Frequently Asked QUESTIONS

There are NO application fees to apply for the Partners in Opportunity Program. It is 100% free to apply. We are a mission-driven nonprofit and will never ask you to pay us anything.

If you are accepted, typical fees such as an application to the property and a deposit are based on the property’s standard requirements. Again, Partners in Opportunity will never ask you to pay anything directly to us.

The amount of the security deposit varies from property to property, but generally ranges from $250 to $900, based on your credit score. Some properties also offer an option in which residents can pay an ongoing non-refundable monthly fee (generally $10-20 per month) instead of an upfront refundable security deposit. We know that many families with vouchers have encountered scams, but you can rest assured that, if accepted, you will pay your security deposit directly to the property, not to Partners in Opportunity.

After you submit the initial online application, we will notify you within 2 business days to inform you if your application has been selected to move to the next step. If your initial application has been selected to move forward, we can complete our full selection process in as little as 2 weeks, but this depends on how quickly you return requested information and documents.

There are three basic eligibility requirements: you have to have a Section 8 voucher, you have to have at least one child in the household under the age of 18, and you have to have a year of rental history in your own name.

We currently have properties within the geographic jurisdiction of the following housing authorities:

• The Dallas Housing Authority (DHA)
• The Dallas County Housing Authority
• The Grand Prairie Housing Authority
• The Garland Housing Authority
• The McKinney Housing Authority
• The Mesquite Housing Authority
• The Denton Housing Authority
• The Plano Housing Authority
• The Greenville Housing Authority

If your housing authority is not listed, it is likely that you can port your voucher to one of the housing authorities listed above. Please call us if you have any questions.

Yes! Families “porting” their voucher from another region or state are welcome to apply!

Yes. We accept applicants with prior evictions, however, there are two things to keep in mind. First, you should only apply once you have a full year of good rental history after your eviction. Second, some of the properties in our network, though not all, will only accept applicants if two years have passed since the date of their last eviction.

Yes. Credit history is a factor in our selection process, but many of the families that we accept have low credit scores.

Yes. We look for consistent employment history in applicants, but we provide exemptions for unemployment related to disability, full-time school attendance, and the presence of young children in the home.

Yes. Past criminal convictions are a factor in our selection process, but we accept applicants with prior criminal convictions.

Due to client confidentiality, we do not publicly list the names of the specific properties where our families are housed. However, rest assured that we only select landlord partners in high opportunity neighborhoods with well-maintained and safe housing, and that once accepted, you will be able to choose from among all of the properties in our network that have current availability.

Our commitments relate to our programs as well as being a good tenant.

• Tenant Expectations. Our families are expected to pay rent on time every month, abide by the community standards, and maintain the requirements to keep their voucher.
• Program expectations:
  • Attend a monthly meeting with the Family Support Director as part of our Opportunity Coach and College Readiness programs.
  • Commit to goals and follow through on action plans set with your Family Support Director.
  • Attend a monthly meeting with your Mentor as part of our Mentor program.
  • Enroll your infant or toddler in a high-quality early childhood education program once they turn 6 months old.
  • Enroll your children ages 3-17 in the local public school that you are zoned to.
  • Work with the Family Support Director to enroll your school-aged children in extracurricular and summer activities.

Yes! We specialize in working with busy parents who work and take care of kids. We work around your schedule.

The program lasts for two years. After you complete the program, we encourage you to stay for the long-term. The majority of our families remain in contact with us, and we are happy to be a part of their ongoing support system.

A “high opportunity neighborhood” is a neighborhood that has various resources and advantages and that have been shown to help families and children rise out of poverty: high performing public schools, a safe environment, job opportunities, and beneficial social networks. At Partners in Opportunity we only partner with properties in high opportunity neighborhoods.

No, we do not offer assistance with security deposits or moving expenses.

Participation in our core programs runs for two years, but our goal is for families to remain in a high opportunity neighborhood until their children graduate from high school, so families are encouraged to stay in PIO-sponsored housing for the long-term. We remain in contact with the majority of our families after the initial two years of programmatic support and often become part of their ongoing support system.