With support from the Open Society Institute, this project introduces the formation of a working group to examine the intersection of housing and criminal justice policy in the United States. Currently, there are numerous social issues that bring the two historically separate policy arenas together. These include: re-entry of inmates into communities, the criminalization of the homeless, the impact of de-carceration on public housing communities, and discrimination in the fields of lending and rental subvention against those with criminal records. The aim of the “Housing and Criminal Justice” working group is to identify critical dimensions of the housing/criminal justice nexus in the context of mid-size and large metropolitan areas. The initiative serves as a program of research and action: by looking at two or three sites, working group members will examine the present organization of housing and criminal justice policies and present a strategic plan for advocacy, resource allocation, and program development.

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