Privacy Policy
Effective Date: January 15, 2026 | Last Updated: January 2026
Important Notice for Tenants: By creating a tenant profile on DMV Housing, your contact information (including phone number and email) may be shared with landlords who pay to "unlock" your profile. Please read Section 4 carefully to understand how your information is disclosed.
1. Introduction
DMV Housing ("we," "our," or "us") is committed to protecting your privacy while providing a transparent, two-sided marketplace connecting Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8) tenants with landlords in the Washington D.C. metropolitan area. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our platform at dmvhousing.org and related services.
Our Core Business Model: DMV Housing operates as a "shopping" marketplace where landlords browse anonymized tenant profiles ("Blind Cards") and pay to unlock full contact information. This means tenant data is intentionally disclosed to paying landlords as part of our service.
2. Information We Collect
Tenant Information
- Identity: First name, last name, phone number, email address
- Location: Current ZIP code, address (optional)
- Voucher Details: Bedroom size, maximum rent amount, expiration date, voucher image (optional)
- Household: Household size, household composition (family, single, senior)
- Preferences: Move-in date, neighborhood preferences, about me description
- References: Previous landlord names, phone numbers, and email addresses
- Screening: Employment status, income verification, rental history, background information (if screening questionnaire completed)
- Profile Photo: Optional profile image
Landlord Information
- Identity: First name, last name, phone number, email address (optional)
- Business: Company name (optional)
- Property: Listing addresses, prices, descriptions, photos, amenities
- Payment: Stripe customer ID (we do not store full credit card numbers)
- Subscription: Tier level, billing history, unlock records
- Maintenance: Maintenance logs, receipts, before/after photos
Automatically Collected Information
- IP address and approximate geolocation
- Browser type, version, and device information
- Operating system
- Pages visited, time spent, and navigation patterns
- Referring website or search terms
- Authentication logs and session data
- AI assistant conversation logs
3. How We Use Your Information
- Platform Operations: Facilitate tenant-landlord matching based on voucher amounts and property prices
- Profile Display: Show anonymized tenant profiles ("Blind Cards") to landlords
- Contact Unlocking: Reveal full tenant contact information to paying landlords
- Account Management: Create and maintain user accounts, process authentication
- Communications: Send transactional emails and notifications (heartbeat, welcome messages, etc.)
- Payment Processing: Process subscriptions and one-time payments via Stripe
- Listing Management: Display, boost, and archive property listings
- AI Assistant: Provide housing guidance through our AI-powered chatbot
- Analytics: Understand usage patterns and improve our services
- Legal Compliance: Meet regulatory requirements and respond to legal requests
- Fraud Prevention: Detect and prevent fraudulent activity
4. Information Sharing and Disclosure (CRITICAL FOR TENANTS)
Tenant Contact Information Disclosure
By creating a tenant profile, you consent to the following disclosures:
- Anonymized Profile ("Blind Card"): All landlords can see your voucher value, household size, profile score, move-in date, neighborhood preferences, and "about me" snippet. Your full name appears as "J*** D***" and phone as "***-***-****".
- Full Contact Unlock: When a landlord pays ($19 one-time or via subscription), they receive: your full name, phone number, email address (if provided), and any screening information you've submitted.
- Reference Information: Your landlord references (names, phone numbers, emails) are disclosed to landlords who unlock your profile.
- Shareable Screening Link: If you generate a screening report link, anyone with that link can view your screening questionnaire responses.
What Happens After Unlock
Once a landlord unlocks your profile, DMV Housing cannot control how they use your contact information. Landlords agree in our Terms of Service to use this information only for legitimate housing purposes, but enforcement is limited. You may be contacted by landlords via phone, email, or text message.
Other Information Sharing
- Between Users: Landlords can share listing details with tenants; tenants can share screening reports via links
- Service Providers: Trusted third parties who assist our operations (see Section 5)
- Legal Requirements: When required by law, court order, or government request
- Safety: To protect rights, safety, or property of users or the public
- Business Transfers: In connection with merger, acquisition, or asset sale
We Do NOT Share
- We do NOT sell your personal information to data brokers or advertisers
- We do NOT share tenant data with non-paying landlords beyond anonymized Blind Cards
- We do NOT share user data with housing authorities (DCHA, HUD) unless legally required
- We do NOT use your data for targeted advertising on third-party platforms
5. Third-Party Service Providers
We use the following third-party services to operate our platform:
| Service | Provider | Purpose | Data Shared |
|---|---|---|---|
| Authentication & Database | Google Firebase | User authentication, data storage | All user data |
| Payments | Stripe | Process subscriptions and payments | Name, email, payment method |
| Gmail/Nodemailer | Welcome emails, notifications | Email address, message content | |
| AI Chat | Anthropic/OpenAI | HousingGuide AI assistant | Conversation content |
| Hosting | Firebase Hosting/Cloud Run | Website and API hosting | Access logs, IP addresses |
Each provider has their own privacy policy. Key links:Firebase,Stripe
6. Data Security
We implement industry-standard security measures to protect your information:
- Encryption: All data transmitted via HTTPS/TLS encryption
- Authentication: Phone/email OTP verification; secure session management
- Access Control: Role-based access; admin actions logged
- Infrastructure: Google Cloud Platform security; Firebase security rules
- Payment Security: PCI-DSS compliant payment processing via Stripe (we never store card numbers)
- Data Separation: Tenant contact info stored separately and only revealed after payment ("Blind Layer")
No Security Guarantee: While we implement reasonable security measures, no system is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security of your data. You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your account credentials.
7. Communications and Notifications
By using our platform, you may receive:
Transactional Messages (Required)
- • Account verification OTP codes
- • Welcome messages upon registration
- • Payment confirmations and receipts
- • Heartbeat listing confirmation requests (landlords)
- • Listing archived/reactivated notifications
- • Security alerts (password changes, suspicious activity)
These cannot be opted out of as they are essential to service operation.
Optional Notifications
- • New match alerts
- • Profile view notifications
- • Maintenance request updates
- • Platform updates and new features
You can manage preferences in your account settings.
8. Your Rights and Choices
Depending on your location, you may have the following rights:
Access & Control
- • Request a copy of your personal data
- • Correct inaccurate information
- • Delete your account and data
- • Export your data (data portability)
- • Opt-out of optional marketing
Limitations
- • We cannot "un-unlock" your data from landlords who already paid
- • Some data must be retained for legal/business purposes
- • Deleting your account does not delete historical unlock records
- • We may retain anonymized/aggregated data indefinitely
Important: Tenant Data After Unlock
Once a landlord has unlocked your contact information, that disclosure cannot be reversed. The landlord retains access to your contact details even if you later delete your account. Consider this carefully before creating a profile.
9. Data Retention
We retain your information for the following periods:
| Data Type | Retention Period |
|---|---|
| Active user accounts | Until account deletion requested |
| Deleted user accounts | 30 days (soft delete), then permanent deletion |
| Unlock records | 7 years (for business records) |
| Payment/billing records | 7 years (IRS requirements) |
| Listing data | Until landlord deletes or 2 years after archival |
| AI chat logs | 90 days |
| Server/access logs | 90 days |
| Audit logs | 3 years |
10. Cookies and Tracking
We use cookies and similar technologies to:
- Essential Cookies: Authentication, session management, security
- Functional Cookies: Remember preferences, improve experience
- Analytics: Understand usage patterns (aggregated, not personal)
We do NOT use third-party advertising cookies or tracking pixels. You can control cookies through your browser settings, but disabling essential cookies may prevent login functionality.
11. Children's Privacy
DMV Housing is not intended for individuals under 18 years of age. We do not knowingly collect personal information from minors. If you believe we have inadvertently collected information from a child, please contact us immediately at privacy@dmvhousing.org, and we will delete such information.
12. California Privacy Rights (CCPA)
If you are a California resident, you have additional rights:
- Right to Know: Request disclosure of categories and specific pieces of personal information collected
- Right to Delete: Request deletion of personal information (with exceptions)
- Right to Opt-Out: Opt-out of "sale" of personal information (we do not sell data)
- Non-Discrimination: We will not discriminate against you for exercising CCPA rights
To exercise these rights, email privacy@dmvhousing.org with "CCPA Request" in the subject line.
13. Fair Housing Considerations
DMV Housing is committed to Fair Housing Act compliance. Our platform:
- Does not share protected class information (race, religion, disability status) with landlords
- Does not allow landlords to filter or search tenants by protected characteristics
- Anonymizes tenant profiles to reduce bias in initial landlord review
- Will report suspected housing discrimination to HUD FHEO
If you experience discrimination, file a complaint atwww.hud.gov/fairhousingor call 1-800-669-9777.
14. Third-Party Links
Our platform may contain links to third-party websites, including DCHA, HUD, and other housing resources. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these external sites. We encourage you to review their privacy policies before providing personal information.
15. International Users
DMV Housing is operated from the United States and intended for users in the Washington D.C. metropolitan area. If you access our services from outside the U.S., your information will be transferred to and processed in the United States. By using our services, you consent to this transfer.
16. Updates to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy periodically to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements. Material changes will be notified via email or prominent notice on our platform at least 30 days before taking effect. The "Last Updated" date at the top indicates the most recent revision. Continued use of our services after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.
17. Contact Us
For questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or your personal data:
DMV Housing Privacy Team
privacy@dmvhousing.org
General support: support@dmvhousing.org
Website: dmvhousing.org
Regulatory Complaints: You may also file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at reportfraud.ftc.gov or your state's Attorney General if you believe your privacy rights have been violated.