July 26, 2017 | Categories: About the FHC, Criminal Background
The United Way of Washtenaw County has awarded the Fair Housing Center of Southeast & Mid Michigan (FHC) a grant of $7,700 for their “Fair Policy, Fair Chance” Project.
The United States Department of Housing and Urban Development recently issued guidance which bans both private and public housing providers from using strict “no felony” rules for tenant selection.
The Fair Policy, Fair Chance project will educate landlords, people with prior felony convictions, and service providers working with people with felonies about the change in HUD’s rule, as well as share best practices for tenant selection with landlords. The ultimate goals are to ensure that landlords are following the new guidance and that people at risk of homelessness understand their rights.
Experts now estimate that up to 65 million people are living with a criminal conviction in the United States, a high percentage of whom are African American and Latino. Housing policies that ban all people with criminal records impact a disproportionate number of people of color because they are overrepresented in the criminal justice system.
“This grant allows us to conduct outreach that will make a real impact on the lives of citizens who were previously incarcerated,” said Pamela Kisch, Director of the Fair Housing Center. “We commend the Washtenaw County United Way for setting ‘systematic racial equity’ as a priority.”
“We are proud to have a new partnership with the United Way of Washtenaw County and appreciate the new funding for advocacy work,” adds Kisch.
For further information, please visit www.fhcmichigan.org/background.