‘With my record it’s just hard to get an apartment’

Phillip was released from prison July 3 and has been homeless since. Four months on the streets, and the past three months in the New Brunswick shelter. Phillip, who asked that his last name not be used, has found the housing process during re-entry to be tough. Social services and the resources he’s used “are helpful and they do try, ” but the process has been trying. I sat down with Phillip and asked him about his experience with housing and the obstacles he has faced since.

Phillip: I filled out applications, it’s hard. … With my record it’s just hard to get an apartment. I’m in a shelter here, they help you the best they can with housing.

Sabrina: In what ways do you think being incarcerated affect your ability to get housing?

P: My record. I don’t think you shouldn’t get an apartment over a man’s record. Then again, I got a minor drug charge.

S: Before being incarcerated, can you point out some differences between then and now?

P: Oh, I could easily get it then. It’s just a question of being arrested and being incarcerated. It comes up when they check your record and that kills the apartment application. I’ve applied to six apartments, I’ve been denied five times. I’m waiting to hear on the sixth.

S: After getting out, what services did you get in touch with?

P: Coming Home, at 95 Bayard Street [New Brunswick]. I did an intake back in July with them. It’s a re-entry service when you’re coming out of prison, they help you with housing. It’s slow but they try.

S: Where have you applied for housing?

P: Right now, Middlesex County. I have to get back on my feet. I have to pay some fines and surcharges and stuff like that. I have $8,000 in fines for the drug charge. And my license was suspended, so I have to pay for that too. You don’t just go to jail — you go to jail and you pay fines. I’m currently paying it all off. There were fines from the court and surcharges on top of the fines.

S: So that definitely was a hindrance in trying to get out?

P: You don’t want to kick a man when he’s down. Sometimes you can’t make a payment and then interest goes up on a penalty. But I’m just about to get out of the mess; I’m almost clear. The important thing is the apartment, I have to get a place to stay and after that I’ll be alright.

S: Is there anything with the process that you wish was different or things you’d like to improve?

P: Well it is what it is. I just wished they didn’t look at your record. I don’t think they should judge a person’s record for apartment applications.

S: Do other people have similar experiences as you?

P: Anybody with a record, of course.

S: Do you know how long it usually takes to find housing?

P: Oh, I don’t know. I’m meeting people eight to nine times a month in the shelter. I’m constantly searching. They only give you a certain amount of time in the shelter before they kick you out. If they see you’re not doing anything, they kick you out. There are just a lot of setbacks when you go to jail, mentally too.

S: Can you talk a little bit about that?

P: Prison is very hard; it’s not easy at all. It will break you. It won’t cure you. It’s barbaric; it’s how it is. After getting out it’s hard to cope mentally and to adjust outside. It’s hard explaining the transition. You’re mentally screwed; first your rights are taken away, and then striped-searched, abused, and then you’re fighting with the guards or the other people in there. It breaks you as a man, or a woman, they have it bad too. It’s horrible, prison is horrible. It doesn’t reform you at all, it makes you worse.

S: Do you think there’s a relationship between homelessness and going to jail?

P: Yeah, there’s a lot of discrimination. Your record comes up and then they don’t take you. Naturally, when you go to prison your credit goes bad. Everything goes bad while you’re inside, and then when you come out you have to fix it. It’s very hard to fix, and once you’re out you don’t have a place to stay. … It’s very rough to pick up the pieces. The church and NeighborCorp are helping me. I had to start my license again, so I have my permit and now I have to take road test. I have to do it all over again. I have to start from the streets.

S: Any other resources for housing?

P: There’s the shelter; they have social workers and they refer you to places. But with your record and my charge, they look at it bad. I use Craigslist, look at signs, and the social workers tell me. There are waiting lists, one to three years and five for some buildings.

S: Do you have to follow any rules or regulations to get these services, like drug checkups?

P: Yeah you have to be clean, I’m tested periodically.

S: What’s living in a shelter like?

P: It’s not hard, but it’s not easy. You have shelter, but you have to watch out for the other people in there.

S: Is it open all day?

P: No, you have to leave 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. There’s an 8 p.m. curfew every night. No drugs and no alcohol. When you come in, you sign in. The shelter helps you with social services, they have food, they have referrals to places, and they drive you places if you need. They drove me to my apartment interview.

S: Is there waiting list for shelters?

P: There is a big waiting list in Middlesex County. I was on the streets for four months. You call the number 211 when you’re homeless in Middlesex and you do an intake of about 50 questions and then you wait for a call for an available bed.

S: So overall, how do you feel about the services?

P: If you’re trying, the services do help you. I can honestly tell you they do try. You have to meet them halfway. It’s you that holds yourself back, like your record and how people perceive you. At the shelter you have agendas to meet and they check to see if you’ve done that. If you’re not gonna help yourself they’re going to ask you to leave. But they’ll see to whatever your needs are.