
- We follow fair-housing rules and don’t screen on protected class
- See our Privacy Policy for full data-handling details
Bulk Referral for Organizations
If your team has volume, we can set up a repeatable partnership pathway (shared intake form, direct communication, structured status reports). Reach out through Contact and note you’re a professional partner.
