> but why are landlords even allowed to demand proof of no felonies?!
As someone who has worked on tenant screening software, landlords typically care about a criminal history involving sex offenses or drug manufacturing. In case of recidivism, the former creates liability from other tenants if issues arise during tenancy, and the latter has potential for property destruction and/or harm to neighboring units.
There are also typically time limits on how far "back" they can look, typically 5-7 years at the most.
As someone who has worked on tenant screening software, landlords typically care about a criminal history involving sex offenses or drug manufacturing. In case of recidivism, the former creates liability from other tenants if issues arise during tenancy, and the latter has potential for property destruction and/or harm to neighboring units.
There are also typically time limits on how far "back" they can look, typically 5-7 years at the most.