Has A Felony Made It Hard To Find Housing? Do This

Clean up Your Record

It’s your felony record that’s making it tough to get housing. Even if you’re remorseful and have vowed to live a felony-free future, that mark on your past could make landlords wary of renting to you.

The best way to overcome this issue is to clean up your record, get that felony taken off, or get it sealed. Not only will having a clean/sealed record make it easier to find housing, but it can help you get a job without the hassle that comes with being a felon.

Getting your felony expunged means it’s completely wiped from your record as if it never happened. This allows you to state you’ve never been convicted of a crime without getting in trouble.

Getting your record sealed means most entities or people will not have access to it. The government, judges, and law enforcement may see a sealed record, but landlords, employers, and the like won’t.

States differ when it comes to expungement and sealing, so you’ll need to look up whether it’s available. If it is, know that it can be quite pricey, but worth it.

Use Services and Programs to Help You

There’s no need to go at this alone. You can find apartment experts on a site like Craigslist or a search engine like Google that specialize in second chances for felons. Never give them any money upfront, as you shouldn’t need to. They get paid by apartment complexes once you move into your new place.

Re-entry programs can also help you get back on your feet by providing housing and employment support. You can even use them for spiritual help and when you need someone to talk to. Do a Google search for re-entry programs in your state. A well-known program in this arena is Lionheart.

Contact Your Public Housing Agency (PHA)

The federal government can offer safe and decent low-income housing through its Section 8 and other programs. Felons may qualify for such housing assistance in some situations.

Get in touch with your PHA and ask them what your options are.

Find Rooms for Rent

If you need a place to sleep immediately, some single-room options that won’t hassle you with background checks are:

• Motels and hotels (ask the person in charge for extended stay options)
• Airbnb (they usually won’t run official background checks)
• Craigslist (they have a section dedicated to rooms for rent)

While these options may not be your dream home, they can suffice for now since they are lower in demand and less stringent, making them great alternatives for felons.

Try Subletting

You never know when someone needs to break their lease. They may need a person to stand in for them, which could be you. Best of all, they may not check your background if they are in a rush.

Rent in Someone Else’s Name

This is a tricky move, but it may work in large apartment complexes where you can blend in with the crowd.

By having a friend or family member rent the apartment, you can avoid having your felony revealed. Just be sure to pay them on time, so you do not ruin their credit.