Changes to the resident selection process effective April 8, 2025
Housing application category model to be implemented 8.4.2025
LOAS is improving the resident selection process to better implement guidelines related to resident selection of state-supported housing construction. In practice, this means that in future resident selections, we will more closely consider the applicant's reason for housing need, wealth, and income. Based on need assessment, applicants with the most urgent housing needs will be given priority. Examples of urgency criteria can be found on the second page of this notice.
The new category model will be implemented on 8.4.2025. The implementation will cause an approximately 30 min interruption in Intra. The interruption will begin at 5pm.
Impact of the change on application and housing offer processes
The reform will affect both housing application and housing offer order. With this change, the old point system will be largely eliminated. Applicants can now have only one application per application type (applying alone, applying with another person, applying alone with a child/children). An active application can be updated, for example, regarding the move-in date and attachments. Updating apartments is possible by creating a completely new application. The new application always replaces the previous application regarding apartments and other information but retains the date of the previous application.
Applications will be placed into urgency categories (Urgent Housing Need, General Housing Need) based on the information provided in the application. Applicants with urgent housing need are expected to apply for multiple different housing options and provide additional information and attachments to clarify their housing need. If LOAS does not receive sufficient information to assess the need, we will request additional clarification from the applicant. After processing, the applicant will be able to see their application's category in the Intra system.
The internal order of priority within the categories is influenced by, for example: for studios long and continuous lease agreement in a shared apartment, income and wealth, and in the case of family apartments, the number of children.
The old hourglass icon indicating application placement will be completely removed with this change. Instead, applicants will see new information in Intra, which will provide a more realistic understanding of when a housing offer might be received. The new information includes the number of applications for selected housing and the number of rental contracts signed for selected housing over the past 12 months. Applicants will now have access to essentially the same housing turnover information as LOAS.
In the new model, the impact of offers on applications will be simplified, and the return of applications to specific properties will be eliminated. After receiving an offer, the applicant can continue seeking housing by updating the old application or submitting a new one.
What Happens to Existing Applications?
Most of the active applications will automatically be transferred to the new category model in connection with the change. Only applications that have been manually assigned points by the housing office will be processed again by the housing office. The re-processing may take a few days. After the automatic transfer, the applicant will see the category in which the application is placed in the intranet. If the applicant has several active applications at the time of the transfer, all applications will be transferred to the new category model as such. The applicant can update their old applications by submitting a new application after the change. In this case, the date of the oldest application will be retained in the new application, but only the apartments selected by the applicant for the new application will remain.
Housing Need Categories in the New Model
Category: Urgent Housing Need
- Applicant is homeless
- Applicant is moving to a location where they have received a study placement
- Applicant is required by official decision to move from their current housing through no fault of their own
- Applicant lives in extremely cramped conditions (over 2 people per room)
- Applicant has been given notice to vacate their current housing
- Applicant's permanent illness or disability requires more suitable housing, as confirmed by a medical certificate
Category: General Housing Need
- Applicant's housing costs are too high in relation to income and assets
- Applicant's commute to school is long and difficult
- Applicant is planning to start a family and lacks shared housing
- Applicant's current housing is unsatisfactory for other reasons