Tenant screening procedures contribute to Pennsylvania township redevelopment

An area of Ridley Township in southern Pennsylvania is undergoing redevelopment in an effort to restore it to a livable condition after officials declared it uninhabitable two years ago, according to the Delaware County Times. A total of 30 semidetached apartment buildings were demolished in the Crum Lynne section of the township to make way for 49 new units that are currently under construction. The property is being developed and managed by Philadelphia-based Pennrose Properties. To ensure that the area does not fall back into ruin, a system of tenant background screening will be enacted when it comes time for people to move into the new development, which will consist of townhouses, twin houses and row homes for families, the news source reports. "Prospective tenants must meet income qualifications, pass a criminal background check, credit check and agree to a home visit (at their current residence)," Jacob Fisher, development officer for Pennrose, explained to the news source. "We have to make sure tenants will be responsible." A recent article in online real estate magazine Bigger Pockets laid out recommended tenant screening steps, which included requesting and following up on landlord and employer references.