The shortage of affordable housing in New York City is well documented. Exacerbating this problem in New York City is how individuals reentering the community from criminal justice involvement are precluded from living in public housing due to their criminal record. This prohibition, in many cases, does not allow for the reunification of families, which in turn, eliminates one of the most important factors for successful reentry— family support. Research demonstrates that family support plays a key role in decreasing recidivism.
In response to this problem, the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA), in partnership with the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the Vera Institute of Justice, and the Corporation for Supportive Housing, established the NYCHA Family Reentry Pilot, a groundbreaking program that allows individuals with criminal justice involvement to legally reunite with their families within NYCHA public housing.
Since its inception in 2014, The Fortune Society has actively participated in this innovative program by identifying and screening potential candidates, submitting applications on their behalf, and providing clients with the key social services and case management necessary to ensure successful reentry.
The minimum eligibility requirements for participation in this pilot program are: (1) the individual must be at least 16 years of age (2) and must have been released from sentenced incarceration within the last 3 years; (3) the individual must desire to reside with family members who agree to participate in the program and are leaseholders residing within a NYCHA apartment; (4) the individual must be willing to participate in intensive case management for at least 6 months and (5) the individual must be motivated to make positive changes in his or her life.
Participation in the NYCHA Family Re-entry Pilot will have no impact on the budget, bills, or rent of the leaseholder for the two-year period in which they are enrolled. If the program is successfully completed, the individual will then be permitted to sign onto their family’s lease, thus solidifying their permanent return to NYCHA housing. Participants even have the option of getting on the waiting list for their own lease, if preferred.
Fortune will be celebrating the two-year completion anniversary of our first participant this month, and we look forward to helping many more individuals re-establish connections with their families within NYCHA Public Housing.
If interested, please contact Gregory Cianca, Senior Admissions Coordinator, at (347) 510-3691 or gcianca@fortunesociety.org.