Tenant advocates have warned that the nation faces a wave of evictions, now that the CARES act and moratoriums against evictions have ended. One overlooked group is especially at risk: tenants who have a criminal history. But few resources exist for this group.
When COVID first hit, Lamarr Atchison鈥檚 phone blew up. Early morning to late night, he heard from anxious men who鈥檇 just gotten out of jail or prison and needed somewhere to stay. They called him because he鈥檇 been in the same spot. Atchison is an ex-offender who volunteers with the recovery and re-entry organization. He knows firsthand how hard it is to find good, stable housing if you鈥檝e committed a crime. But he couldn鈥檛 help them.
鈥淥ne brother used to call me every day. He was like 鈥榊o, I want to work. I don鈥檛 want to go back to the streets, and I don鈥檛 want to live with this woman I have to live with right now.鈥� You鈥檙e dealing with a situation where a man can鈥檛 generate an income, has nowhere to live. They were panicking. They were panicking,鈥� he said.
They belong to a group that鈥檚 being overlooked as the nation faces a wave of housing displacements due to the end of the and moratoriums against evictions. Even in better times, though, men and women who鈥檝e served time face overwhelming obstacles when it comes to finding stable places to stay. One problem simply is the region鈥檚 lack of affordable housing.
If you鈥檙e poor in Cuyahoga County, housing can eat up most of your income, according to Mark McDermott. He works with , a development organization promoting affordable housing.
鈥淚n Cuyahoga County, over 30 percent of low-income people are paying more than 50 percent of income on rent or housing. That barrier plus the barrier of having a record,鈥� McDermott said.
Transitional housing offers a place to stay and support services, especially for people in recovery. But those programs aren鈥檛 permanent. The also sponsors programs for formerly incarcerated, but waitlists are long. McDermott said the county needs about 1,000 units to accommodate ex-offenders.
Attorney John Petit sees a similar need in Akron鈥檚 affordable housing market. Petit manages 鈥檚 housing team. He said many city residents are stuck renting poor housing because discrimination and redlining kept them from buying.
鈥淎nd so what you鈥檝e done, you鈥檝e kept a certain segment of the population from becoming homeowners. You鈥檝e trapped some people into an environment that鈥檚 just not healthy,鈥� he said.
Folks with a criminal offense, however minor, face a stigma that keeps them trapped as well. Anita Hill is a caseworker with . It鈥檚 a Cleveland nonprofit that helps people who have been incarcerated find work. Hill said one client lost hundreds in rental application fees because she couldn鈥檛 pass background checks.
鈥淪o I have a client who has lost $300 applying for places to live. And her housing application was denied every time. She makes great money; she鈥檚 sleeping on a family member鈥檚 couch,鈥� she said.
In fact, many ex-offenders end up like Hill鈥檚 client. That鈥檚 not the best situation, especially for those trying to reform, Atchison said.
鈥淢ore than we don鈥檛 want somebody having to sleep on somebody鈥檚 couch, we don鈥檛 want men and women trying to figure out what they have to do to live because that's what leads to crime and to the destruction of our community. Or (to) be in the position where they figure no matter how hard I worked 鈥� it鈥檒l never be enough for me to get from where I鈥檓 at,鈥� he said.
When it comes to federally subsidized housing, guidelines prohibit renting to people who have committed violent crimes, or have sold or distributed drugs. But housing authorities can set their own policies when it comes to approving tenants with other types of crime. These authorities can also determine how far back to investigate an applicant鈥檚 criminal history. The time limit usually goes back three years, Petit said. But that can be arbitrary.
鈥淥ften, they don鈥檛 even start the clock on that until people have paid off all their fines and court costs. And that can take years,鈥� Petit said. 鈥淲hen you think of it, that shouldn鈥檛 have anything to do with keeping you from getting housed.鈥�
Landlords face no restrictions when it comes to background checks. Petit said lack of affordable rentals gives them the upper hand on approving tenants.
鈥淣ow, you have somebody who might have a minor crime, but landlords can be so picky, that those folks end up having to rent from the least desirable landlords in the bad properties that haven鈥檛 been maintained,鈥� he said. 鈥淪o they鈥檙e being penalized again because of their background.鈥�
Advocates say it will take a united effort to craft a solution that will help ex-offenders find adequate housing. Until then, they鈥檒l have to depend on relatives, friends, and their wits.
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