We must remove barriers that limit people's ability to make those choices and to address the legacy of racism that is embedded in our country's housing policies.
February 23, 2022
Everyone has the right to safe, affordable, healthy housing in the neighborhood or community of their choice. We must remove barriers that limit people’s ability to make those choices and to address the legacy of racism that is embedded in our country’s housing policies.
The Shriver Center on Poverty Law is advocating on multiple fronts to enhance access to housing for those with criminal records. Barriers to housing for those with criminal records have a disparate impact on Black people, Latino/a/x people, and persons with disabilities. Providing stable housing for people reentering the community from incarceration and their families reduces crime and leads to community and housing stability.
Along with coalition partners, the Shriver Center has made recommendations to the Department of Housing and Urban Development on enhancing housing access for those with criminal records and reinstatement of HUD’s Discriminatory Effects Standard.
Racism, both systemic and individual, continues to block Black, Latino/a/x, and other people of color from fair access to housing. Tenant screening reports—which purport to evaluate a tenant’s likelihood to be a good or bad tenant—play an important role in perpetuating housing discrimination against communities of color. In partnership with the National Housing Law Project and the National Low Income Housing Coalition, the Shriver Center sent a letter to HUD’s office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity in regards to the applicability of Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing mandate to criminal records screening.
The Shriver Center recently sent a letter to the Federal Trade Commission providing suggested regulations and guidance regarding landlord tenant screening policies.
We will continue to advocate for and with people who are most impacted by injustice in the housing system to ensure they can access safe and affordable housing.
Read our recommendations to HUD and our letter to the Federal Trade Commission.
Shelter is not only a basic human need, it is also critical to people’s ability to pursue and attain economic stability.
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