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In September 2023, the ICC Board of Directors passed the Proposal to Reserve Spaces for Income Qualifying Applicants. This program aims to develop and record metrics that demonstrate the ICC’s dedication to providing affordable housing to students, inform our scholarship processes, and ensure that we are serving members with demonstrated financial need. The proposal establishes that at least 30% of members in each ICC house must be Income Qualifying Applicants. Qualifying for a reserved space does not automatically qualify an applicant for any scholarships, but qualifying applicants will get a 2% discount on ICC charges if they pay an entire semester (4 months) at the start of the term (non-IQ members get 1%). All members are also encouraged to apply for our scholarship options. Restrictions on any open spaces will be released on the last day of Winter term (May 6th, 2026), at which point applications will be processed on a first-come first-served basis, starting with members who were waitlisted due to not being Income Qualifying eligible.

FAQ

How do you qualify?

Applicants will submit documentation to their Rent Manager portals, under the “Service Issues” tab.

• Domestic students: Provide your most recent FAFSA Student Aid Index (SAI). Applicants with an SAI less than or equal to 14790 will qualify an income-qualifying reserved space.
• Non-students: Submit proof of income, such as recent paystubs, most recent W2, new job offer letter, benefit verification letter, or bank statement. Applicants with annual income less than or equal to $48,450 will qualify for an income-qualifying reserved space.
  • The income limit is 50% of the Washtenaw County Area Median Income

• International Students: Submit your I-9 or DS-2019 along with a letter explaining the source of funds. The Finance Committee will review applications.
• Eligibility appeals: Income qualification will be based on the information provided – notice of eligibility will only be sent out to international students due to the lack of published guidelines. If you would like to know your eligibility status, you can email elliot@icc.coop. If you are not eligible based on the above metrics but there have been changes in your financial situation that you believe would make you eligible (such as decreased wages or another change in financial circumstances), please send an appeal letter to vp.finance@icc.coop with all relevant information.

How many spaces are reserved?

The ICC will reserve 30% of contract spaces in each house for Income-Qualifying applicants. Partial spaces shall be rounded to the nearest whole number.

Will non-income-qualifying current members still be able to renew their contracts?

• Current members signing a renewal during the early bird period (typically mid-November) will be able to sign regardless of their income qualification. If a current member does qualify for a reserved space, they will count towards the 30% of spaces required to be filled by an income-qualifying applicant. If more than 70% of the house is NOT income qualifying, any contract replacements or swaps will need to go to an income-qualifying applicant until the last day of winter term. Current members who sign during the early bird period will still be able to drop their contracts within the early bird drop period (which closes the Thursday before University of Michigan spring break, typically mid- to late-February).
• Current members signing during the standard signing period (early January and later) will be subject to the same signing requirements as new members, so if 70% of the house is filled with non-Income Qualifying members, any additional open spaces will only be offered to income-qualifying applicants, regardless of current or new member status.

Specific contract signing dates will be revised once determined.

How was the 30% number decided?

• The ICC conducts membership surveys every other year, obtaining demographic information of current co-opers. Survey information was analyzed in a report here, showing that in past years 40-50% of ICC members have had family incomes of $0-$49,999. This proposal is a commitment to continue to serve and support low-income members, especially with the knowledge that lower income students are more likely to search and apply for housing later than their higher-income counterparts (also shown in the report linked above).