Criminal Records Affecting the Renting Crisis and Homelessness
There are many factors barring individuals from renting in the United States, and here in Oregon. One factor that leads to an increased number of homeless individuals is the restrictions against those with criminal records renting. Historically, a landlord or rental agency could refuse to rent to anyone with a criminal record, however as of June 2019 laws were passed that only allowed landlords to look back 3 years for misdemeanors and 7 years for felonies. While this is certainly a step in the right direction, there are still many people who are barred from renting due to their criminal record. While I think many of us can agree that crime is wrong, it’s important to consider the negative effects of not allowing those with records to rent. Those who have committed a felony are more likely to reoffend in the first 2 years after being released, so I do agree it is important to be cautious when renting to individuals with a record. However, the chances of reoffending increase rapidly when individuals are released onto the streets with no safe place to go.
Another factor to consider is the hardships previously incarcerated individuals face trying to find a job after being released. If one is able to find a job, but unable to rent, they will certainly have a harder time maintaining the job, as access to a shower to maintain a professional appearance is harder to find. Access to food and multiple pairs of clothes is also difficult when homeless. If the individual does not have a car, they may also face the difficult decision of how and/or where to leave their stuff when they go to work. Ending up on the street homeless and potentially jobless after being incarcerated can increase risk of reoffending again because they may find it necessary to steal to have food to eat and warm clothes, or may even consider breaking and entering if they crave shelter bad enough. While there are plenty of shelters and halfway houses that are accepting of those with criminal records, these can be poor options for many reasons.
Being in a halfway house or a shelter as an individual with a criminal record is risky because they will very likely be around others with a criminal record, and with the strict rules and regulations of these types of living situations (early curfews, limited outside guests) they are almost forced to spend more times with these individuals. Criminals are more likely to reoffend when spending extended amounts of time with other criminals, and these types of living situations push these individuals to spend time and work together. Furthermore, the strict rules of halfway houses and shelters can be discouraging to people, as they may feel so restricted that it leads to depression, lack of hope, and relapse. All of these risk factors increase with living on the streets, so the restrictions on renting to individuals with criminal backgrounds appears to be a lose-lose situation.
While landlords and rental agencies may not have any ill-intentions behind these restrictions, it just doesn’t seem to be the best way overall for our society. Of course renting out a space is a business and should be treated with the utmost responsibility and thoughtfulness, but when weighing the pros and cons, it seems there must be a better way. While someone with a criminal record reoffending and damaging a home or skipping out on rent may be costly, it is nothing compared to the amount of money and resources that go into the individual being reincarcerated, taking up shelter or halfway home living space, or just being on the streets. If an individual with a criminal record is able to find a stable job and prove they meet the income requirements, they should be afforded the same opportunity as any other individual with the same income. By giving these human beings a chance, the incarceration and crime rates could decrease tremendously, as well as decreased homelessness.
https://www.opb.org/news/article/portland-landlords-tenents-with-criminal-convictions/
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