Publication

 April 2022

Expand housing access for people with conviction histories in Michigan

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Overview

Housing is a foundation for all people to build their life on but, for people with prior criminal legal system involvement, it is often an unmet need. In Michigan, people leaving jails or prisons have limited housing choices because of policies that deny them admission based on their conviction histories. This does not promote community safety. Vera analyzed admissions policies of public housing authorities in Michigan and data from the Michigan Department of Corrections to estimate the number of people impacted by public housing authority admissions policies. This fact sheet includes recommendations for policymakers to promote community well-being while safely increasing housing access for people with conviction histories.

Key Takeaway

By making changes to public housing admissions policies, Michigan can expand housing access for people with conviction histories and promote community safety.

Publication Highlights

  • Stable housing is the foundation that helps people successfully transition from incarceration to the community.

  • Most people with a conviction in the past never have another conviction.

  • A background check says little about a person’s ability to be a good tenant.

Key Facts

Public housing authorities in Michigan exclude 284,000 adults with conviction histories, more than 3.5 percent of adults statewide.
More than 230,000 people would have their eligibility for public housing protected in Michigan if public housing authroties were to only consider convictions from the past six months.
Some Michigan public housing authorities use lengthy lookback periods or lifetime bans to deny housing to people with conviction histories.