By: Danielle Hubley, Advocacy & Education Manager, Partnership for Strong Communities
On Wednesday, August 7th, the Partnership hosted partners across Connecticut to discuss how affordable housing advocates’ work intersects with those leading criminal justice advocacy, and the social and financial resources available to help folks leaving the carceral system.
To view the event recording and presenter slides on the Partnership’s YouTube channel, click here.
Incarceration is one of the major contributors to housing instability and homelessness in the U.S. In an unfortunate catch-22 situation, we also know that homelessness significantly increases interactions with police officers and can lead to first time or repeat arrests being made. These experiences are most common among low-income people of color, and this is by design. The U.S. has an insidious history of intentionally targeting communities of color as areas that “warrant over- policing” and abide by social biases and stereotypes when with engaging people living in these communities.
This is tragic, and has led to generational inequities, disenfranchisement, and trauma that can feel overwhelming to try and course correct – but it is not impossible. During this webinar, the Partnership, Once INcarcerated Anonymous, Evolution Reentry Services, and Connex Credit Union came together to talk about what formerly incarcerated people are experiencing in Connecticut. We highlighted a case study of how advocates are working with realtors in the community to help those leaving the carceral system achieve homeownership, and concluded with a conversation on how our finances impact our ability to access supports, resources and services that can help individuals and families realize the American dream of owning a home.
The overarching themes of this conversation included a reminder of our most basic human rights, and how hope, community, and education can help more people access a safe place to call home and build more autonomy and stability in their lives.
LaResse Harvey kicked off the conversation, sharing general statistics on experiences of incarceration and homelessness in the state, and explored the Clean Slate bill that recently passed, new U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) regulations which prevents discrimination on the basis of criminal backgrounds, and the dangerous implications of the recently announced Supreme Court ruling on Johnson v. Grants Pass, which would allow states to further criminalize those experiencing homelessness with fines for sleeping in locations not meant for human habitation.
Jacquie Purcell spoke about the program her and LaResse developed called Wealth Entry, which aims to work with lenders on foreclosed properties to help place families into the home, support them with a “step-up” approach to paying rent, with the eventual goal of turning the mortgage over to that family. She spoke of Evolution Reentry’s work to build and develop careers, autonomy and hope. She concluded her remarks sharing links to the American Land Title Association and Connecticut Land Title Association websites for folks looking to further explore resources, services and educational supports for professionals within the real estate and land-related industries.
Christina Outlaw closed out the conversation by talking about how important it is for other people to believe that you can achieve goals that seem out of reach – how that support leads to your own belief in your ability to achieve it. This framework set the stage for the work she does as a community development specialist at Connex Credit Union. Christina spoke about the financial literacy training she hosts, that provides people with the knowledge and resources to take control of their finances. She talked about her aims to dispel myths and stigmas about how banks and credit unions can help support individuals and families in achieving their goals and reclaiming their power, and shared resources and information to help individuals in improving their credit scores.
RESOURCES AND KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM PRESENTERS:
Following the presentation, all panelists were asked to share the resources and takeaways they hoped attendees left with – this information can be found below.
LaResse Harvey, Founder/Chair, Once INcarcerated Anonymous, Inc.
- It’s against the law to deny housing to someone with a criminal record!
- ALL Landlords/Property Owners/Property Managers MUST update their applications removing arrest and conviction language
- Credit Checks and 3x the Rent SHOULD NOT BE USED if you have a Choice/Section 8 Voucher! HOMELESSNESS SHOULD NEVER BE CRIMINALIZED.
Jacqueline Purcell, Executive Director, Evolution Reentry Services
“Everyone can have a house, everybody can rent an apartment – difficult when you have a felony on your background, however, to give your family a home is very different than a house or a rental apartment. A home is a pathway to success. It ends generational incarceration, and it promotes dignity for people who are otherwise discriminated against. I have yet to meet a bank – or credit union – that has not given someone a mortgage because of a criminal background.”
Christina Outlaw, Community Development Specialist, Connex Credit Union
“As a representative of Connex Credit Union, my involvement in the panel discussion on ‘The Intersection of Affordable Housing and Criminal Justice’ highlights the crucial role of financial literacy and community loan programs in promoting economic stability and reducing recidivism. I aim for attendees to understand how Connex’s financial literacy programs, which cover essential topics such as budgeting, credit management, and savings, empower individuals to make informed financial decisions. Additionally, Connex’s Community Loan Programs offer accessible financing options that support housing stability and economic growth for underserved communities. By bridging the gap between affordable housing and criminal justice, Connex strives to provide sustainable financial solutions that foster community resilience. “