After facing incarceration for an extended period of time, former offenders often struggle to secure suitable housing. When it comes to renting, landlords usually don’t want to rent to former offenders, and it’s even harder to secure the finances and credit score necessary to fund buying your own home. Despite the challenges ahead, you can triumph over this adversity and find yourself a suitable, stable, long-term home. Don’t believe us? We’ve compiled three rehabilitation success stories that prove that it’s possible to go from offender to homeowner. Everyone deserves a second chance, so learn how to take advantage of yours below.
Transitioning Back to Society
Once you’re released, everything can seem extremely overwhelming. Now, you must secure a place to live, find food, and get a job to support your newfound freedom. Suitable housing is crucial for job hunting, meeting probation requirements, and more..
Former offenders seeking housing solutions can consider public housing or reach out to groups like HOPE for Prisoners. Temporary solutions like halfway houses or transitional housing might also be an option until you can find a more long-term solution.
Keep moving forward and upward because your best break could be right around the corner.
Rehabilitation Success Stories #1
Stephen W.’s violent felony conviction continued to disqualify him for rental after rental, and the nature of his crimes also prevented him from qualifying for public housing, too. Rather than losing hope, he kept searching while also building up a very successful side business of his own. One day, a repeat customer mentioned he was trying to rent out a unit, and Warner jumped at the opportunity! The customer didn’t discriminate against Warner due to his past because he had witnessed first-hand how hard he worked daily. That said, keep your head up and keep trying because you never know when you might meet just the person you need to secure housing.
Rehabilitation Success Stories #2
As a young adult, Chrissy Y. engaged in a physical altercation with a rival, resulting in her conviction for felony assault. She never anticipated becoming a homeowner. Despite her life turnaround, marriage, and successful career as a hairdresser, she never believed she would become a homeowner.
Thankfully, when she stumbled upon a group that provides help for formerly incarcerated persons, she learned that there are no background checks when you buy a house! What’s more, you can usually get qualified at most banks with as little as 5-10% down on the home. She took a chance and got approved for a home loan!
This was a life-changing moment for Sarah. As
Rehabilitation Success Stories #3
Arnold T. was arrested and charged as an adult while he was still only 17, so when he got released, he had very little idea on how to secure housing and make it on his own. With a trusted friend’s assistance, he secured temporary housing through an Airbnb listing. He used this address to secure a good job, start building credit, and get the counseling services he needed. His mentor later helped him get his own apartment about 18 months after his release.
Learning from the Stories
Each of the formerly incarcerated persons above had a few things in common: a criminal record, determination, and an ability to identify and access the resources they needed to thrive. If you’ve found yourself in a similar situation to these former offenders, then you can lean in and learn from their stories. Your first step in empowering yourself is getting informed regarding your options.
Are You Ready to Go From Offender to Homeowner?
With the right support and resources, you can go from offender to homeowner just like the individuals featured in our rehabilitation success stories above.
Check out our resource page now to get informed and stay up to date by checking back on our page regularly.
