Re-entry Housing Options Comparison

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About this chart

This chart compares features of several different housing options for people returning to the community from prison or jail. The rows represent housing types, and the column headings along the top are housing features to consider when comparing different housing types.

This chart does not necessarily represent an exhaustive list of re-entry housing options. To suggest another type of re-entry housing or an additional program example, please contact editors@reentrypolicy.org

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	Funding	Availability	Duration	Barriers	Services	Supervision
Private Market Rental Housing More detail Less Detail Individual secures apartment on the private rental market Full description & examples	Primary: Individual Secondary: Government The cost of private market rental housing is at market rate, and may be partly or wholly paid for by public assistance	Moderate Most universally available	Long-Term	Funding / Legal Rental property owners may screen for or refuse to rent to people with criminal backgrounds	No Services Services are not typically included in private market rental housing	No Supervision Criminal justice supervision is not typically included in private market rental housing
Public Housing and Housing Choice Vouchers (HCVs) More detail Less Detail Also known as tenant-based assistance or Section 8; typically administered by Public Housing Authority Full description & examples	Primary: Government Secondary: Individual Tenant pays 30 percent of adjusted income towards rent or, with vouchers, up to 40 percent	Low Availability is limited-waiting lists may be long	Long-Term	Legal Public Housing Authorities may screen or refuse to house people who have been convicted of certain offenses	No Services May include units specially designated for people with physical or mental disabilities or elderly people	No Supervision Criminal justice supervision is not typically included in public housing
Nonprofit or Private Affordable Housing More detail Less Detail Typically coordinated by neighborhood-based development organizations Full description & examples	Primary: Non-Profit Secondary: Individual Financed using a variety of government subsidies and is more affordable than private rental market housing	Low Availability is limited—waiting lists may be long	Variable	Legal Owners may exercise discretion to exclude people with criminal histories	Services May provide on-site support services	No Supervision Criminal justice supervision is not typically included in nonprofit or private affordable housing
Family and Friends More detail Less Detail Family or other natural support system provides housing for the individual Full description & examples	Primary: Individual Minimal costs; offender may share a portion of the rate that the family pays	Moderate Not all inmates maintain family ties, but most expect to live with their families upon release	Long-Term	Legal / Other Legal status of family housing situation may be threatened by accommodation of individual with criminal record	No Services Cohabitation with family members may provide emotional and/or financial support	No Supervision Criminal justice supervision is not typically included in housing with family and friends
Supportive Housing More detail Less Detail Specialized form of non-profit affordable housing that includes access to treatment and services Full description & examples	Primary: Government Secondary: Non-Profit Limited funding is available. Many supportive housing programs are reliant on funding that may restrict or exclude people who have criminal records	Scarce Very limited availability- not available in most jurisdictions	Variable	Funding / Legal / Other May exclude incarcerated persons who were not homeless prior to incarceration	Services Provides comprehensive social services to tenants using case-management model	No Supervision Criminal justice supervision is not typically included in supportive housing
Specialized Re-Entry Housing More detail Less Detail Similar to supportive housing, but provides specific services for recently released individuals Full description & examples	Primary: Non-Profit Secondary: Government Funded and subsidized by a variety of federal, state and local sources	Scarce Very limited availability-not available in most jurisdictions	Variable	Funding / Other Specialized re-entry housing is difficult to create due to lack of funding streams and community opposition to target population	Services Specialized re-entry housing is often linked to transition planning activities	Supervision Some form of criminal justice supervision is typically a pre-requisite for living in this type of housing
Halfway Houses, Programmatic or Transitional Housing More detail Less Detail Housing for individuals just after release, usually in a highly supervised environment Full description & examples	Primary: Government Secondary: Individual May have alternative funding streams that provide revolving loans to help people with substance abuse disorders to secure housing	Low Availability is limited-waiting lists may be long	Short-Term	Other May not be desirable because of rigid structure	Services Offers transition between fully secure, structured, monitored environment of incarceration and the community	Supervision Some form of criminal justice supervision is typically a pre-requisite for living in this type of housing
Private Market Rental Housing
Public Housing and Housing Choice Vouchers (HCVs)
Nonprofit or Private Affordable Housing
Family and Friends
Supportive Housing
Specialized Re-Entry Housing
Halfway Houses, Programmatic or Transitional Housing

Public Housing and Housing Choice Vouchers (HCVs)

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Description

Public Housing Authority or governmental housing agency administers distribution of HCVs and units in public housing. Priority for housing is decided locally. May be used anywhere the family chooses to live and can find housing within the Fair Market Rent (FMR) system.

Funding: Government / Individual

Tenant pays 30 percent of adjusted income towards rent or, with HCV, up to 40 percent. The federal section 8 program uses a voucher system to subsidize rents based on a FMR system. The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) pays the difference between 30 to 40 percent of the family’s income and the FMR for the unit, making this option more affordable for tenants.

Availability: Low

Availability is limited; waiting lists may be long. People leaving prisons and jails may not be immediately considered “homeless” upon release and therefore are not prioritized for placement in agencies that use homelessness as a priority need.

Duration: Long-Term

Barriers: Legal

Under federal law, Public Housing Authorities may screen or refuse to house or accept vouchers from people who have been convicted of certain offenses, as may any federally assisted housing provider.

Services & Supports

May include units specially designated for people with physical or mental disabilities or elderly people. May or may not make available additional service supports.

Supervision

Criminal justice supervision is not typically included in public housing.

Examples

Cornerstone Program, San Fernando Valley Community Mental Health Center (CA)
The Cornerstone Program, an emergency shelter and supportive housing program for chronically homeless people with mental illness, including those leaving prison or jail, was issued 85 Section 8 vouchers to distribute among program participants in its authorizing legislation (AB 2034).

Nonprofit or Private Affordable Housing

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Description

Nonprofit or private affordable housing is typically coordinated or run by community development corporations (CDCs) or neighborhood-based housing development organizations. This type of housing is usually mission-driven to serve low-income or disadvantaged people, and are not bound by statutory restrictions that govern public housing.

Funding: Non-Profit / Individual

Nonprofit or private affordable housing is financed using a variety of government subsidies (and limited private sources); generally, tenant pays 30 percent of income towards rent. This option is more affordable than private rental market housing for tenants.

Availability: Low

Availability is limited—waiting lists may be long.

Duration: Variable

Barriers: Legal

Owners may exercise discretion to exclude people with criminal histories, though all are bound by Fair Housing laws.

Services & Supports

Nonprofit or private affordable housing may provide on-site support services.

Supervision

Criminal justice supervision is not typically included in nonprofit or private affordable housing.

Examples

Central City Concern (Portland, OR)
CCC owns or manages 1,301 units of housing in an array of settings throughout the Portland metropolitan area. In all of this housing, rents are kept affordable for those most in need. To help people stay in housing, CCC also provides a variety of residential services including, but not limited to: advocacy, childcare, conflict resolution, eviction prevention, food, mental health services, rent assistance, and transportation. The housing units are specialized by building to address different needs of the homeless population, such as an employment or chemical dependency, but services are not specifically re-entry focused.

Family and Friends

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Description

Individual is connected to family or friends that accept the individual into their homes.

Funding: Individual

Costs are minimal. Offender may share a portion of the rate that the family pays.

Availability: Moderate

Not all inmates maintain family ties, but most expect to live with their families upon release. Family members must be willing to accept released individual. When available, this option is likely to be immediately accessible.

Duration: Long-Term

Barriers: Legal / Other

Legal status of family housing situation may be threatened by accommodation of individual with criminal record. Reunification may produce additional financial, emotional, or other stresses on individual or family members. Unstable or high-risk environments may put vulnerable returning individuals or their family members in jeopardy.

Services & Supports

Though there are no formal services provided, this living arrangement may coincide with efforts to rebuild family relationships. Cohabitation with family members may provide emotional and/or financial support.

Supervision

Criminal justice supervision is not typically included in housing with family and friends.

Examples

Family Life Center (Providence, RI)
The Family Life Center (FLC) provides housing and employment case management to individuals receiving discharge planning that have special needs in those areas. Among the solutions that FLC seeks for people with housing needs is reunification with their families in the family home. When the family lives in public or federally-assisted housing, FLC can facilitate outreach to housing authority staff to support the family’s request to allow their family member to return to live with them.

Sarah Powell Huntington House, Women’s Prison Association (New York, NY)
Sarah Powell Huntington House is a unique residence where homeless women who have criminal justice involvement can reunify with their children. Huntington House staff work closely with the city’s Administration for Children’s Services, family court, and foster care agencies to help women advocate effectively and prepare for reunification with their children.

Supportive Housing

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Description

Supportive housing is a specialized form of non-profit owned and managed affordable housing. Tenant typically pays 30 percent of income towards rent, often from public assistance (e.g., Supplemental Security Income). Supportive housing focuses on housing stability, not behavior change or treatment. Tenancy is often legally protected (not necessarily tied to compliance with services).

Funding: Government / Non-Profit

Limited funding is available. Supportive housing options are funded and subsidized by a variety of federal, state, and local sources, and they are heavily reliant on federal McKinney-Vento programs. Many supportive housing programs depend on funding that may exclude people who have criminal records or are managed by Public Housing Authorities and thus subject to restrictions against people with criminal records.

Availability: Scarce

Availability of supportive housing options is very limited.

Duration: Variable

Barriers: Funding / Legal / Other

McKinney-Vento funded housing is targeted to “homeless” people as defined by federal statute. This definition excludes incarcerated persons who were not homeless (shelter- or street-dwelling) prior to incarceration. Co-residency of released individuals may have a stigmatizing effect.

Services & Supports

Supportive housing provides comprehensive social services to tenants using case-management model. It can also lower the risk of detention and incarceration among formerly homeless people with mental illness.

Supervision

Criminal justice supervision is not typically included in supportive housing.

Examples

Delancey Street Foundation (San Francisco, CA)
The Delancey Street Foundation acts a residential education center that helps individuals released from prison or jail, former substance abusers, and people who were formerly homeless to acquire basic and employment-oriented skills and to achieve economic independence. Participants are required to stay in the program for two years, although the average stay is about four years.

Specialized Re-Entry Housing

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Description

Specialized re-entry housing has many of the same features as supportive housing, but provides specific services for recently released individuals. This option may provide emergency, transitional, or longer-term housing.

Funding: Non-Profit / Government

Specialized re-entry housing is funded and subsidized by a variety of federal, state, and local sources.

Availability: Scarce

Availability is very limited. This option is not avavilable in most jurisdictions.

Duration: Variable

Barriers: Funding / Other

Specialized re-entry housing is difficult to create due to lack of dedicated funding streams and community opposition to target population.

Services & Supports

Specialized re-entry housing is often linked to transition planning activities. It addresses specific housing and service needs of formerly incarcerated people. Non-profit operators and staff are usually trained to interface with criminal justice personnel. This option may provide peer support and mentorship between releasees, and may co-locate emergency with permanent or phased-permanent housing.

Supervision

Some form of criminal justice supervision is typically a pre-requisite for living in this type of housing. For example, a parole officer may be stationed on-site, and substance abuse testing or other conditions of release may be included among residence rules.

Examples

St. Andrew’s Court, St. Leonard’s Ministries (Chicago, IL)
St. Leonard’s Ministries provides long-term housing, at St. Andrew’s Court, to people who have been incarcerated and have graduated from transitional housing. They also provide case management services, including addiction counseling, life skills and job counseling, employment referral services, and education services.

Pioneer Human Services (Seattle, WA)
Pioneer operates six correctional residences for adults and youth, all managed under the Community Corrections Group. Pioneer’s correctional approach is to provide a total milieu of work, housing, counseling, and job-site services, including health insurance, to encourage and support independent living.

Four work-release residential facilities are for adults, all in Seattle. These residences are uniquely designed to help men and women who have been released from prisons and other institutions and can benefit from an integrated program of treatment and job training before they move into the community.

Halfway Houses, Programmatic or Transitional Housing

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Description

Halfway houses, programmatic or transitional housing is available for individuals close to or just after release, usually in a highly supervised environment. Halfway houses often emphasize behavior change, including substance abuse. This housing option may be conditioned on compliance with community-based services or other conditions.

Funding: Government / Individual

May have alternative funding streams, including Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment block grants, which provide revolving loans to help people with substance abuse disorders to secure housing. Halfway houses may enable individuals to work during their residency while keeping their expenses (if any) very low.

Availability: Low

Availability of halfway houses, programmatic or transitional housing is limited; waiting lists may be long.

Duration: Short-Term

Barriers: Other

Halfway houses, programmatic or transitional housing may not be desirable because of the rigid living structure, including possible limitations on visitation and freedom to come and go at will. This option does not address subsequent (post-sentence) housing needs.

Services & Supports

Halfway houses, programmatic and transitional housing offer transition between fully secure, structured, monitored environment of incarceration and the community.

Supervision

Examples

Oxford House, Inc.
Oxford House is a self-run, self-supported recovery house program for individuals recovering from alcoholism and drug addiction. Chartered Oxford Houses are democratically run by the residents, who elect officers to serve for terms of six months. There are Oxford Houses in 40 states, Canada, and the District of Columbia.

Washington State Oxford Houses
In Washington State, some Oxford Houses participate in an Incarceration Committee / Reentry Project specifically tailored to assist people released from incarceration.

Re-entry Housing Options Comparison

Re-entry Housing Options Comparison

How to use this chart

About this chart

Description

Funding: Individual / Government

Availability: Moderate

Duration: Long-Term

Barriers: Funding / Legal

Services & Supports

Supervision

Examples

Description

Funding: Government / Individual

Availability: Low

Duration: Long-Term

Barriers: Legal

Services & Supports

Supervision

Examples

Description

Funding: Non-Profit / Individual

Availability: Low

Duration: Variable

Barriers: Legal

Services & Supports

Supervision

Examples

Description

Funding: Individual

Availability: Moderate

Duration: Long-Term

Barriers: Legal / Other

Services & Supports

Supervision

Examples

Description

Funding: Government / Non-Profit

Availability: Scarce

Duration: Variable

Barriers: Funding / Legal / Other

Services & Supports

Supervision

Examples

Description

Funding: Non-Profit / Government

Availability: Scarce

Duration: Variable

Barriers: Funding / Other

Services & Supports

Supervision

Examples

Description

Funding: Government / Individual

Availability: Low

Duration: Short-Term

Barriers: Other

Services & Supports

Supervision

Examples