diff --git a/src/app/api/v1/alerts/route.ts b/src/app/api/v1/alerts/route.ts
index f01c90f3..dcdccf1e 100644
--- a/src/app/api/v1/alerts/route.ts
+++ b/src/app/api/v1/alerts/route.ts
@@ -5,11 +5,13 @@ import { listAlertsForPort } from '@/lib/services/alerts.service';
 
 type AlertStatus = 'open' | 'dismissed' | 'resolved';
 
-// Tier-4 (authz-auditor): alerts include permission_denied + audit-adjacent
-// signals. Gated on admin.view_audit_log - same permission the audit log
-// page uses.
+// The alert feed is entirely operational/deal signals (stale interest, hot lead
+// silent, EOI unsigned, signer overdue, reservation needs agreement, berth
+// stalled, duplicate/unscanned expense) — there are no audit/security alert
+// rules. Gated on interests.view so the operational roles that act on these
+// (sales, director, viewer) see them; external residential partners don't.
 export const GET = withAuth(
-  withPermission('admin', 'view_audit_log', async (req: NextRequest, ctx) => {
+  withPermission('interests', 'view', async (req: NextRequest, ctx) => {
     const url = new URL(req.url);
     const status = (url.searchParams.get('status') ?? 'open') as AlertStatus;
 
diff --git a/src/components/inbox/inbox-page-shell.tsx b/src/components/inbox/inbox-page-shell.tsx
index 47a94afd..e9c2c548 100644
--- a/src/components/inbox/inbox-page-shell.tsx
+++ b/src/components/inbox/inbox-page-shell.tsx
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import { PageHeader } from '@/components/shared/page-header';
 import { AlertsPageShell } from '@/components/alerts/alerts-page-shell';
 import { ReminderList } from '@/components/reminders/reminder-list';
 import { useAlertCount } from '@/components/alerts/use-alerts';
+import { usePermissions } from '@/hooks/use-permissions';
 
 /**
  * Merged "Inbox" surface - replaces the previously-separate /alerts and
@@ -29,6 +30,11 @@ export function InboxPageShell() {
   const [alertsOpen, setAlertsOpen] = useState(true);
   const [remindersOpen, setRemindersOpen] = useState(true);
   const { data: alertCount } = useAlertCount();
+  // The deal-alert feed (stale interests, overdue signers, …) is gated on
+  // interests.view — operational roles see it; external residential partners
+  // don't. Hide the whole section rather than letting its query 403.
+  const { can } = usePermissions();
+  const canSeeAlerts = can('interests', 'view');
 
   // localStorage hydration on mount - canonical "read from external
   // store" pattern. setState in effect is intentional.
@@ -95,20 +101,22 @@ export function InboxPageShell() {
         ) : null}
       </section>
 
-      <section id="inbox-section-alerts" className="rounded-lg border bg-card shadow-xs">
-        <SectionHeader
-          icon={<ShieldAlert className="size-4 text-muted-foreground" aria-hidden />}
-          label="Alerts"
-          count={activeAlerts}
-          open={alertsOpen}
-          onToggle={toggleAlerts}
-        />
-        {alertsOpen ? (
-          <div className="border-t px-4 pb-4 pt-3">
-            <AlertsPageShell embedded />
-          </div>
-        ) : null}
-      </section>
+      {canSeeAlerts ? (
+        <section id="inbox-section-alerts" className="rounded-lg border bg-card shadow-xs">
+          <SectionHeader
+            icon={<ShieldAlert className="size-4 text-muted-foreground" aria-hidden />}
+            label="Alerts"
+            count={activeAlerts}
+            open={alertsOpen}
+            onToggle={toggleAlerts}
+          />
+          {alertsOpen ? (
+            <div className="border-t px-4 pb-4 pt-3">
+              <AlertsPageShell embedded />
+            </div>
+          ) : null}
+        </section>
+      ) : null}
     </div>
   );
 }
diff --git a/src/hooks/use-onboarding-status.ts b/src/hooks/use-onboarding-status.ts
index 82d056ce..59c31c5c 100644
--- a/src/hooks/use-onboarding-status.ts
+++ b/src/hooks/use-onboarding-status.ts
@@ -27,8 +27,11 @@ export interface OnboardingStatusPayload {
  * and the admin checklist summary. Cached for 60s so all three surfaces
  * share a single fetch on first paint.
  *
- * Pass `enabled=false` to skip the network call (e.g. when the current
- * user isn't a super_admin and the surface won't render anyway).
+ * Defaults to OFF: the endpoint is admin-only (admin.manage_settings), so
+ * callers must opt in with `enabled: true` once they've confirmed the user is
+ * a super_admin. This prevents a transient 403 (e.g. a stale `isSuperAdmin`
+ * during permission hydration) from firing the privileged request for
+ * non-admins.
  */
 export function useOnboardingStatus(opts: { enabled?: boolean } = {}) {
   return useQuery<OnboardingStatusPayload>({
@@ -38,7 +41,7 @@ export function useOnboardingStatus(opts: { enabled?: boolean } = {}) {
         (r) => r.data,
       ),
     staleTime: 60_000,
-    enabled: opts.enabled ?? true,
+    enabled: opts.enabled === true,
     retry: false,
   });
 }