Meeting the Housing Needs of Formerly Incarcerated and Justice-Involved People
Stable housing is the foundation for successful reentry from prisons and jails and to public safety. HUD is working to improve access to HUD’s housing programs for formerly incarcerated and justice-involved people, as well as help communities meet the housing needs of people returning to the community from prison and jail.
This webpage includes recent guidance, communication, and resources related to improving access to HUD programs for people with criminal records and creating housing opportunities for formerly incarcerated people.
Policy Actions
- Secretary Fudge’s internal directive to review regulations and policies regarding the use of criminal records in housing decisions
- Secretary Fudge’s 2021 letter encouraging the use of Emergency Housing Vouchers to assist people at-risk of homelessness after release from prison or jail - or the letter itself
- Office of General Counsel Guidance on Application of Fair Housing Act Standards to the Use of Criminal Records by Providers of Housing and Real Estate-Related Transactions
- Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity Memorandum on Implementation of the Office of General Counsel’s Guidance on Application of Fair Housing Act Standards to the Use of Criminal Records by Providers of Housing and Real Estate-Related Transactions
- 2015 Office of Public and Indian Housing guidance to public housing agencies on excluding arrest records in housing decisions
Programs
Additional Resources
- How to File a Complaint
- It Starts with Housing
- HUD Exchange page on preventing homelessness among people leaving prisons and jails
- From The Edge: “Why Housing Matters for Successful Reentry and Public Safety”
- Opening Doors, Returning Home: How Public Housing Authorities Across the Country Are Expanding Access for People with Conviction Histories | Bureau of Justice Assistance (ojp.gov)
- Tenant Screening With Criminal Background Checks: Predictions And Perceptions Are Not Causality
- Institutional Stays and CoC and ESG Eligibility