Reentry Initiative Presented by: Philadelphia Office of Public Housing Monica A. Hawkins, Director Homes Within Reach Conference November 15, 2016
HUD and Reentry Every year over 600,000 people are released from prisons, and among their most urgent needs are: • Housing • Employment • Services How does HUD support PHAs to promote the successful reentry of their returning citizens?
HUD and Reentry Every year over 600,000 people are released from prisons, and among their most urgent needs are: • Housing • Employment • Services How does HUD support PHAs to promote the successful reentry of their returning citizens?
How HUD Supports Reentry Efforts • Federal Reentry Council • Letter to Public Housing Authorities • Arrest Guidance & FAQ’s • Fair Housing Guidance • Juvenile Reentry Assistance Program (JRAP) • Reentry Housing Toolkit • Pay for Success (new)
Federal Reentry Council The Reentry Council was formed in 2010 by the Department of Justice. • HUD is a founding member of the Council • Council released a series of “Mythbuster” briefs clarifying federal policies, including Public Housing • Council has worked on a number of issues, including “Ban the Box” and Collateral Consequences
Letter to Public Housing Authorities In June 2011, HUD Secretary Donovan sent a letter to PHAs, clarifying that HUD only mandates permanent debarments in 2 specific cases, for those: • Convicted of manufacturing methamphetamine on Public Housing grounds • Subject to lifetime sex offender registration PHAs generally have discretion in all other cases.
Letter to Public Housing Authorities The letter also stated: “As President Obama recently made clear, this is an Administration that believes in the importance of second chances — that people who have paid their debt to society deserve the opportunity to become productive citizens and caring parents, to set aside the past and embrace the future. Part of that support means helping ex-offenders gain access to one of the most fundamental building blocks of a stable life —a place to live.”
Arrest Guidance & FAQ’s In November 2015, HUD released guidance that “informs PHAs and owners of other federally -assisted housing that arrest records may not be the basis for denying admission, terminating assistance or evicting.” The Guidance states that an arrest may be used as a “trigger” to investigate the underlying conduct for the arrest, but that housing denials must be based on the underlying conduct , and not the fact of the arrest itself.
Arrest Guidance & FAQ’s: One-Strike Policies HUD reiterated that disqualification for public or assisted housing is mandatory only in limited circumstances for specific types of criminal activity.
Fair Housing Guidance Clarified that blanket band against people with criminal records violate the Fair Housing Act when such policies disproportionally deny housing to people of a particular race, national origin, or with other protected characteristics.
Juvenile Reentry Assistance Program (JRAP) HUD is distributing $1.75M from the Department of Justice to PHAs. JRAP supports PHAs and nonprofit legal service providers to: • Expunge, seal, and correct juvenile and criminal records • Mitigate the collateral consequences of such records JRAP serves youth (up to age 24) who are: • Current public housing residents • Would be public housing residents, but for a criminal record
Reentry Housing Toolkit • Summarizes reentry models from communities across the country • Outlines five steps to building a successful reentry program • Illustrates the core elements of partnerships and collaboration Many PHAs have innovative programs for returning citizens to access housing, and HUD is very supportive of these efforts.
Reentry Housing Toolkit: Approaches to Reentry Housing • Many PHAs use Housing Choice Vouchers. • Other PHAs partner with service organizations to provide housing for returning citizens. • A growing number of PHAs allow returning citizens to reunite with their families who already live in Public Housing.
Reentry Housing Toolkit
Reentry Housing Toolkit: New York City Housing Authority Pilot One innovative program is the NYCHA Pilot, which several other PHAs have modeled their reentry programs after. In the NYCHA Pilot: • Community-based organizations work to identify returning citizens, screen applicants, and provide case management. • The PHA reviews the list of referred individuals. • Eligible individuals have families in public housing. • Individuals can live with their families on a temporary basis. • If the individual commits a crime, the family is not evicted.
Union County Housing Authority Justice Bridge Housing Program Housing Choice Voucher Model • Funded initially by a Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency grant . • Partners include state and county probation and parole, UC Prison, CMSU, the Union Snyder Community Action Agency, and the UC Criminal Justice Advisory Board. • Applicants must be eligible for the Housing Choice Voucher Program. • To date, 27 have entered program; 8 recidivated, and 1 was removed. • Jail cost $70 per day; JBHP Rental Assistance is $19/day.
Philadelphia Housing Authority Second Chance Housing Choice Voucher Pilot Program • Program provide Housing Choice vouchers for applicants who are in good standing in the Federal Supervision to Aid Reentry (STAR) Program. • Participants are provided with assistance, i.e., job placement, job training. • City of Philadelphia’s recidivism rate has decreased from 18 percent to 14 percent.
Are there others out there? If there are other PHAs involved with reentry programs and returning citizens, and HUD doesn’t yet know their information, please let us know. Let us know so we can learn and share their good work!
HUD’s Reentry Resources • Letter to PHAs: http://go.usa.gov/xg9eQ • Arrest Guidance: http://go.usa.gov/xg9t5 • Arrest Guidance FAQs: http://go.usa.gov/csahW • Fair Housing Guidance: http://go.usa.gov/xg9zP • Reentry Housing Toolkit: http://go.usa.gov/xg9uC • NYCHA Pilot: http://bit.ly/NYCHA-ReentryPilot
Other Reentry Resources • Union County Housing Authority - http://blairhealthchoices.org/pdf/Bruce%20Q uigley%20Housing%20Summit%20presentatio n.pdf • Philadelphia Housing Authority - http://www.pha.phila.gov/pha-news/pha- news/2013/pha-establishes-second-chance- program-for-returning-citizens.aspx
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