It Starts with Housing - HUD Mentors Inmates on Community Reentry Housing Resources

Photo from HUD's It Starts with Housing booklet

HUD Kentucky Field Office Director Christopher Taylor visited the Kentucky Federal Correctional Institution in Manchester, Kentucky to give a presentation to the inmates there on reentering the community and finding housing resources based upon a variety of circumstances. He was part of a panel of presenters that discussed other topics including healthcare, vocational rehabilitation and parole.

The housing presentation by Taylor included information on rental housing resources, the HUD Resource Locator (http://resources.hud.gov/), the Fair Housing Act, and the recent HUD Office of General Counsel's Guidance on disparate impact for ex-offenders when housing providers do not give fair consideration to these applicants, which may lead to housing discrimination.

Over 600,000 people are released from incarceration every year.  Many of these returning citizens are mothers, fathers and children.  The unfortunate reality is that the first question many face when exiting the door from prison to freedom is, "Where am I going to sleep tonight?" - Lourdes Castro Ramirez, HUD Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Office of Public and Indian Housing [Source:  HUD booklet It Starts with Housing]

"I never knew that I could really have a second chance once I got released," said one of the inmates. "This gives me hope and I just want to thank you."

"Second chances are what our country is founded on, and I am so glad that HUD is stepping up to be a partner in the solution of helping these individuals to be successful as they are released back into our communities," said Taylor.

"The opportunity to secure an affordable, decent place to live is part of an effective second chance," says HUD Secretary Julián Castro in a HUD booklet called It Starts with Housing.

The booklet outlines the importance of effective community systems to help returning citizens find stable housing, reunite with family, and find employment in order to increase their odds of being successful in society and provides examples of model communities linking resources to do just that.

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