Housing
Safe, affordable housing represents an enormous unmet need for our clients. Because nearly 50% of NYC parolees are homeless following their release, finding a place to live is a critical first step for most people who have recently been released from prisoner. Unfortunately, locating suitable, affordable apartments is difficult for this population, particularly those who have been incarcerated for long periods, as they often do not have a record of securing and maintaining their own apartments and many landlords are reluctant to gamble on someone with a criminal record. In fact, current federal and local regulations largely prohibit people with felony convictions from living in public housing, and private landlords often run criminal background checks to screen out people with prior convictions. When parolees do obtain housing, often property owners/managers are less willing to work with them when rent issues arise, and many parolees have little experience dealing with landlords – which only makes this situation more uncertain.
In response to the overwhelming number of homeless people who are formerly incarcerated, The Fortune Society has developed a unique mix of services to meet their needs. At the center of this strategy is our residential housing facility in West Harlem, the Fortune Academy, which provides emergency and longer-term housing for 59 formerly incarcerated individuals. We also operate several scattered site programs. Through this initiative, we have developed relationships with landlords and management companies in order to identify safe, affordable apartments for clients who are ready to move out on their own.
