In Our Backyard

Overcoming Community Resistance to Reentry Housing (A NIMBY Toolkit)

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1 Summary and Table of Contents

2 Introductory Letter

3 Section 1: The Reentry Crisis

7 Section II: A Case Study

15 Section III: What Does the Fortune Academy Story Tell Us?

16 Section IV: Best Practices for Gaining Community Support



formerly incarcerated population at a disadvantage when trying to access safe and stable housing. For some, returning

home to their family is not an option as family members may be unwilling or unable to accommodate them. Accessing

housing in the private market also presents a challenge given high prices and landlords’ exercising their personal discretion

to discriminate against people with criminal histories. Finally, public housing policies – both at the federal and local level –

deny access to individuals with certain criminal convictions.



overwhelming need with few resources. This toolkit highlights the experience of The Fortune Society in its development of

a housing project in West Harlem. Through Fortune’s experience, organizations can glean strategies to help them overcome

one of the greatest challenges associated with providing housing to formerly incarcerated men and women. NIMBY







1

LETTER OF INTRODUCTION

Dear Colleagues,

The Fortune Society and the Prisoner Reentry Institute at John Jay College of Criminal Justice are pleased to present

to you this toolkit, It has been

developed for organizations that have experience with providing housing to the reentry population as well as those for

whom it is a new venture. The unprecedented number of men and women returning home from correctional facilities

represents an important challenge. How we address the numerous needs experienced by this population today (including

Castle, a supportive residence for approximately 62 men and women released from incarceration to homelessness in

West Harlem. It is set in the academic literature on the relationship between homelessness, reincarceration and criminal



resolution. This collaboration between complementary sets of expertise in reentry – that of a direct service provider and

a college of criminal justice – was further enriched by contributions from the International Center for Cooperation and





housing to formerly incarcerated people. Community opposition can be one of the greatest challenges an organization must

face as it works to establish services for populations that are considered “threatening.” “Not in My Back Yard” – commonly





some twenty years. The toolkit culminates with key lessons and steps to help other organizations as they work to establish









will see, the relationship The Fortune Society eventually established with its neighbors in West Harlem did not develop

overnight. A great deal of skill, patience, and dedication went into developing strong community support. However, this





JoAnne Page Jeremy Travis

President and CEO President

The Fortune Society John Jay College of Criminal Justice

2

I: The Reentry Crisis

more cycle through jails each year, a volume of formerly

incarcerated people reentering society never before

seen.

A complex set of factors renders these individuals

vulnerable to relapse to criminal activity, resulting in

disturbingly high rates of recidivism. Nationwide, two









returns home to communities that are challenged by

high unemployment, poverty and crime and lack reentry





Compounding this grave situation is the fact that this

unprecedented volume of released individuals increases

homelessness. On average across the country, more than



and the percentages are higher in large urban areas such







to stay safe and healthy, clean and sober, apply for jobs



The formerly incarcerated face considerable barriers to





may be unwilling or unable to house them or, in some cases,

home is not safe. Private housing is typically priced beyond

their means, and the landlords discriminate against those

. The Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS), a



trends at the state level for a variety of criminal justice related and

prisoner reentry issues. To access information on such trends and

statistics, visit www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/reentry/reentry.htm.







housing to a variety of categories of people, including



Demonstration Program. In its broadest sense, it is housing that is

linked with social services tailored to those with special needs who

face the threat of homelessness, whether because of substance abuse,

HIV/AIDS, domestic violence, former incarceration, chronic mental



3

4

Despite its promising nature, nationwide there are

relatively few supportive housing programs targeted for

homeless formerly incarcerated persons. This is the result



and the challenge that local opposition poses to the siting



for Previously Incarcerated People.” Another resource is Policy





Prisoners to the Community” (www.reentrypolicy.org/Report/TOC).

three housing programs: the Hopper Home, an

Alternative to Incarceration program providing





the Sarah Powell Huntington House, a transitional

Span Transitional Housing in Boston, Massachusetts, »

provides transitional scattered site SRO housing

and comprehensive case management services

housing to the formerly incarcerated must not only be

prepared to meet the challenge of raising the funds – or

starting businesses – to support their programs, but must

to arise from the host community.



of a neighborhood attempt to protect against unwelcome

developments, fearing that they will lower property values,





to as the “Not in My Backyard” or “NIMBY” Syndrome.

Given that one’s home represents safety, it is no surprise

that strong protectionist emotions and concerns will

stigmatized individuals (e.g., recovering drug addicts,

mentally ill individuals, people with HIV/AIDS — all of

programs for the homeless and/or formerly incarcerated,

while limited in number, nonetheless consistently furnish

strong evidence that meaningfully engaging the community

goes a long way toward gaining its acceptance. Such

engagement may comprise actions such as involving local

stakeholders in the siting process, genuinely addressing

their concerns and fears, providing means for them to



5

and trust in the provider organization, and educating them









II: A Case Study





alternatives to incarceration programs, educational and

vocational training, anger management and life skills

training, and counseling.

In the course of a strategic



 The Fortune Society’s mission statement expresses its

philosophy about the transformational potential of human beings: “The











 l

that the organization was losing too many clients to the

streets and prisons due to lack of housing. Without safe

and stable housing upon leaving prison, clients could not

likely gain the traction necessary to rebuild their lives.

Taking on the challenges of growing the organization

to independent housing in the community when ready –

usually in a year or more – but will have continued access to

that would otherwise result in a return to homelessness.

Despite obstacles in funding and heated resistance from

the area residents, the Fortune Academy opened its

doors in April 2002 with the support of the community.



Fortune Academy was an all encompassing one. It included:

6