Questions, answered honestly.
Whether you're looking for a room, considering a master lease on a property you own, or placing a client from your caseload — these are the questions people actually ask us, with answers in plain language.
Residents
Pricing, vouchers, lease length, what's included, and what to expect from co-living.
Jump to resident questions →Property Owners
Master lease terms, guaranteed rent, property protection, insurance, and how the model works for your asset.
Jump to owner questions →Caseworkers & Agencies
Referral process, 48-hour SLA, voucher acceptance, screening, HQS, and MOU questions.
Jump to agency questions →For people looking for a room
If you're a senior on a fixed income, a veteran with or without a HUD-VASH voucher, or a working adult priced out of solo rent, these answers are for you. If your question isn't here, call or text and a real person will get back to you the same day.
How much does a room actually cost, and what's included?
Self-pay private rooms run $750–$800/month. Self-pay semi-private rooms run $600–$700/month. That rate covers everything — the furnished room, all utilities (electricity, gas, water, sewer), high-speed Wi-Fi, on-site laundry, off-street parking, and full access to the shared common areas and yard. There is no separate utility bill, no internet bill, and no parking fee. You bring your clothes and your personal items; we cover the rest.
Do you accept HUD-VASH, Section 8, or other vouchers?
Yes. Aubrey Chateau accepts HUD-VASH, PHA Housing Choice Vouchers, Emergency Housing Vouchers (EHV), Continuum of Care subsidies, and workforce housing program funding. For voucher residents, the room rate is set to the local PHA Payment Standard, and we handle the HAP contract paperwork and inspection scheduling directly with your caseworker — you don't have to chase any of it.
How long is the lease? Can I leave if my situation changes?
The minimum lease is 30 days. After that, it converts to month-to-month automatically. If a voucher comes through, a family member's home opens up, or a job takes you to another city, you give proper notice and move on — no penalties, no months of future rent owed. The flexibility exists because we know the people we house are often navigating transitions, and rigid year-long contracts create real harm.
How fast will I hear back after I apply?
Within 48 hours. When you submit an application through the resident portal, you'll get a confirmation right away and a screening decision within two business days — yes, conditional, or not at this time, with a clear reason. We built this commitment in because we know what it's like to apply for housing and never hear back. Silence isn't acceptable here.
What's the screening process? Will an old eviction or background issue automatically disqualify me?
No. We use a whole-person review, not an automatic scoring system. The screening looks at your ability to pay and basic community compatibility. Prior evictions tied to documented hardship, short rental histories, and justice-system involvement unrelated to direct safety risk are not automatic disqualifiers. If your situation is borderline, we'd rather have a real conversation than send a form rejection. Source-of-income protections are honored — having a voucher will never count against you.
Is this a shelter, a sober-living home, or a treatment program?
None of the above. Aubrey Chateau is housing — furnished co-living for independently functioning adults. We are not a licensed care facility, not a treatment program, and not a sober-living house. We don't administer medications, provide personal care, or require participation in any program. You live here the way you'd live in any apartment, with the added benefit of shared common space and a house manager who keeps things running.
Will I have privacy? Who decides who I live with?
Private rooms have your own door with a lock — your space, your schedule. Semi-private rooms are shared with one other resident, typically with a divider or defined sleeping areas, at a lower rate. When we pair semi-private housemates, we take compatibility seriously: schedules, quiet preferences, and whether someone is working, retired, or in transition. You won't be placed with a stranger sight-unseen — you get to meet your potential housemate before signing.
What's expected of me as a resident?
Pay rent on time, treat your housemates and the house with respect, attend the monthly house meeting, and follow a short, common-sense set of house standards (quiet hours, shared-space cleanup, no smoking inside). That's it. There's no curfew, no required programming, no chore charts that feel like a dormitory. Adults living with adults.
Can I have guests? What about pets?
Yes, you can have guests — overnight guests are fine within reasonable limits worked out at the house level. Pets are evaluated case by case depending on the property, the room type, and your housemates; reach out before you apply so we can give you a real answer rather than a blanket policy.
I need help with services — employment, benefits, healthcare. Will you help me find them?
Yes — but as a connector, not a provider. Aubrey Chateau maintains active relationships with VA service coordinators, senior services offices, workforce development programs, and Continuum of Care partners. If a need comes up, we'll help connect you to the right contact. If you already have a caseworker, we coordinate with them, not around them. Our role is stable housing; theirs is the services.
For landlords considering a master lease
If you own one to ten single-family units and you're tired of vacancies, turnover, and the headaches of screening, these are the questions other owners asked us before signing. The pilot property owner who started this with us is happy to take a reference call once you're seriously considering it.
What exactly is a master lease, and how is it different from regular property management?
You lease the property to Aubrey Chateau Co-Living Management, LLC — not to individual tenants. We pay you a fixed monthly amount, on time, every month, regardless of whether the rooms are filled. We then operate the home as furnished co-living and earn revenue per room. Unlike traditional property management (where you still carry vacancy risk and the manager takes a fee off the top), with a master lease your rent is contractually guaranteed for the term of the lease.
What does my rent look like, and how do you decide what to offer?
Master lease rent is typically set at or slightly below market rent for a comparable long-term single-family rental. We can pay that confidently because our per-room model generates roughly 1.5x–2x what the same home would yield as a single-family lease. Concretely: on the pilot property we pay the owner $2,200/month against ~$4,600/month of gross room revenue, which leaves enough margin to cover utilities, maintenance reserves, insurance, and management without skimming on the owner payment.
How long is the lease term?
We sign 2- to 3-year master leases. That length gives you stable income and gives us a runway long enough to make the furnishing investment worthwhile (we spend $5,000–$10,000 furnishing each home before any resident moves in). Renewal conversations start 60–90 days before lease end, and our intention with every owner is multi-year continuity, not churn.
What happens if you can't fill the rooms? Do I still get paid?
Yes. That's the central promise of a master lease. You receive the full monthly rent regardless of our occupancy. Vacancy risk transfers to us. That's the trade — we take on the operating complexity of a per-room model, and you get the predictability of a single monthly check.
I've heard "rental arbitrage" horror stories. How is Aubrey Chateau different?
Fair question, and we'd be skeptical too. Three things that matter: (1) Our model is built for stable, long-stay residents (average 6+ months) — not short-term, high-turnover Airbnb-style use that wears out a house. (2) Every property carries comprehensive landlord liability insurance with you named as additional insured, and we provide a certificate before move-in. (3) Our pilot owner has been paid in full and on time for every month of the relationship, and we'll connect you directly with him for a reference. The mission and the math both have to work; we don't sustain one by neglecting the other.
Who screens the residents, and what are your standards?
We screen 100% of residents through RentRedi and TransUnion SmartMove using FCRA-compliant, fair-housing-compliant criteria. Background, income verification, references, and a screening conversation. We accept voucher holders — including HUD-VASH veterans and PHA Housing Choice Voucher recipients — and we've built relationships with the local PHA so the paperwork side is handled. You're not signing up to host a stream of unvetted strangers; you're signing up to host a vetted community of seniors, veterans, and working adults.
What about wear and tear? Who handles maintenance?
We handle all day-to-day maintenance — coordination, contractor relationships, dispatch, and follow-through. We carry a maintenance reserve equal to 8–10% of gross rent so issues get fixed when they appear, not when they become emergencies. Major capital items (roof, HVAC system replacement, structural) remain the owner's responsibility, which is standard in any lease. We document property condition at move-in, walk the property with you quarterly, and provide a monthly statement with photos.
Will the neighbors complain? What about zoning?
We verify local zoning and occupancy code before we sign any master lease — not after. Our residents are independent adults in long-stay housing, which reads to neighbors much more like a stable shared rental than anything disruptive. We introduce ourselves to immediate neighbors at move-in, and the house manager on-site is a real point of contact if anything ever comes up. In the pilot's full operating period, we've had zero neighbor complaints.
Will my property be furnished? Who pays for it?
We furnish the property entirely at our cost — beds, dressers, common-area furniture, kitchen essentials, linens, decor. Typical furnishing investment is $5,000–$10,000 per home, which is part of why we sign multi-year leases. At lease end, furnishings come with us; the property returns to you in the condition it was leased in, accounting for normal wear.
How do I get started?
Three steps: (1) A 30-minute discovery call — we walk through your property, your goals, and the master lease terms. (2) A tour of the pilot property so you can see the operating standard firsthand. (3) A reference call with our current owner, and an attorney-reviewed term sheet. Start the conversation through the contact page.
For PHAs, HUD-VASH, CoC, and workforce partners
If you carry a caseload and you're looking for compliant, voucher-friendly inventory you can trust, these are the questions agency partners typically ask in the first conversation. For the full operational picture, see the dedicated Co-Living Model page.
How do I submit a referral, and how fast will I hear back?
Referrals are submitted through the caseworker portal — basic client info, voucher or pay source, accessibility needs, and timeline. You'll receive a confirmation within the hour and a placement determination within 48 hours, including a specific room offer or a clear waitlist position. That 48-hour response SLA is a commitment, not a target, and it's the single thing we hear most often from agency partners as the reason they keep coming back.
Which vouchers and pay sources do you accept?
HUD-VASH, PHA Housing Choice Vouchers, Emergency Housing Vouchers (EHV), Continuum of Care subsidies, and workforce housing program funding. Self-pay residents are also welcome. Our per-room pricing is structured to align with local Payment Standards, so the paperwork side doesn't require negotiation over utility add-ons or ambiguous lease terms. If your client has a less common subsidy type, message us through the portal and we'll confirm compatibility within 24 hours.
Are your properties HQS-compliant? How do you handle inspections?
Yes. Every Aubrey Chateau home is inspected against HUD Housing Quality Standards before any voucher-assisted resident moves in, and we schedule re-inspections proactively. Furnishings, appliances, HVAC, smoke and CO detectors, egress, and accessibility features are maintained to a documented standard so inspections pass the first time. We can send you a pre-inspection checklist and proof of insurance through the portal — typically same day on request.
What does your screening look like? Will my client be rejected for prior history?
We apply a whole-person review, not an automated score. The screening evaluates ability to pay and basic community compatibility. Prior evictions tied to documented hardship, thin rental histories, and justice-system involvement unrelated to direct safety risk are not automatic disqualifiers. Every screening decision is documented and we'll provide a written explanation of any denial on request — your client has the right to know exactly why, and so do you.
How do you sign an MOU with us?
We have a standardized MOU template that covers referral protocol, response timelines, payment terms, fair housing commitments, and quarterly reporting. The typical timeline from first conversation to signed MOU is 2–4 weeks, depending on your agency's internal review. We're happy to start with a non-binding referral relationship and move to a formal MOU once we've placed a client or two and your team has seen the process work.
What kind of reporting will I get on my clients?
Two things. (1) Real-time client status through the portal — placement stage, room assignment, move-in date, document checklist, and a shared notes thread with our team. (2) A quarterly impact report for your agency covering total referrals, placements, average days from referral to move-in, pay-source breakdown, and resident retention at 30, 60, and 90 days — formatted to align with common CoC and PHA reporting templates so you can pull numbers directly into grant reports.
What happens if my client struggles after move-in?
We notify you. If we see warning signs — missed rent, conflict with housemates, mental health or medical concerns surfacing — we reach out to you through the portal so you can intervene with the services you provide. We are not a clinical or care facility, so we don't try to substitute for your role. We are the stable housing; you are the wraparound. When that division of labor is clear, clients do better and your placements stick.
Do you accept emergency / same-day placements?
When we have a room available, yes. Same-day and next-day moves are possible for emergency situations — particularly for HUD-VASH veterans and EHV holders facing imminent displacement. Mark the referral as "emergency" in the portal and our team escalates it immediately. Even when same-day isn't possible, we'll give you a real answer within hours, not days.
I'm a caseworker from a recently closed shelter or nonprofit. Can we still work with you?
Yes — and we specifically want to. The closure of local shelters and the shuttered housing-assistance nonprofit have left caseworkers without referral options for clients who need to land somewhere stable. If you've moved to a PHA, a CoC lead agency, or another nonprofit, your existing relationships and client lists are exactly the kind of partnership we're built to support. Reach out through the contact page and we'll set up a direct conversation.
Still have a question?
If your question isn't covered here, send it directly. A real person — usually the founder — responds within one business day. No phone trees, no ticketing system.