It Starts 

with Housing

Public Housing Agencies 

Are Making Second Chances Real

June 2016
2

“The opportunity to secure an affordable, decent place to live is part of an 

effective second chance.”

— HUD Secretary Julián Castro

Dear Reader,

President Obama has called America a nation of second chances, and many of our fellow citizens are 

hoping for such an opportunity.

Over 600,000 people are released from incarceration every year. Many of these returning citizens are 

mothers, fathers, and children. The unfortunate reality is that the first question many face when exiting 

the door from prison to freedom is, “Where am I going to sleep tonight?”

As Secretary Castro stated, “The opportunity to secure an affordable, decent place to live is part of an 

effective second chance.” Only with safe and affordable housing do returning citizens have the foundation 

necessary to secure and maintain a job, access health care, and pursue their education. That is why the importance of housing 

for the successful reintegration of those returning to society cannot be overemphasized. Simply put, it starts with housing.

Across the country, many communities are working to ensure that returning citizens have a safe place to sleep and rebuild 

their lives. It Starts with Housing highlights three of these models from public housing agencies of diverse size, location, 

and circumstance:

• King County Housing Authority’s (WA) comprehensive supportive housing model

• Burlington Housing Authority’s (VT) transitional housing model

• New York City Housing Authority’s family reunification model

In addition, we share the story of how the Housing Authority of New Orleans collaborated with community stakeholders 

to revise its admission policy to expand access for prospective residents with criminal conviction records. We also include 

information from the housing authorities in the cities of Baltimore, Los Angeles, and New Haven, CT.

With housing at the forefront, all of these approaches demonstrate the leadership of public housing agencies in coordinating 

and collaborating among key community stakeholders. I hope that you find these models helpful as you contemplate, plan, and 

implement strategies to make second chances real for those men and women returning from incarceration in your communities.

With much appreciation,

Lourdes Castro Ramírez

Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary

Office of Public and Indian Housing

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

Introduction
3

Table of Contents

Partnerships Matter ....................................................................................................4

Building a Successful Reentry Program ....................................................................5

Summary of Reentry Models ....................................................................................6

Who Will You Serve? ..................................................................................................7

How Will You Reach Participants? ............................................................................8

What Is Your Housing Plan?................................................................................... 10

Who Will Provide Services? .................................................................................... 12

How Will You Define Success? ............................................................................... 14

Collaborating for Policy Change ............................................................................ 16

Contact Information ............................................................................................... 18
4

Partnerships Matter

“Reentry housing programs run by 

housing authorities succeed due, in large 

part, to the partnerships those agencies 

have with service providers, parole 

and probation, and resident leaders.” 

– Margaret diZerega, Project Director, 

Vera Institute of Justice

It Starts with Housing is designed for public housing agencies and other stakeholders that are interested in collaborating to make 

second chances real for the men and women returning to their communities every year.

Housing agencies are a critical part of the solution for returning citizens – most of whom are low income and many of whom are at 

risk of homelessness. But without partners, housing agencies often do not have enough resources to address returning citizens’ urgent 

housing and service coordination needs.

In many cases, partners provide a lead role in coordinating outreach, referral, and service delivery, freeing housing authorities to 

focus on providing core housing services. This is one reason why collaboration between public housing agencies and community 

stakeholders are essential.

The diagram above outlines the range of partnerships – in the government, non-profit, and private sectors – that housing agencies 

have formed to more effectively reintegrate returning citizens. Concrete examples of these partnerships are presented throughout 

these pages.
5

Building a Successful Reentry Program

This resource outlines three distinct reentry housing models – from King County, Burlington, and New York City 

– to illustrate their different approaches to addressing the questions above.

By presenting the core elements that public housing agencies have considered in designing their programs to house 

returning citizens, we hope It Starts with Housing serves as a useful blueprint for working with community stakeholders 

to implement successful programs in your communities.

Ways HUD Is Supporting PHA Efforts to House Returning Citizens

• Initiated the Pay for Success demonstration program to incubate innovative approaches for reducing recidivism and 

homelessness among returning citizens.

• Launched the Juvenile Reentry Assistance Program (JRAP) demonstration with legal aid providers in 18 pilot cities, to 

improve access to housing, education, and job opportunities for youth with criminal records.

• Issued guidance explaining that blanket bans against people with criminal records violate the Fair Housing Act when 

such policies disproportionately deny housing to people of a particular race, national origin, or with other protected 

characteristics.

• Reiterated that disqualification for public or assisted housing is mandatory in only limited instances for specific types

of criminal activity.

• Clarified that an arrest cannot be used as proof of criminal activity to disqualify someone from HUD-assisted 

housing.
6

Summary of Reentry Models

Description

Comprehensive 

supportive housing 

aimed at reentering 

parents

Transitional housing with 

supportive services for 

those under supervised 

release

Allows reentering 

individuals to live with 

their families in public 

housing while receiving 

supportive services

Targeted Population

Individuals recently 

released who are at risk 

of homelessness and are 

able to reunite with 

their children

Individuals who have 

completed their 

minimum sentence 

but have 1 year of 

correctional supervision 

remaining and no 

housing available 

upon release 

Individuals released 

within the past 3 years 

who are otherwise 

ineligible for public 

housing assistance

Number Served 

Annually 46 families 15 individuals 60–75 individuals

Program Length Up to 2–3 years

Until participant 

completes conditions 

of release

Varies

Housing Assistance 

Provided

Section 8 project-based 

vouchers subsidize 

families living in a 

nonprofit-operated 

supportive housing site

Housing Choice Vouchers 

subsidize beds in 

transitional housing 

facilities

Temporary permission 

granted for participants 

to reside with their 

families in public housing

Significant Outside 

Sources of Funding

King County, private 

foundations

Vermont Department 

of Corrections

New York City Department 

of Homeless Services

The Housing Authority of New Orleans (HANO) collaborated with community 

stakeholders to develop a new criminal background screening policy for those seeking 

admission to HANO-subsidized housing. Key partners included the Vera Institute of 

Justice, residents, advocates, state and local government agencies, and private landlords.
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Who Will You Serve?

The population of returning citizens is as diverse as the programs formed to address their needs. Some programs are 

targeted towards special populations with unique needs, or otherwise limit eligibility to those recently released from 

incarceration. Other programs, such as the New York City Housing Authority’s, serve broader populations.

Only in limited and specific cases do HUD statutes and regulations prohibit someone’s admission into HUD-assisted 

housing based on criminal acitivity. And in only two cases – where someone has been convicted of producing 

methamphetamine in federally-assisted housing or must register as a lifetime sex offender – is someone permanently 

barred. In all other cases, PHAs and owners have discretion to serve all returning citizens.

King County Housing Authority (WA)

Program serves returning citizens who are:

• At least 18 years old

• Recently released from incarceration into King County

• Homeless upon release or with a history of homelessness

• Parents with a reasonable chance of reuniting with their children

Burlington Housing Authority (VT)

Program serves returning citizens who have:

• Supervised release by the Vermont Department of Corrections with a year or more of supervision remaining 

• No housing available upon release

Many participants have mental health concerns, developmental disabilities, or substance abuse issues.

New York City Housing Authority (NY)

Program serves returning citizens who are:

• At least 16 years old

• Released from incarceration within the past 3 years

• May be unable to receive housing assistance due to their history of criminal offenses
8

How Will You Reach Participants?

Successful reentry programs typically develop robust outreach and referral networks to identify potential participants 

and direct them to a program.

These networks often include correctional and probation agencies, which can begin identifying eligible individuals prior 

to their release from prisons. They also frequently include governmental agencies focused on the homeless, as well as 

nonprofit organizations dedicated to serving reentering citizens.

In some cases, one agency or organization takes the lead on gathering applications from the network, checking the 

applications for completion, conducting a pre-assessment, and then referring applicants to the housing agency to 

determine eligibility.

King County Housing Authority (WA)

• The Passage Point program relies on a wide-ranging network of government and community organizations 

to identify potential candidates.

• Relationships that the YWCA actively developed with correctional facilities throughout King County 

are of particular importance.

• Prospective participants go through a rigorous screening process that includes an application, child 

reunification assessment, and housing voucher approval.

Burlington Housing Authority (VT)

• The Burlington Probation and Parole Office and the Vermont Department of Corrections identify potential 

participants – often while they are still incarcerated – and refer them to the Burlington Housing Authority (BHA).

• Referrals may also come from the local drug court, local community justice center, and the Vermont 

Department of Children and Families.

• BHA then conducts an intake interview to assess whether the candidate is a good fit for the program 

and to determine their best housing options.

Compare: Similarly, in Baltimore, the Maryland Department of Public Safety and various nonprofit agencies 

identify individuals who are at risk of homelessness upon release. The department refers them to the Baltimore 

Mayor’s Office of Human Services, which then works with the Housing Authority of Baltimore City 

to determine eligibility.
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New York City Housing Authority (NY)

• Thirteen nonprofit agencies partner with the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) to identify 

potential participants inside prisons and in the community.

• The NYC Department of Homeless Services regularly identifies people in shelters who may be eligible for 

the reentry program.

• The NY State Office of Children and Family Services refers juveniles coming out of their facilities.

• Families living in NYCHA housing also make referrals to the program.

• Once potential participants are identified and applications are prepared, the Vera Institute of Justice 

ensures the applications are complete and routes them to NYCHA’s Screening Committee, which 

evaluates and determines admission.

NYCHA Outreach and Referral Process

Identifies potential 

participants

Checks participant applications 

and routes to NYCHA

Evaluates applicants and 

determines admissions

Nonprofit Agencies

Lessons Learned

• Engage resident groups and property managers early in the planning and rollout of the program. 

They are an important source of effective outreach and referrals.

• Involve government agencies that have a shared interest in public safety and successful reentry, such as parole, 

probation, and correctional agencies, and agencies focused on the homeless.

• Raise awareness about the fact that those with criminal records are eligible for assisted housing.

• Create a centralized program hotline to provide responsive customer service and to ensure continuity 

when individual staff members are unavailable.
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What Is Your Housing Plan?

Two Approaches to 

Reentry Housing

Family 

Dedicated Housing Reunification

Public Housing

(New Haven)

Housing Choice 

Vouchers

(Baltimore and 

Burlington)

Project-Based 

Vouchers

(King County)

Public Housing

(New York City)

Housing Choice 

Vouchers

(Los Angeles)

For many returning citizens, housing is the most daunting challenge they face. Without savings or employment, these 

citizens cannot afford the steep upfront costs for a place of their own. Policies that restrict admission based on one’s 

criminal background further contribute to putting affordable housing out of reach. 

As providers of safe, secure, and affordable housing, public housing agencies are uniquely equipped with a range of 

tools to facilitate housing opportunities for returning citizens. Some of these tools include revising their Admissions 

and Continued Occupancy Policies (ACOP), leveraging their local preferences for Housing Choice Vouchers (HCV), 

employing Family Unification Program (FUP) Vouchers or Project-Based Vouchers (PBV), and, in some cases, taking 

advantage of Moving to Work (MTW) flexibilities. 

Many HUD-supported reentry housing programs fall into one of two categories:

1. Dedicated housing set aside for returning citizens. This model is particularly suited for reentering populations 

with special needs, such as those at high risk of homelessness or who need substance abuse treatment. 

2. Family reunification, enabling returning citizens to live with family members who already reside in assisted 

housing. This model adds returning citizens as residents of already occupied units. It serves those with family 

members who are willing and able to accommodate them in assisted housing.

King County Housing Authority (WA)

Each year, the King County Housing Authority (KCHA) allocates up to 46 Section 8 Project-Based Vouchers to 

single parents who will be homeless upon release.

• Participants and their children use vouchers to move into multifamily apartments operated by the YWCA 

in a rural, high-opportunity neighborhood.

• KCHA’s authority to innovate under HUD’s Moving To Work (MTW) flexibilities has enabled it to leverage 

its own funding with that of other county agencies, to target single parents and to partner with the YWCA.

Compare: The Housing Authority of New Haven similarly used MTW flexibilities to dedicate 16 public housing 

slots to chronically homeless returning citizens.
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Burlington Housing Authority (VT)

The Burlington Housing Authority (BHA) owns and manages several buildings that have been converted into 

transitional housing.

• BHA contracts with the Howard Center – Vermont’s largest nonprofit community mental health and 

human services provider – to oversee “Northern Lights,” an 11-bed transitional housing program designed 

to serve female returning citizens.

• The Vermont Department of Corrections contracts with BHA to provide 4 subsidized apartments 

to participants at “30-42 King Street,” a BHA-managed property designed to serve the chronically homeless.

• Housing Choice Vouchers fund housing for these 15 annual participants, including non-elderly disabled 

vouchers, and use local preferences to target additional vouchers.

Compare: The Housing Authority of Baltimore City has established a local preference to serve up to 200 

chronically homeless individuals who have been recently released and are enrolled in the Ex-Offender Program run 

by the Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice.

New York City Housing Authority (NY)

• The New York City Housing Authority grants temporary permission to participants to reside with their 

family living in NYCHA public housing.

• Participants can stay with their families on a temporary basis while in the program.

Compare: The Housing Agency of the City of Los Angeles is piloting a family reunification program that adds 

returning citizens to their family members’ leases. This requires approval from both the participant’s families and their 

landlord. If their landlord approves, the participant is added to the family’s Housing Choice Voucher. If the landlord does 

not approve, the family may request to move with a new voucher that includes the program participant.

Lessons Learned

• The dedicated housing model tends to be more resource-intensive than the family reunification model.

• When implementing the family reunification model, take special care not to re-introduce the participant 

to environments that might trigger past involvement with the criminal justice system.

• Build and maintain positive relationships with neighbors. Securing their support is critical to success.

• Think strategically about tapping into unlikely resources and partners that may have furniture and other household 

items to donate.
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Who Will Provide Services?

In all of these models, housing not only shelters program participants, but also provides a platform for the effective 

delivery of comprehensive supportive services. Through these services, participants receive the tools and support to 

build life skills and turn their lives in new directions.

Successful housing reentry programs work with community partners to identify the specific needs of their reentering 

populations and to coordinate the delivery of services to meet these needs. Partners may provide a range of services, 

including substance abuse treatment, counseling services, job readiness, financial literacy, and case management.

King County Housing Authority (WA)

• Passage Point is a supportive housing program funded jointly by the King County Housing Authority 

and King County, with additional financial assistance from charitable foundations such as the Gates 

Foundation and United Way.

• The YWCA designed and runs the Passage Point program, partnering with a range of service providers 

to offer on-site case management and supportive services to program participants.

• Life coaches work individually with residents, encouraging self-sufficiency, positive community interaction, 

and the development of life skills and parenting skills.

• Workfirst, Washington State’s temporary cash assistance program, also provides education, job training, 

and employment services.

Burlington Housing Authority (VT)

• Both Northern Lights and 30–42 King Street are transitional housing programs that offer a variety 

of supportive services to participants.

• Services focus on building participants’ life skills, addressing participants’ medical and mental health 

needs, working toward educational goals, and gaining steady employment.

• The Vermont Department of Corrections provides funding to BHA to:

• Hire reentry specialists specifically dedicated to providing advocacy and housing support for returning citizens

• Assist returning citizens with first month’s rent, security deposit, and other necessary housing expenses 

at the beginning of their tenancy

• BHA’s reentry specialists coordinate case management services by working closely with probation officers 

and other treatment providers to ensure appropriate support services are in place. They also are the first 

point of intervention if tenancy problems arise.

•The participant’s lease obligations become part of their conditions for early release into the community.
13

New York City Housing Authority (NY)

• Thirteen nonprofit agencies provide case management services to participants, including job training, 

job placement, parenting classes, drug treatment, counseling services, and benefits enrollment. Participants:

• Regularly work with a case manager for at least 6 months

• Complete individualized action plans by attaining their personal goals

• The Vera Institute of Justice tracks participants and family progress toward completing case management 

goals, meeting NYCHA lease requirements, and complying with probation and parole stipulations.

• Government partners play key roles in providing services:

• NYC Department of Homeless Services helps finance the pilot, directing funds from its Emergency Solutions 

Grant to NYCHA for staff support and to Vera for individual stipends to partner agencies.

• NYCHA’s Office of Resident Economic Empowerment and Sustainability alerts and connects participants 

to job opportunities in NYCHA neighborhoods.

• NY State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision orients parole officers 

to the program and facilitates participants’ move-in to public housing.

Lessons Learned

• Regularly convene program partners to review services, to benefit participants and improve outcomes. In New York 

City, the Corporation for Supportive Housing hosts monthly meetings for this purpose.

• Facilitate communication among partners through monthly reporting of performance metrics. This information 

will also help support fundraising efforts.

• Establish Memoranda of Understanding with partner agencies to clarify expectations and accountability.

• Connect with the participants’ families for additional support.

• Partner with employment agencies to ensure access to employment, education, and training opportunities.
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How Will You Define Success?

• Successfully Reunify with Children

• Reduce Reliance on Services

• Complete Individual Case Plan

Graduating from King County’s Passage Point Program

Priority Access to Housing Waitlist

Successful reentry housing programs aim to prepare returning citizens to live productively on their own, alter previous 

patterns, and ultimately reduce recidivism. Each program’s “graduation” requirements reflect how it individually 

defines success.

For example, the King County Housing Authority’s Passage Point program graduates participants once they have 

reunified with their children, completed their individual case plan, and demonstrated independence. Graduation makes 

participants eligible for regular affordable housing assistance, often with preferential access to ensure housing continuity.

Considering the challenges participants often face, it can take one or more years before participants reach the point 

where they are ready to graduate. By clarifying goals and establishing concrete metrics for their programs, housing 

agencies and their partners can evaluate what works, and continuously improve.
15

King County Housing Authority (WA)

• After 18 to 24 months in the program, the housing authority assists participants with securing permanent housing.

• In contrast to typical transitional housing programs with strict 24-month occupancy limits, Passage Point 

participants may remain in place until they have completed the reunification process, are stabilized 

in employment, and can demonstrate their ability to succeed independent of the program.

• Participants who complete the program and regain custody of their children are given priority access 

to the King County Housing Authority waitlist.

• If participants remain beyond 36 months, Passage Point helps them to secure permanent housing 

and provides supports for 1 year following their transition to permanent housing.

Burlington Housing Authority (VT)

• After participants complete all the obligations of their early release, they graduate from the program 

and receive a Housing Choice Voucher.

New York City Housing Authority (NY)

• After successfully completing their program requirements, participants may apply to be added 

to their families’ leases on a permanent basis or may apply for their own NYCHA housing unit.

“This program has shown me how to 

navigate through life. It has also shown that 

we have individuals and agencies who still 

care about people. I cannot wait until I am 

in the right place in my life where I may 

not need this program, so someone else can 

benefit to help them change their life like it 

has changed mine.” – Tiya Canady, Resident, 

Housing Authority of New Haven
16

Collaborating for Policy Change

Reviewing agency policies provides another opportunity for stakeholders to come together to improve outcomes for 

returning citizens. The Housing Authority of New Orleans (HANO) adopted this approach by developing a new 

criminal background screening policy to improve housing opportunities for individuals with criminal convictions.

This landmark policy was the product of many months of close collaboration among stakeholders, including: HANO, 

the Vera Institute of Justice (Vera), residents, community advocates, legal groups, property managers, and law 

enforcement agencies.

What Does the Policy Do?

HANO’s new screening policy eases some of the previous restrictions on applicants with a criminal history, and 

ensures that such applicants are not denied housing without an individualized risk assessment. The policy applies 

to everyone seeking admission to HANO-subsidized housing, including those joining family members currently living in 

such housing.

How Does the Policy Work?

1. HANO screens applicants to determine if their 

convictions make them categorically ineligible 

for HANO-subsidized housing under federal law.

2. If eligible under federal law, HANO next uses 

its new screening guidelines to determine whether 

the applicant’s conviction warrants further 

examination based on the underlying conduct 

and how recently it occurred. 

• If no further examination is warranted, 

applicants are admitted.

• If further examination is warranted, applicants 

are entitled to an individualized assessment 

by a three-member panel, comprised of two 

senior HANO representatives and one resident 

representative. The panel’s assessment takes into 

account the nature of the conviction, the time 

that has passed since the conviction, and evidence 

of rehabilitation, among other factors.

• Based on this assessment, the panel determines 

by majority vote if the applicant is admitted.
17

Collaboration Timeline

Advocating for Change

In 2012, Stand with Dignity! (Stand) began 

organizing formerly incarcerated persons and other 

community members to address HANO policies that 

excluded individuals based on criminal records. 

In 2013, Voice for the Ex-Offender (VOTE) released 

a report entitled Communities, Evictions, and Criminal 

Convictions, and also advocated for policy reform.

In March 2013, HANO announced its intention 

to significantly ease restrictions on housing and 

employment opportunities based on criminal records. 

Applicants with criminal convictions would no longer 

be presumed ineligible for housing assistance. HANO 

began collaborating with Vera for technical assistance, 

piloting a new research-backed screening process.

Convening Stakeholders 

and Drafting the New Policy

In 2015, HANO created a multi-sector focus group 

to recommend the final details of HANO’s new 

screening policy. HANO’s Executive Director and a 

member of HANO’s Board of Commissioners led 

the focus group. The group consisted of property 

managers, residents, the Mayor’s Office, the State 

Department of Probation and Parole, and advocacy 

groups, including Southeast Louisiana Legal Services 

and the Greater New Orleans Fair Housing 

Action Center. 

Some of the issues the focus group considered were:

• Whether HANO’s third-party managers could be required to comply with the new policy under existing 

contracts, and how compliance would be monitored?

• How to configure criminal background review panels to ensure resident representation?

• What would be fair and reasonable timelines for applicants to move through the review process 

and dispute inaccurate information?

After meeting with residents and the public, HANO’s Board of Commissioners approved the new screening 

policy in early 2016.

Throughout the process, advocacy and legal groups, such as Stand, VOTE, and Southeast Louisiana Legal 

Services, played key roles. These groups attended public meetings, organized residents, and educated 

stakeholders about how the new policy would promote successful reintegration and more inclusive public 

housing communities.
18

Contact Information

Housing Authority of Baltimore City (HABC)

Monica Beamish

Manager for Applications and Waiting List

(443) 984-2205

Monica.Beamish@habc.org

www.baltimorehousing.org

Burlington Housing Authority (BHA)

Sarah Russell

Director of Housing Retention and Services

(802) 540-3265

srussell@burlingtonhousing.org

www.burlingtonhousing.org

King County Housing Authority (KCHA)

Kristy Johnson

Director of Homeless Initiatives

(206) 574-1357

kristyj@kcha.org

www.kcha.org

Housing Authority of the City 

of Los Angeles (HACLA)

Serina Cannon

Ombudsperson, Section 8 APIC Office

(213) 252-1613

serina.cannon@hacla.org

www.hacla.org

Housing Authority of New Haven (HANH)

Teena Bordeaux

Reasonable Accommodation Coordinator

(203) 498-8800

tbordeaux@newhavenhousing.org

www.elmcitycommunities.com

Housing Authority of New Orleans (HANO)

Shelley D. Smith

Director of Strategic Planning

(504) 670-3456

ssmith@hano.org

www.hano.org

New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA)

Yolanda Johnson-Peterkin

Chief of Housing Community Activities

(212) 306-3340

Yolanda.Johnson-Peterkin@nycha.nyc.gov

www.nycha.gov/nycha

HUD’s Office of Community and Supportive Services

Ron Ashford

Director of Public Housing Supportive Services

(202) 402-4258

Ronald.T.Ashford@hud.gov

go.usa.gov/chjld

Lourdes Castro Ramírez

Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary

Office of Public and Indian Housing

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

www.hud.gov