Fair Chance Housing Lessons in Implementation
Overview
A person’s conviction history should never be a barrier to housing. Housing provides a foundation to engage in opportunities like education and employment, making it a critical piece of one’s life, especially after release from incarceration. Formerly incarcerated people point to housing as one of the most important factors in helping them stay out of prison after release. Despite research finding that a conviction history does not predict a person’s housing success, some landlords fear that people with conviction histories will pose a threat to safety and property. This research brief showcases how fair chance housing laws have impacted communities in Cook County (Illinois), New Jersey, and Washington, DC. Vera interviewed residents with conviction histories, policy advocates, housing providers, enforcement agencies, policymakers, and other stakeholders to determine if people’s ability to secure housing has changed, the impact on housing provider operations, and the factors required to ensure policies work.
Key Takeaway
Stakeholders agree that having a nondiscriminatory housing law in place is positive for society. Laws that facilitate increased access to housing for people with conviction histories may promote housing stability and decrease recidivism, because housing is a key predictor of successful reentry.
Publication Highlights
Residents with conviction histories in all three jurisdictions described significant barriers to finding safe, quality, and affordable housing both before and after the passage of fair chance housing laws.
Legal service providers reported instances of prospective tenants who were denied housing because of decades-old conviction records, including records older than the legal lookback period.
No housing provider mentioned any increase in adverse incidents since the passage of fair chance housing laws.