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The application looks perfect.
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The income qualifies.
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The pay stubs match the bank statements.
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Even the rental references are clean.
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Except the story those documents tell may not be real.
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Pay stubs can be altered, employment fabricated, and identities assembled from stolen and invented information, all polished enough to pass a routine review.
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That was the warning behind “Facing Fraud,” the May/June 2024 issue of the Multi Housing Advocate.
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Two years later, newer research suggests rental fraud has become more organized, with fraudulent documents now being produced and reused at scale.
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The challenge is catching intentional misrepresentation without creating unnecessary barriers for legitimate applicants.
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On this episode of The Brief, we look back at the warnings from 2024, what has changed since, and what housing providers can do now.
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Let’s get into it.
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You're listening to the Brief, a podcast from the Minnesota Multi-Housing Association.
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Whether you're a property owner, manager, maintenance pro, product/service partner, or just curious about the industry we've got fresh insights, and quick takes, to keep you informed and ahead of the curve.
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No fluff.
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No filler.
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If it affects your residents, your business, or your bottom line.
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You'll hear about it here.
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This industry provides more than buildings.
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It offers Minnesotans a solution for home That solution is multi housing.
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Welcome to MHAs, The Brief.
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This episode of The Brief is proudly sponsored by our founding partner, Citizens State Bank.
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Rooted in the Upper Midwest with a growing presence in Minnesota, Citizens State Bank is deeply committed to supporting the region’s housing providers and small businesses through personalized financial solutions.
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Whether you're financing a new property in the Twin Cities, refinancing in Rochester, or expanding your operations across the state, their experienced team is here to help.
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Citizens State Bank specializes in property management banking solutions tailored to meet the unique needs of Minnesota’s property owners and managers.
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From commercial real estate loans, competitive deposit accounts, and a state-of-the-art business online banking suite, they provide the local insight and resources you need to keep your business moving forward.
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Experience the difference of working with a bank that understands Minnesota communities.
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Visit csbnet.net
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to learn how Citizens State Bank can help you achieve your goals.
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Member FDIC.
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Equal Housing Lender.
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Thanks to Citizens State Bank for backing this podcast and helping us bring valuable industry insights to Minnesota and beyond—week after week.
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Welcome back.
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The May/June 2024 issue of the Multi Housing Advocate brought together several perspectives on rental fraud, from housing providers and screening professionals to national industry organizations and technology companies.
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Together, those contributors described a problem that was becoming more common, more sophisticated, and much harder for individual leasing professionals to recognize.
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Leanna Stefaniak of At Home Apartments opened the issue’s fraud coverage with a warning about the rising threat of applicant fraud.
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Stefaniak described falsified pay stubs, fabricated employment information, fraudulent rental histories, identity theft, and applicants impersonating someone else to conceal information that might prevent them from qualifying.
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Her concern extended beyond financial loss.
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If the application does not accurately identify the person who will be living in the apartment, it can interfere with the housing provider’s ability to manage occupancy, enforce the lease, and respond when problems arise.
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Stefaniak also identified one of the central tensions running through the issue.
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The rental industry’s increased use of technology has made leasing more convenient, but it has also created new vulnerabilities.
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Self-guided tours, online applications, digital signatures, and electronic access became especially important during the pandemic.
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They allowed housing providers to continue operating and gave applicants more flexibility.
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But they also made it possible to complete the leasing process with less direct interaction.
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The technology itself did not create rental fraud, but a process designed for speed and convenience could make it easier for false information to move forward without being recognized.
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Paula Cino of the National Multifamily Housing Council provided the broader national perspective on rental fraud.
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Cino defined rental fraud as any deliberate misrepresentation intended to circumvent the application or screening process, falsify a payment, or mislead a housing provider about who will be living in an apartment.
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That definition covers far more than a fake pay stub.
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Rental fraud can include fabricated employment, inflated income, false rental references, stolen identities, fraudulent checks, unauthorized occupants, illegal subletting, or an entirely manufactured financial profile.
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Cino also shared findings from a survey conducted by NMHC and the National Apartment Association.
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More than 93 percent of the participating companies reported experiencing fraud during the previous year.
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More than 84 percent had encountered falsified income or employment documentation.
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Eighty percent had seen applicants misrepresent information on an application, and 70 percent had encountered identity theft, fraudulent identification, or the use of another person’s information.
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The survey included 75 leading apartment owners, developers, and managers.
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That is important context.
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It does not mean that 93 percent of all rental applications contained fraud.
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It means nearly every company participating in the survey had encountered it somewhere in its portfolio.
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Seeno also emphasized that fraud exists on a spectrum.
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It may involve an applicant changing an income figure or omitting part of their rental history because they are worried they will not qualify.
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At the other end are organized schemes involving stolen identities, manufactured documents, and people who never intend to make legitimate rent payments.
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The motivations may be different, but both interfere with the housing provider’s ability to apply its established rental criteria and make an informed decision.
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They can also place an applicant at risk of taking on a rental obligation they cannot sustain.
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Tony Karels of Rental History Reports, an MRI Software company, contributed two articles to this issue on the forms rental fraud can take and the screening practices housing providers can use in response.
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Before we continue, we want to recognize that Tony passed away on August 19.
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He was a longtime MHA instructor and contributor, known for his industry knowledge, generosity, humor, and ability to connect with people.
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We are grateful for everything he shared with MHA and Minnesota’s rental housing community, and we extend our condolences to his family, friends, and colleagues.
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In one article, Tony explained how an applicant might create a false identity or combine real and fabricated information into a synthetic identity.
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A Social Security number might be real or stolen while the name, employment, and income history are invented.
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He also warned about numbers marketed as Credit Privacy Numbers, or CPNs, which may be stolen or fabricated and used to create a false credit profile.
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Tony wrote that fraudulent pay stubs and verification services could be purchased online for as little as $75.
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His recommendations included establishing clear written rental criteria, applying them consistently, and verifying information at its source whenever possible, rather than relying only on documents uploaded by the applicant.
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Screening services can compare information across multiple records and flag inconsistencies for further review.
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But an inconsistency is not automatically proof of fraud.
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Records can contain errors, and legitimate applicants may have nontraditional income or complicated histories.
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That is why screening technology needs to operate within a defined process.
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It can identify information requiring additional review, but it should not replace consistent criteria, appropriate documentation, or an opportunity for an applicant to address inaccurate information.
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Bernadette Hornig of Hornig Companies brought an operator’s perspective to the challenges of resident screening.
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Hornig described a new generation of highly accurate fake identification, Social Security cards, and pay stubs as “super fakes.”
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She argued that detecting them increasingly requires training, repetition, and specialized expertise.
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Hornig Companies had already centralized its application processing because it manages a portfolio of smaller properties without full-time staff at every building.
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That structure also proved useful as fraud became more complicated.
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Rather than expecting every site manager and leasing professional to become an expert in document review, Hornig Companies trained a smaller group of employees to review applications across the organization.
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Those specialists see thousands of pay stubs, identification documents, and application records.
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That repetition helps them recognize patterns and anomalies that someone reviewing applications only occasionally may not see.
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Hornig acknowledged that creating specialized positions initially cost more than assigning application processing to site staff.
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But she argued that the structure ultimately improved screening quality, streamlined operations, and reduced the burden of maintaining advanced expertise across a decentralized team.
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Not every housing provider can create a centralized screening department.
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But the principle can still be applied.
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Companies can identify who receives advanced training, establish when an application requires a second review, and give site staff a clear escalation process when something does not look right.
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Josh Albrechtsen of RealPage shared findings from the company’s study of more than 400 property management professionals.
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Seventy-five percent of the participants reported an increase in rental fraud during the previous year.
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The study also found that much of the fraud was not discovered until after the resident had moved in.
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By then, the consequences could include unpaid rent, collections, eviction expenses, property damage, and harm to the property’s reputation.
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What began as a questionable document could become months of operational and financial disruption.
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RealPage’s research also found that fewer than one in four participating companies had formal metrics for tracking rental fraud and its effects.
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That matters because a company cannot improve its screening process if it does not know where the process is failing.
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Housing providers may want to track what type of fraud was encountered, when it was discovered, which verification step identified it, and what happened after the application was approved.
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The 2024 issue documented a serious problem.
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More recent information suggests the tactics have continued to evolve.
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Snappt's 2026 Multifamily Fraud Report examined more than 1.46
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million applicant submissions processed through its network during 2025.
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It flagged more than 86,000 as containing edited materials and connected more than 42,600 cases to template farms.
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Those farms create reusable fraudulent document templates that can be sold, modified, and used across large numbers of applications, allowing document fraud to operate at scale.
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Because the data came through Snappt’s own network, the findings should not be treated as a nationally representative fraud rate.
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But they show how organized document fraud has become.
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Snappt was not the only company to publish new research on rental fraud.
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TransUnion released another analysis in June 2026.
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The company examined more than 1.1
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million renters who moved during 2024 and tracked whether their accounts resulted in charge-offs during the following year, meaning unpaid rental balances that were written off as unlikely to be collected.
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TransUnion found that nearly 9 percent of the overall sample experienced a charge-off.
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Among applicants with 15 or more credit inquiries during the seven days before applying, that figure increased to 32 percent.
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TransUnion used charge-offs as a proxy for fraud-related risk.
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Frequent credit inquiries do not prove that someone committed fraud, and no individual indicator should become an automatic accusation.
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But the analysis demonstrates why modern screening increasingly looks for patterns across multiple sources instead of relying on one document, score, or database result.
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Taken together, the Advocate contributors and the newer research point toward a layered response.
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Start with clear rental criteria and apply them consistently.
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Verify important information at its source when possible.
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Use identity and document-verification tools appropriate for the organization.
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Train staff to recognize warning signs and know when to escalate an application.
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Companies should also review what happens after approval.
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Where was fraud first detected? What kind of documentation was involved? Did the screening process catch it before move-in, or was it discovered only after rent went unpaid? At the same time, stronger verification must not become an excuse to treat every applicant with suspicion.
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Most applicants are providing legitimate information and trying to secure a home.
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Additional requirements can create real burdens, especially for applicants with nontraditional income, limited credit history, recent job changes, or inaccurate information in a consumer report.
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Applicants have rights when consumer reports are used in rental decisions, including rights related to adverse-action notices and disputing inaccurate information.
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Housing providers should work with their screening partners and legal counsel to ensure their processes comply with current federal, state, and local requirements.
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Staff should also avoid confronting an applicant with an accusation based on a hunch.
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If information is inconsistent, the safer approach is to follow the company’s established process, request any permitted additional verification consistently, and route the application to the appropriate reviewer.
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The lesson from the May/June 2024 Advocate is not that one tool or checklist can eliminate rental fraud.
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It is that fraud prevention has to keep evolving.
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Clear criteria, source verification, specialized review, appropriate technology, staff training, and regular measurement all play a role.
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No one layer is perfect, but together they make it harder for a convincing false application to move through the entire process unnoticed.
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Because the goal is not simply to catch more people doing something wrong.
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It is to maintain a rental process that legitimate applicants, residents, and housing providers can trust.
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After the break, we’ll ask mihra how members can get more out of MHA’s Buyer’s Guide, including search tips that can make it easier to find the right company or service.
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Stay with us.
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Welcome back.
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It’s time to Ask mira, MHA’s AI Assistant.
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Today’s question is: “How do I best use MHA’s Buyer’s Guide? Are there any tips or tricks?” MHA’s Buyer’s Guide is designed to help members find Product and Service Vendor members that work with Minnesota’s rental housing industry.
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You can search by an individual’s name, a company name, or the type of product or service you need.
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If you already know the company you are looking for, begin with the Company Name field.
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One important tip is that the search may not return a listing if the name is entered differently from how it appears in the directory If an exact search does not work, or you only remember part of the company name, place a percent sign before the search term.
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Enter the percent sign followed by the portion of the name you remember.
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That tells the directory to look for company names containing that term.
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It can be especially helpful when a company uses initials, includes multiple words in its official name, or is listed under a name that is slightly different from what you normally call it.
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But you do not need to know a company’s name to use the guide.
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If you are looking for help with a specific project, the Directory Category dropdown may be the better place to start.
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For example, if you need a roofing contractor but do not already have a company in mind, search the roofing category.
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That allows you to see multiple MHA members providing that service instead of limiting the results to one company you already know.
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Category searches can also be useful when you are comparing options, building a vendor list for future needs, or trying to find a provider for a service you do not purchase very often.
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The guide covers a wide range of categories, including accounting, attorneys, banks, contractors, maintenance, plumbing, roofing, pest control, software, utilities, waste and recycling, market research, and many more.
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That makes it useful for both immediate needs and advance planning.
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You do not have to wait until there is an urgent repair or project to explore which MHA members work in a particular service area Product and Service Vendor members should also think about the Buyer’s Guide from the other side of the search.
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Keeping your listing accurate and current makes it easier for housing providers to find your company when they need the services you offer.
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It is worth reviewing your listing periodically to make sure the company information and service categories still reflect your business.
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A company may provide exactly what a member needs, but an incomplete or outdated listing can make that connection harder to find.
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Vendor members can use the Buyer’s Guide alongside MHA’s online Membership Directory.
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They can also build visibility and relationships by staying engaged through MHA events and Industry Insights meetings.
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The Buyer’s Guide is intended as an informational resource.
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MHA does not endorse the companies or services listed in the directory.
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So, use the guide to identify MHA members, explore available services, and build a shortlist.
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From there, each company should evaluate potential providers based on its particular needs, policies, and purchasing process.
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To find the Buyer’s Guide, visit mmha.com,
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select Resources, and then Directories.
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We’ll also include the direct link in the show notes.
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On our next episode, Aubrey sits down with MHA President and CEO Sehsil Smith for a conversation about the recent tragedies that have deeply affected MHA members and Minnesota’s rental housing community.
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They’ll reflect on how MHA and the industry have responded, what these events have taught us about supporting one another, and how we move forward while honoring those we have lost.
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It is an important conversation about grief, resilience, safety, and the responsibility we share to care for the people who make this industry possible.
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If you enjoyed this episode, follow The Brief wherever you listen to podcasts and share it with someone in Minnesota’s rental housing community.
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Thanks for listening.
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We’ll see you next time on The Brief.
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This has been The Brief, an original podcast produced by the Minnesota Multi Housing Association.
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It is hosted by your two favorite AI voices—me, Denise Wilson… …and me, Logan Garcia.
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Our story editor is Todd Lillgenquist.
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Aubrey Albrecht is our showrunner and managing producer.
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The Brief’s executive producer is Sesil Smith.
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Follow and listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, mmha.com,
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and wherever you get your podcasts.
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And one more big thank-you to Citizens State Bank, our founding sponsor.
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Their support powers this podcast—and their team powers smart financial solutions for Minnesota’s housing providers.
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Visit csbnet.net
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to learn more.
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See you next time!
00:00:02,631.092628131 --> 00:00:04,171.0925899841
The application looks perfect.
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The income qualifies.
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The pay stubs match the bank statements.
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Even the rental references are clean.
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Except the story those documents tell may not be real.
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Pay stubs can be altered, employment fabricated, and identities assembled from stolen and invented information, all polished enough to pass a routine review.
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That was the warning behind “Facing Fraud,” the May/June 2024 issue of the Multi Housing Advocate.
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Two years later, newer research suggests rental fraud has become more organized, with fraudulent documents now being produced and reused at scale.
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The challenge is catching intentional misrepresentation without creating unnecessary barriers for legitimate applicants.
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On this episode of The Brief, we look back at the warnings from 2024, what has changed since, and what housing providers can do now.
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Let’s get into it.
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00:01:01,32.781491121 --> 00:01:05,582.781681856
You're listening to the Brief, a podcast from the Minnesota Multi-Housing Association.
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Whether you're a property owner, manager, maintenance pro, product/service partner, or just curious about the industry we've got fresh insights, and quick takes, to keep you informed and ahead of the curve.
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No fluff.
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No filler.
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If it affects your residents, your business, or your bottom line.
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You'll hear about it here.
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This industry provides more than buildings.
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It offers Minnesotans a solution for home That solution is multi housing.
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Welcome to MHAs, The Brief.
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This episode of The Brief is proudly sponsored by our founding partner, Citizens State Bank.
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Rooted in the Upper Midwest with a growing presence in Minnesota, Citizens State Bank is deeply committed to supporting the region’s housing providers and small businesses through personalized financial solutions.
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00:01:51,502.67741177 --> 00:02:00,992.67718289
Whether you're financing a new property in the Twin Cities, refinancing in Rochester, or expanding your operations across the state, their experienced team is here to help.
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00:02:01,225.26200214 --> 00:02:09,275.26219287
Citizens State Bank specializes in property management banking solutions tailored to meet the unique needs of Minnesota’s property owners and managers.
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00:02:09,578.59533547 --> 00:02:19,928.59571694
From commercial real estate loans, competitive deposit accounts, and a state-of-the-art business online banking suite, they provide the local insight and resources you need to keep your business moving forward.
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00:02:20,165.39833547 --> 00:02:23,995.39825918
Experience the difference of working with a bank that understands Minnesota communities.
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Visit csbnet.net
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00:02:26,135.39812566 --> 00:02:29,305.3986788
to learn how Citizens State Bank can help you achieve your goals.
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Member FDIC.
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Equal Housing Lender.
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Thanks to Citizens State Bank for backing this podcast and helping us bring valuable industry insights to Minnesota and beyond—week after week.
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Welcome back.
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The May/June 2024 issue of the Multi Housing Advocate brought together several perspectives on rental fraud, from housing providers and screening professionals to national industry organizations and technology companies.
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Together, those contributors described a problem that was becoming more common, more sophisticated, and much harder for individual leasing professionals to recognize.
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Leanna Stefaniak of At Home Apartments opened the issue’s fraud coverage with a warning about the rising threat of applicant fraud.
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Stefaniak described falsified pay stubs, fabricated employment information, fraudulent rental histories, identity theft, and applicants impersonating someone else to conceal information that might prevent them from qualifying.
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Her concern extended beyond financial loss.
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If the application does not accurately identify the person who will be living in the apartment, it can interfere with the housing provider’s ability to manage occupancy, enforce the lease, and respond when problems arise.
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Stefaniak also identified one of the central tensions running through the issue.
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The rental industry’s increased use of technology has made leasing more convenient, but it has also created new vulnerabilities.
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Self-guided tours, online applications, digital signatures, and electronic access became especially important during the pandemic.
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They allowed housing providers to continue operating and gave applicants more flexibility.
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But they also made it possible to complete the leasing process with less direct interaction.
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The technology itself did not create rental fraud, but a process designed for speed and convenience could make it easier for false information to move forward without being recognized.
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Paula Cino of the National Multifamily Housing Council provided the broader national perspective on rental fraud.
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Cino defined rental fraud as any deliberate misrepresentation intended to circumvent the application or screening process, falsify a payment, or mislead a housing provider about who will be living in an apartment.
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That definition covers far more than a fake pay stub.
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Rental fraud can include fabricated employment, inflated income, false rental references, stolen identities, fraudulent checks, unauthorized occupants, illegal subletting, or an entirely manufactured financial profile.
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Cino also shared findings from a survey conducted by NMHC and the National Apartment Association.
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More than 93 percent of the participating companies reported experiencing fraud during the previous year.
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More than 84 percent had encountered falsified income or employment documentation.
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Eighty percent had seen applicants misrepresent information on an application, and 70 percent had encountered identity theft, fraudulent identification, or the use of another person’s information.
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The survey included 75 leading apartment owners, developers, and managers.
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That is important context.
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It does not mean that 93 percent of all rental applications contained fraud.
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It means nearly every company participating in the survey had encountered it somewhere in its portfolio.
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Seeno also emphasized that fraud exists on a spectrum.
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It may involve an applicant changing an income figure or omitting part of their rental history because they are worried they will not qualify.
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At the other end are organized schemes involving stolen identities, manufactured documents, and people who never intend to make legitimate rent payments.
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The motivations may be different, but both interfere with the housing provider’s ability to apply its established rental criteria and make an informed decision.
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They can also place an applicant at risk of taking on a rental obligation they cannot sustain.
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Tony Karels of Rental History Reports, an MRI Software company, contributed two articles to this issue on the forms rental fraud can take and the screening practices housing providers can use in response.
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Before we continue, we want to recognize that Tony passed away on August 19.
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He was a longtime MHA instructor and contributor, known for his industry knowledge, generosity, humor, and ability to connect with people.
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We are grateful for everything he shared with MHA and Minnesota’s rental housing community, and we extend our condolences to his family, friends, and colleagues.
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In one article, Tony explained how an applicant might create a false identity or combine real and fabricated information into a synthetic identity.
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A Social Security number might be real or stolen while the name, employment, and income history are invented.
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He also warned about numbers marketed as Credit Privacy Numbers, or CPNs, which may be stolen or fabricated and used to create a false credit profile.
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Tony wrote that fraudulent pay stubs and verification services could be purchased online for as little as $75.
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His recommendations included establishing clear written rental criteria, applying them consistently, and verifying information at its source whenever possible, rather than relying only on documents uploaded by the applicant.
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Screening services can compare information across multiple records and flag inconsistencies for further review.
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But an inconsistency is not automatically proof of fraud.
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Records can contain errors, and legitimate applicants may have nontraditional income or complicated histories.
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That is why screening technology needs to operate within a defined process.
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It can identify information requiring additional review, but it should not replace consistent criteria, appropriate documentation, or an opportunity for an applicant to address inaccurate information.
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Bernadette Hornig of Hornig Companies brought an operator’s perspective to the challenges of resident screening.
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Hornig described a new generation of highly accurate fake identification, Social Security cards, and pay stubs as “super fakes.”
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She argued that detecting them increasingly requires training, repetition, and specialized expertise.
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Hornig Companies had already centralized its application processing because it manages a portfolio of smaller properties without full-time staff at every building.
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That structure also proved useful as fraud became more complicated.
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Rather than expecting every site manager and leasing professional to become an expert in document review, Hornig Companies trained a smaller group of employees to review applications across the organization.
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Those specialists see thousands of pay stubs, identification documents, and application records.
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That repetition helps them recognize patterns and anomalies that someone reviewing applications only occasionally may not see.
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Hornig acknowledged that creating specialized positions initially cost more than assigning application processing to site staff.
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But she argued that the structure ultimately improved screening quality, streamlined operations, and reduced the burden of maintaining advanced expertise across a decentralized team.
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Not every housing provider can create a centralized screening department.
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But the principle can still be applied.
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Companies can identify who receives advanced training, establish when an application requires a second review, and give site staff a clear escalation process when something does not look right.
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Josh Albrechtsen of RealPage shared findings from the company’s study of more than 400 property management professionals.
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Seventy-five percent of the participants reported an increase in rental fraud during the previous year.
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The study also found that much of the fraud was not discovered until after the resident had moved in.
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By then, the consequences could include unpaid rent, collections, eviction expenses, property damage, and harm to the property’s reputation.
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What began as a questionable document could become months of operational and financial disruption.
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RealPage’s research also found that fewer than one in four participating companies had formal metrics for tracking rental fraud and its effects.
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That matters because a company cannot improve its screening process if it does not know where the process is failing.
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Housing providers may want to track what type of fraud was encountered, when it was discovered, which verification step identified it, and what happened after the application was approved.
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The 2024 issue documented a serious problem.
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More recent information suggests the tactics have continued to evolve.
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Snappt's 2026 Multifamily Fraud Report examined more than 1.46
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million applicant submissions processed through its network during 2025.
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It flagged more than 86,000 as containing edited materials and connected more than 42,600 cases to template farms.
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Those farms create reusable fraudulent document templates that can be sold, modified, and used across large numbers of applications, allowing document fraud to operate at scale.
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Because the data came through Snappt’s own network, the findings should not be treated as a nationally representative fraud rate.
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But they show how organized document fraud has become.
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Snappt was not the only company to publish new research on rental fraud.
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TransUnion released another analysis in June 2026.
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The company examined more than 1.1
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million renters who moved during 2024 and tracked whether their accounts resulted in charge-offs during the following year, meaning unpaid rental balances that were written off as unlikely to be collected.
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TransUnion found that nearly 9 percent of the overall sample experienced a charge-off.
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Among applicants with 15 or more credit inquiries during the seven days before applying, that figure increased to 32 percent.
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TransUnion used charge-offs as a proxy for fraud-related risk.
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Frequent credit inquiries do not prove that someone committed fraud, and no individual indicator should become an automatic accusation.
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But the analysis demonstrates why modern screening increasingly looks for patterns across multiple sources instead of relying on one document, score, or database result.
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Taken together, the Advocate contributors and the newer research point toward a layered response.
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Start with clear rental criteria and apply them consistently.
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Verify important information at its source when possible.
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Use identity and document-verification tools appropriate for the organization.
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Train staff to recognize warning signs and know when to escalate an application.
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Companies should also review what happens after approval.
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Where was fraud first detected? What kind of documentation was involved? Did the screening process catch it before move-in, or was it discovered only after rent went unpaid? At the same time, stronger verification must not become an excuse to treat every applicant with suspicion.
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Most applicants are providing legitimate information and trying to secure a home.
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Additional requirements can create real burdens, especially for applicants with nontraditional income, limited credit history, recent job changes, or inaccurate information in a consumer report.
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Applicants have rights when consumer reports are used in rental decisions, including rights related to adverse-action notices and disputing inaccurate information.
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Housing providers should work with their screening partners and legal counsel to ensure their processes comply with current federal, state, and local requirements.
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Staff should also avoid confronting an applicant with an accusation based on a hunch.
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If information is inconsistent, the safer approach is to follow the company’s established process, request any permitted additional verification consistently, and route the application to the appropriate reviewer.
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The lesson from the May/June 2024 Advocate is not that one tool or checklist can eliminate rental fraud.
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It is that fraud prevention has to keep evolving.
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Clear criteria, source verification, specialized review, appropriate technology, staff training, and regular measurement all play a role.
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No one layer is perfect, but together they make it harder for a convincing false application to move through the entire process unnoticed.
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Because the goal is not simply to catch more people doing something wrong.
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It is to maintain a rental process that legitimate applicants, residents, and housing providers can trust.
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After the break, we’ll ask mihra how members can get more out of MHA’s Buyer’s Guide, including search tips that can make it easier to find the right company or service.
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Stay with us.
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Welcome back.
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It’s time to Ask mira, MHA’s AI Assistant.
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Today’s question is: “How do I best use MHA’s Buyer’s Guide? Are there any tips or tricks?” MHA’s Buyer’s Guide is designed to help members find Product and Service Vendor members that work with Minnesota’s rental housing industry.
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You can search by an individual’s name, a company name, or the type of product or service you need.
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If you already know the company you are looking for, begin with the Company Name field.
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One important tip is that the search may not return a listing if the name is entered differently from how it appears in the directory If an exact search does not work, or you only remember part of the company name, place a percent sign before the search term.
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Enter the percent sign followed by the portion of the name you remember.
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That tells the directory to look for company names containing that term.
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It can be especially helpful when a company uses initials, includes multiple words in its official name, or is listed under a name that is slightly different from what you normally call it.
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But you do not need to know a company’s name to use the guide.
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If you are looking for help with a specific project, the Directory Category dropdown may be the better place to start.
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For example, if you need a roofing contractor but do not already have a company in mind, search the roofing category.
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That allows you to see multiple MHA members providing that service instead of limiting the results to one company you already know.
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Category searches can also be useful when you are comparing options, building a vendor list for future needs, or trying to find a provider for a service you do not purchase very often.
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The guide covers a wide range of categories, including accounting, attorneys, banks, contractors, maintenance, plumbing, roofing, pest control, software, utilities, waste and recycling, market research, and many more.
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That makes it useful for both immediate needs and advance planning.
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You do not have to wait until there is an urgent repair or project to explore which MHA members work in a particular service area Product and Service Vendor members should also think about the Buyer’s Guide from the other side of the search.
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Keeping your listing accurate and current makes it easier for housing providers to find your company when they need the services you offer.
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It is worth reviewing your listing periodically to make sure the company information and service categories still reflect your business.
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A company may provide exactly what a member needs, but an incomplete or outdated listing can make that connection harder to find.
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Vendor members can use the Buyer’s Guide alongside MHA’s online Membership Directory.
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They can also build visibility and relationships by staying engaged through MHA events and Industry Insights meetings.
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The Buyer’s Guide is intended as an informational resource.
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MHA does not endorse the companies or services listed in the directory.
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So, use the guide to identify MHA members, explore available services, and build a shortlist.
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From there, each company should evaluate potential providers based on its particular needs, policies, and purchasing process.
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To find the Buyer’s Guide, visit mmha.com,
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select Resources, and then Directories.
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We’ll also include the direct link in the show notes.
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On our next episode, Aubrey sits down with MHA President and CEO Sehsil Smith for a conversation about the recent tragedies that have deeply affected MHA members and Minnesota’s rental housing community.
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They’ll reflect on how MHA and the industry have responded, what these events have taught us about supporting one another, and how we move forward while honoring those we have lost.
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It is an important conversation about grief, resilience, safety, and the responsibility we share to care for the people who make this industry possible.
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If you enjoyed this episode, follow The Brief wherever you listen to podcasts and share it with someone in Minnesota’s rental housing community.
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Thanks for listening.
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We’ll see you next time on The Brief.
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This has been The Brief, an original podcast produced by the Minnesota Multi Housing Association.
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It is hosted by your two favorite AI voices—me, Denise Wilson… …and me, Logan Garcia.
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Our story editor is Todd Lillgenquist.
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Aubrey Albrecht is our showrunner and managing producer.
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The Brief’s executive producer is Sesil Smith.
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Follow and listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, mmha.com,
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and wherever you get your podcasts.
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And one more big thank-you to Citizens State Bank, our founding sponsor.
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Their support powers this podcast—and their team powers smart financial solutions for Minnesota’s housing providers.
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Visit csbnet.net
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to learn more.
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See you next time!
