Third-Party Guarantor Platform Helps Increase Apartment Approvals as Houston Vacancy Remains Elevated

HOUSTON, Aug. 7, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Cosign, a third-party lease guarantor platform and cosigner alternative designed to expand renter access while protecting property owners, has launched in Houston, addressing a disconnect that’s become common across the metro: thousands of new apartments, and qualified renters still getting turned away.

According to data from CoStar, Houston’s apartment market reflects a growing disconnect between record supply and apartment approvals. Metro vacancy sits at 12.5%, with roughly 21,000 of the nearly 88,000 apartments delivered since 2023 still sitting vacant. As lease-ups slow and competition intensifies, nearly two-thirds of apartment communities are offering concessions, including six to eight weeks of free rent in many supply-heavy submarkets, while rent growth remains negative for the first time in more than a decade. Rather than relying solely on deeper discounts to reduce vacancy rates, more operators are looking for ways to expand apartment approvals by qualifying renters who can afford the rent but fall just short of traditional credit score or screening requirements.

At Keener Management, that mismatch was showing up week after week. With 14 communities across the Houston MSA, management adopted Cosign as a cosigner alternative to solve exactly that problem. When renters fall just short of standard qualification criteria and have no cosigner to rely on, Cosign steps in as a qualified third-party guarantor and cosigner alternative, allowing Keener’s Houston-area properties to increase apartment approvals while maintaining financial protections. As a lease guarantor, Cosign helps operators reduce vacancy rates by approving qualified renters who would otherwise be denied.

“At Keener Management, the challenge isn’t attracting renters, it’s finding qualified applicants without creating unnecessary friction,” said Elizabeth Ortiz, property manager of Keener Management. “That’s where Cosign, a third-party guarantor, has made a real difference. When prospective residents fall just short of our standard qualification criteria and don’t have a traditional cosigner, Cosign gives us the confidence to approve applicants we might have otherwise declined. Since introducing Cosign as an option, we’ve been able to increase approved applications while providing a smoother leasing experience for both our team and our residents.”

Founded by real estate owners and operators, Cosign’s guarantor platform evaluates payment behavior and recency rather than relying solely on a credit score, helping owners increase apartment approvals and reduce vacancy rates without relying exclusively on concessions.

“Houston has more apartments than it’s had in years, but that hasn’t solved the approval problem,” said Zach Schofel, co-founder and CEO of Cosign. “Owners are still saying no to renters who can afford the rent, simply because of a technicality. Cosign lets Keener and other operators say yes more often without adding risk.”

For more information, visit www.rentwithcosign.com and follow on social media @rentwithcosign.

About Cosign
Cosign is a real estate technology company and lease guarantor service that bridges the gap between qualified renters and landlords. Founded by real estate professionals, Cosign’s mission is to expand housing access through data-driven underwriting that considers payment behavior, not just credit scores. Active in more than 500,000 units across 3,000+ communities nationwide, Cosign is helping modern operators approve more qualified renters in both tight and oversupplied markets. For more information, visit www.rentwithcosign.com

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/cosign-launches-in-houston-as-record-apartment-supply-fails-to-fix-renter-access-302845290.html

SOURCE Cosign

AI-native lending platform recognized for expanding banks’ ability to serve small businesses

SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 7, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Casca announced that it has won the 2026 Tearsheet AI Product of the Year Award, which recognizes innovative AI-powered products that solve real financial services challenges at scale. The fintech won for its AI-native loan origination platform.

Small businesses often need capital quickly to replace equipment, purchase inventory or cover unexpected expenses. Banks may have the capital and appetite to lend, but smaller loans require much of the same document collection, verification and underwriting work as larger commercial loans. This can make them difficult to offer efficiently and push business owners toward faster, higher-cost alternatives. Casca’s platform removes that bottleneck, making smaller-dollar loans more efficient and economically viable for banks, expanding access to responsible capital without adding operational burden.

A representative from Tearsheet shared, “Casca wins the AI Product of the Year Award for reimagining small business lending through an AI-native loan origination platform. AI agents are embedded throughout the lending process to automate more than 100 manual steps, analyze thousands of financial documents in minutes, and perform over 40 credit and KYB checks, while keeping humans in the loop. As a result, banks have automated up to 90% of lending workflows, cut processing times from months to as little as one to four days and increased lead conversions by 312%. By transforming one of banking’s most manual and time-intensive processes, Casca is making small business lending faster, more scalable and more accessible.”

Casca helps borrowers complete an online application in less than 15 minutes. Its AI loan assistant answers questions and sends updates and reminders, while lenders receive structured financial information and a centralized view of each borrower. This allows loan officers to spend less time collecting documents and processing paperwork and more time advising customers. The easy application and AI support is appreciated by the borrowers, 60% of which are submitting applications on weekends, when traditional banking channels are closed.

“Small business owners don’t operate on a traditional banking schedule, but most lending processes still do,” said Lukas Haffer, CEO and co-founder of Casca. “We built Casca so banks can meet entrepreneurs at the speed their businesses demand without compromising responsible lending. This recognition reinforces our belief that better infrastructure can make banks the first place small businesses turn for capital.”

The Tearsheet AI Innovation Awards honor financial services leaders using artificial intelligence to transform operations, improve customer experiences and create measurable business impact through advances in automation, analytics and risk management. You can find the full list of winners here: https://tearsheet.co/announcement/the-2026-tearsheet-ai-innovation-awards-recognizing-the-builders-of-ai-powered-finance/

About Casca
Casca accelerates the loan application and origination process using responsible AI. It is the loan origination platform used by the nation’s leading SBA lenders and FDIC-Insured banks. Founded in 2023 by banking IT experts and AI researchers from Stanford University, Casca is backed by Y Combinator, Canapi Ventures, Peterson Ventures, Clocktower Ventures, The Fintech Fund, and the Sarah Smith Fund. For more information, visit www.cascading.ai and follow us on LinkedIn.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/casca-wins-2026-tearsheet-ai-product-of-the-year-award-302845616.html

SOURCE Cascading AI

Third-Party Guarantor Platform Helps Increase Apartment Approvals in Fargo’s Competitive Rental Market

FARGO, N.D., Aug. 7, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Cosign, a third-party lease guarantor platform and cosigner alternative designed to expand renter access while protecting property owners, has launched in Fargo, one of North Dakota’s fastest-growing cities and among the tightest rental markets in the Upper Midwest.

According to data from CoStar, Fargo’s rental market is showing a growing disconnect between population growth and the ability to quickly fill new communities. While the metro continues to attract new residents, vacancy among 4- and 5-star properties has climbed to 9.3%, well above the overall market average of 6.4%, as two-thirds of the 603 units currently under construction are concentrated in the premium segment. With additional supply expected to push vacancy higher and rent growth moderating from its five-year average, operators are looking for ways to expand apartment approvals by reaching qualified renters who may fall just short of traditional income or credit score requirements. For newer communities competing for residents, converting more qualified applicants can help accelerate lease-up, reduce apartment vacancy rates and improve occupancy without relying solely on concessions or pricing adjustments.

At Enclave Property Management, that gap was showing up in leasing conversations every week. With 15 communities across the Fargo market, management adopted Cosign as a cosigner alternative to solve exactly that problem. When renters fall just short of standard qualification criteria and have no cosigner to rely on, Cosign steps in as a qualified third-party guarantor and cosigner alternative, allowing Fargo properties to increase apartment approvals while maintaining financial protections. As a lease guarantor, Cosign helps operators reduce vacancy rates by approving qualified renters who may otherwise be turned away due to traditional screening requirements.

“At Enclave Property Management, our goal is to create an exceptional leasing experience while maintaining high qualification standards,” said Angie Wollan, director of operations at Enclave Property Management. “Cosign, as a third-party guarantor, has given us added flexibility when working with qualified applicants who may not meet every traditional screening requirement and don’t have a cosigner. It allows us to confidently approve more prospective residents while keeping our leasing process efficient and resident-focused.”

Founded by real estate owners and operators, Cosign built its underwriting model around payment behavior and recency rather than a single credit score snapshot, a distinction that matters most in markets like Fargo and across the broader Fargo-Moorhead MSA, where thin credit files are common among transplants and young professionals just starting out.

“Fargo is exactly the kind of market people overlook,” said Zach Schofel, the co-founder and CEO of Cosign. “Low vacancy usually means owners can afford to be pickier, and that’s when qualified renters start getting squeezed out over technicalities. Cosign gives operators like Enclave a way to keep saying yes without taking on more risk.”

For more information, visit www.rentwithcosign.com and follow on social media @rentwithcosign.

About Cosign
Cosign is a real estate technology company and lease guarantor service that bridges the gap between qualified renters and landlords. Founded by real estate professionals, Cosign’s mission is to expand housing access through data-driven underwriting that considers payment behavior, not just credit scores. Active in more than 500,000 units across 3,000+ communities nationwide, Cosign is helping modern operators approve more qualified renters in both tight and oversupplied markets. For more information, visit www.rentwithcosign.com

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/cosign-launches-in-fargo-as-rental-vacancies-continue-to-climb-302845288.html

SOURCE Cosign