Community Spotlight: Reentry Housing Alliance

By Adrienne Martinez, CRC Member

A criminal history is generally unrelated to the ability of persons experiencing homelessness to succeed in supportive housing. Yet unfortunately, many landlords and property owners overlook the advantages of renting to people with criminal records. Not having a home is traumatic. And until “out here” is better than “in there,” there will be a risk of recidivism.

The mission of the Reentry Housing Alliance (RHA) is simple: Housing for all. RHA believes housing is a human right. This network of reentry service organizations, non-profits, the faith community, and neighbors are focused on informing property owners on reentry obstacles and advocating for housing policy changes benefiting people with records. Individuals with records and their families can access supportive services and connect to community-based support to establish a stable lifestyle, thereby reducing the chance of recidivism and increasing their successful journey.

Here are a few more critical ways RHA is working toward housing justice:

• RHA has developed a “housing rights and responsibility” curriculum with the Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office to be offered at the County Detention Center.
• RHA is also working directly with government officials and community leaders to change local housing policy through initiatives such as a ‘Fair Chance’ Housing Policy.
• RHA implemented a transitional housing program to help place people with records and their families. If you or someone you know is looking for housing resources in the Charlotte metro area and have a criminal record, RHA may be able to help.

In 2016, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) issued guidance that landlords who refuse to rent to all tenants with criminal records may violate the Fair Housing Act. Technically, criminal history is not a protected class under the federal act (the protected classes are race, color, national origin, religion, sex, family status and disability). However, HUD’s 2016 guidance said that because African Americans and Latinos are incarcerated at rates disproportionate to their share of the overall population, refusing to rent to people with criminal records has a disparate impact on those minority groups. The Fair Housing Act applies when renting, buying, or securing financing for any housing.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Community Relations has been working with RHA to push for more education and outreach to the community in an effort to encourage more people to come forward and submit a complaint when they feel they have been discriminated against in their housing application process.