Privacy Policy

Who we are

CertifyMe (“CertifyMe,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) operates the website https://certifyme.co/ (the “Site”) and provides digital tenant application, certification, compliance, and related services to the affordable housing industry.

Our services may include digital tenant applications, tenant and administrative portals, forms and requirements catalogs, application and recertification tracking, document collection, verification support, and compliance-related services. (CertifyMe)

This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, retain, and protect information when you visit our Site, use our portals or services, communicate with us, or otherwise interact with CertifyMe.

By accessing or using the Site or our services, you acknowledge the practices described in this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree with this Privacy Policy, please discontinue use of the Site and our services.

Scope

This Privacy Policy applies to information we collect:

Through the CertifyMe website and associated web applications and portals.
When you submit an inquiry, request a demo, consultation, or information about our services.
When you create or use a tenant, applicant, property, or administrative account.
When you submit applications, forms, documents, or information through our platform.
Through email, telephone, text messages, or other electronic communications between you and CertifyMe.
When you participate in training, webinars, events, or other activities hosted or supported by CertifyMe.
When you interact with us through social media or other online channels.

This Privacy Policy does not apply to information collected by third parties independently of CertifyMe, including third-party websites, applications, or services that may be linked to or accessible through our Site. Their privacy practices are governed by their own privacy policies.

Information You Provide

Depending on how you interact with CertifyMe, we may collect information such as:

Contact information: Name, email address, phone number, mailing address, company or property information, and other contact details.
Account information: Username, login credentials, account identifiers, and other information necessary to create and manage an account.
Applicant and tenant information: Information provided as part of an affordable housing application, certification, or recertification process.
Household information: Information relating to household members or other individuals included in an application or certification.
Income and eligibility information: Information submitted to establish eligibility or compliance with applicable housing programs and requirements.
Employment and financial information: Information provided as part of the application, verification, or certification process.
Identification and verification information: Information contained in documents or records provided for application or certification purposes.
Documents and records: Forms, supporting documentation, certifications, verifications, signatures, and other materials uploaded or submitted through the platform.
Communications: Information contained in inquiries, support requests, emails, messages, feedback, and other communications with us.
Preferences: Communication preferences, service preferences, training interests, and related information.

The information collected will depend on the services you use and the requirements applicable to your application, property, housing program, or certification.

Information Collected Automatically

When you visit our Site or use our online services, we may automatically collect certain information, including:

Pages viewed and features used.
Links clicked and referring or exit pages.
Search terms and other interaction information.
Browser type and version.
Operating system and device information.
IP address and other network information.
Approximate location derived from your IP address.
Device identifiers and similar technical information.
Date, time, and duration of visits.
Cookie and similar technology information.

We may use this information to understand how visitors use our Site, maintain security, troubleshoot technical issues, improve website functionality, and measure the effectiveness of our communications and services.

Information We Process on Behalf of Our Clients

CertifyMe provides services to affordable housing owners, operators, property managers, and other organizations.

In connection with these services, our clients may provide us with information relating to applicants, tenants, household members, properties, and certification records.

Where we process information on behalf of a client, we may act as a service provider or processor and process that information according to the client’s instructions, applicable agreements, and applicable law.

In these circumstances, the applicable client may determine the purposes for which certain information is collected and used. If you have questions about information submitted through a property or housing provider, you may also contact that organization directly.

Sensitive Information

In providing affordable housing application and certification services, we may process information that could be considered sensitive personal information under applicable privacy laws.

This may include information contained in documents relating to income, household composition, eligibility, identification, financial information, disability-related information, or other information required for housing program compliance.

We process such information only as reasonably necessary to provide the requested services, support housing application and certification processes, comply with contractual requirements, maintain security, and satisfy applicable legal or regulatory obligations.

We do not use sensitive information for unrelated purposes except where permitted or required by applicable law.

How We Use Information

We may use information we collect to:

Provide, operate, maintain, and secure the CertifyMe website, portals, and services.
Facilitate digital tenant applications and certification processes.
Collect and organize application and certification information.
Support tenant and applicant onboarding.
Provide forms, requirements, and documentation necessary for applicable housing programs.
Track application and recertification progress.
Support verification and compliance activities.
Provide customer and technical support.
Communicate with applicants, tenants, property staff, clients, and authorized representatives.
Respond to questions, inquiries, and requests.
Schedule demonstrations, consultations, and meetings.
Improve our website, platform, services, and user experience.
Monitor and analyze usage, performance, and security.
Detect, prevent, and investigate fraud, abuse, security incidents, and unauthorized activity.
Comply with applicable laws, regulations, legal processes, and contractual obligations.
Enforce our agreements and protect our rights, users, clients, and property.
Send administrative communications, including service updates, security notices, and policy changes.
Send marketing or promotional communications where permitted and, where required, with your consent.

Cookies & Tracking Technologies

We and our service providers may use cookies, pixels, web beacons, analytics tools, and similar technologies to:

Operate and secure the Site.
Remember preferences and settings.
Understand how visitors use the Site.
Measure website performance.
Analyze traffic and user interactions.
Improve our services and user experience.
Measure the effectiveness of marketing and advertising campaigns.

You may be able to control cookies through your browser settings or other available cookie controls.
Disabling certain cookies may affect the functionality of portions of the Site or our services.

Legal Bases for Processing — EEA/UK Visitors

If you are located in the European Economic Area (EEA) or United Kingdom (UK), where applicable, we may process your personal information based on one or more of the following legal bases:

Performance of a contract: When processing is necessary to provide requested services or perform a contract.
Legitimate interests: When processing is necessary for purposes such as improving our services, maintaining security, communicating with customers, or operating our business, provided those interests are not overridden by your rights.
Consent: Where you have provided consent for a particular processing activity, such as certain marketing communications or cookies.
Legal obligation: When processing is necessary to comply with applicable laws or legal requirements.

Where we rely on consent, you may withdraw your consent as permitted by applicable law.

How We Share Information

We may share information in the following circumstances

Service Providers

We may share information with vendors and service providers that help us operate our business, including providers of:

Hosting and cloud infrastructure
Data storage
Security services
Analytics
Customer support
Communications
Email and messaging
Digital signatures
Software and technology services

These providers are expected to process information according to applicable agreements and legal requirements.

Clients and Authorized Organizations

Where CertifyMe provides services on behalf of a property owner, property manager, affordable housing organization, or other client, we may provide or return information to the organization that is authorized to receive it.

Compliance and Service Partners

We may share information with authorized third parties where necessary to provide verification, compliance, certification, or other services requested by our clients or users.

Legal and Safety Purposes

We may disclose information when we reasonably believe disclosure is necessary to:

Comply with applicable law, regulation, subpoena, court order, or legal process.
Respond to lawful requests from governmental authorities.
Protect the rights, property, or safety of CertifyMe, our clients, users, or others.
Detect or investigate fraud, security incidents, or unlawful activity.
Enforce our agreements.

Business Transfers

Information may be transferred in connection with a merger, acquisition, financing, reorganization, bankruptcy, sale of assets, or other business transaction, subject to applicable legal requirements and appropriate safeguards.

Data Retention

We retain personal information for as long as reasonably necessary to:

Provide our services.
Complete application and certification activities.
Maintain business and client relationships.
Fulfill contractual obligations.
Comply with legal, regulatory, accounting, and reporting requirements.
Resolve disputes.
Enforce agreements.
Maintain security and prevent fraud.

Retention periods may vary depending on the type of information, the purpose for which it was collected, applicable housing program requirements, contractual requirements, and applicable law.

When information is no longer required, we may securely delete, anonymize, or otherwise dispose of it in accordance with our applicable retention practices.

Security

We maintain reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards designed to protect personal information against unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, loss, or destruction.

However, no method of transmission over the Internet or method of electronic storage is completely secure. Accordingly, we cannot guarantee the absolute security of personal information.

Users are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of their account credentials and should notify us promptly if they believe their account has been accessed or used without authorization.

International Data Transfers

Depending on where you are located and where our service providers operate, your information may be transferred to, stored in, or processed in countries other than your country of residence.

Where required by applicable law, we will use appropriate safeguards for international transfers of personal information.

Your Privacy Rights

Depending on your location and applicable law, you may have certain rights regarding your personal information, including the right to:

Request access to personal information we maintain about you.
Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete information.
Request deletion of certain personal information.
Request portability of certain information.
Request restriction of or object to certain processing.
Withdraw consent where processing is based on consent.
Opt out of certain marketing communications.
Appeal certain decisions where required by applicable law.

Certain rights may be subject to exceptions or limitations under applicable law.

To exercise applicable privacy rights, contact us using the information provided in the Contact Us section below. We may need to verify your identity before completing certain requests.

If your information is processed by CertifyMe on behalf of one of our clients, we may direct your request to the relevant client or coordinate with that client to respond to your request.

U.S. State Privacy Rights

Residents of certain U.S. states may have additional privacy rights under applicable state privacy laws.

Depending on the applicable law and your circumstances, these rights may include rights to access, correct, delete, obtain a copy of, or restrict certain uses of personal information, as well as rights to opt out of certain forms of targeted advertising, sale, or sharing of personal information where applicable.

CertifyMe does not sell personal information for monetary consideration in the ordinary course of operating its services.

Where applicable, we will honor valid state-specific privacy requests in accordance with the requirements of the applicable law.

If you wish to exercise a privacy right, please contact us using the information below.

Children's Privacy

Our Site and services are intended primarily for businesses, property owners, property managers, applicants, tenants, and other individuals involved in affordable housing services.

Our services are not directed toward children under the age of 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information directly from children under 13 without appropriate authorization or consent where required by law.

If you believe that a child has provided personal information to us improperly, please contact us so that we can evaluate and take appropriate action.

Third-Party Links & Services

Our Site and services may contain links to third-party websites, applications, platforms, or services.

We are not responsible for the privacy practices, security, or content of third parties. Your interactions with third-party services are governed by their respective privacy policies and terms.

We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party service before providing personal information.

Communications and Marketing

We may use your contact information to communicate with you about:

Your account or application.
Requested services.
Support requests.
Appointments and consultations.
Service updates.
Security or administrative notices.
Other information relating to our services.

Where permitted by law, we may also send marketing or promotional communications.

You may opt out of marketing emails by using the unsubscribe mechanism included in the communication or by contacting us.

Opting out of marketing communications will not prevent us from sending necessary transactional, administrative, security, or service-related communications.

SMS / Text Messaging

If you separately opt in to receive SMS or text messages from CertifyMe, your participation will be subject to the applicable SMS terms presented at the time of enrollment.

Message frequency may vary. Message and data rates may apply depending on your mobile carrier.

You may opt out of SMS communications at any time by replying STOP to a message received from us. You may request assistance by replying HELP where supported.

We will not share SMS opt-in consent information with third parties for their own marketing or promotional purposes.

Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our services, technology, business practices, or applicable legal requirements.

When we make changes, we will update the “Last Updated” date at the top of this Privacy Policy.

Your continued use of the Site or services after an updated Privacy Policy becomes effective constitutes acknowledgment of the updated policy to the extent permitted by applicable law.

Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or wish to exercise applicable privacy rights, please contact us:

CertifyMe

Email: info@certifyme.co

Website: https://certifyme.co/

For requests concerning information submitted through a particular affordable housing property or client, you may also contact the property owner, property manager, or organization responsible for your application or certification.