Title
An Ordinance to Add Chapter 122 (
Fair Chance Access to
Housing) to Title IX of the Code of the City of Ann Arbor (ORD-21-06)
Memorandum
Formerly incarcerated people experience significant barriers in access to rental
housing beyond just the high cost of rent. Often, formerly incarcerated people are screened out when applying for rental
housing due to their criminal background. Persons with criminal records have not been shown to be a source of criminal activity, property destruction, or rental
housing policy violations any more than have persons without a criminal history. Obtaining stable
housing enables people to successfully reintegrate into their communities and significantly reduces recidivism rates. Such
housing opportunities will also reduce the incidence of homelessness for persons with criminal records.
Fair Chance
Housing ordinances and legislation are being enacted across the county to prohibit the use of criminal histories in determining access to
housing.
Fair Chance
Housing legislation helps remove barriers to
housing and allows landlords to consider the merits of
housing applicant, providing formerly incarcerated people with a
fair chance.
The Ann Arbor Human Rights Commission has drafted a
Fair Access to
Housing ordinance to eliminate the use of criminal history in tenant selection by Ann Arbor
Housing Providers in order to give persons with a criminal record a
fair opportunity to compete for rental
housing and to be able to reside with family members and others, thus putting them in a better position to return to their communities and to obtain gainful employment.
The only exemptions in the ordinance are for Public
Housing Agencies, like the Ann Arbor
Housing Commission, which are governed by federal law, and Permanent Supportive
Housing providers, such ss Avalon
Housing, who work to provide
housing those who need it most, with no pre-conditions, offer a broad array of supports to help individuals stay housed, and practice harm reductio...
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