Increasingly, lawmakers are enacting policies that restrict persons with records (particularly drug convictions) from access to public housing. Likewise, many private landlords conduct background checks on potential renters, either excluding anyone with a record or charging higher rent or triple security deposit to live there. Such collateral consequences create substantial barriers to economic, educational, and social progress: without a safe and affordable home, men, women, and families are left homeless, living in shelters, or in crowded and unsafe situations where the focus is often on survival, not advancement.


I’ve taken these steps:

I individually assess rental applicants based on:

  • the seriousness and nature of his or her conviction
  • the relevance of the conviction to tenancy
  • the length of time that has passed since the conviction
  • evidence of rehabilitation

By enacting fair housing practices, I can help someone find the footing they need to secure a second chance.