Applying for Co-op Housing

Why Rent When You Can Co-op?

The process to get into a co-op apartment can take anywhere from three months to one year depending on the number of vacancies at the co-ops in which you indicate interest. Once an apartment becomes available, applications will be considered in date order based on the number of bedrooms needed by the applicant and the income restrictions for the particular apartment. The following Nine Steps do not reflect that time factor.

9 Steps to Become a Member

1. Email, write or phone BCLT to get on the Co-op Housing Waiting List.

This List is separate from the Rental/Single-Family Homeownership Waitlists. Make sure to get a copy of your credit report in advance so you can make any needed improvements.

2. Fill out and return an application.

Please include additional information on separate paper and list information for all applicants being considered who are 18 years of age and older. Incomplete and/or incorrect applications will be returned. Remember to regularly update your application.

Please click here to get a copy of the Co-op Housing Program Application to print and mail in. (file size: 192kb)

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3. Attend an “Intro to Co-op’s” Orientation.

All applicants are required attend an Orientation to be considered for co-op housing membership. Contact us for the next date/times.

4. Process your Co-op Application. Completed co-op applications which income qualify for a current, and/or future opening will be sent to the appropriate co-op property manager at BCLT, Lake Champlain Housing Ventures (LCHV), and/or Maloney Properties Inc. (MPI).

The property manager will verify:

Credit History;
Housing References;
Employment History;
Character References;
as well as any and all listed and non-listed information on your application.

5. Interview and Apartment Showing with the Co-op’s Membership Committee.

If your application meets the basic membership criteria, a co-op member will contact you to set up a date/time to interview all applicants listed on the application.

**Denied applications will receive a letter stating the denied criteria. An appeal letter can be submitted if you feel the decision was unfair or incorrect.

6. Committee Recommendation & Board Decision.

After the interview, the member selection committee sends their evaluation and recommendation to the co-op’s Board of Directors.

The Board of Directors votes to approve or deny an application for membership. Approved applicants are considered in date order of the application, not the Co-op Housing Inquiry List.

7. Final Income Verification.

If accepted for potential co-op membership by the co-op Board of Directors, the property manager verifies your income to determine which apartment you are income-qualified.

**Each apartment is designated for certain low-moderate household incomes. Your income can increase once you move into a co-op. Please click here to view the median incomes by household size.

8. Signing Papers & Share Purchase.

When an applicant’s income matches an available apartment(s), a BCLT staff member will show the apartment. Upon acceptance by the applicant, the Co-op Housing Coordinator will then arrange a date to meet to sign a lease, purchase the share and go over the co-op member handbook.

9. Move In. Yeah!!!