Update on Improvements to NYCHA’s Justice Policies
Dear Residents,
NYCHA is working to modernize its justice-related policies to create a fairer system for our residents – one that promotes healthy families and stable housing while ensuring community safety at our developments and within our neighborhoods. Our goal is to improve policies that keep residents safe while addressing the challenges faced by justice-involved applicants and residents, as well as their family members.
As part of this work, NYCHA opened for public comment several proposed changes related to admissions and occupancy from September 14 to October 28, 2020. During that public comment period, we received 248 comments from residents, NYCHA employees, advocates, community providers, and other members of the community. In addition to providing feedback on the proposed policy changes, many commenters expressed support for the admission of formerly incarcerated individuals to NYCHA.
NYCHA’s final policy changes – which are on track to be fully implemented this fall – incorporate the feedback we received from residents and other members of the public:
- Criminal Background Checks: Before an individual is denied admission based on their past justice history, a review committee will thoroughly evaluate the entirety of that individual’s circumstances. Based on feedback from residents and the public, members of that review committee will receive annual trainings on topics such as individual, organizational, and structural racism and trauma-informed management. NYCHA will also reduce the number and types of convictions that would result in a denial of admission, based on a detailed analysis we conducted that considered risk and prevention of harm. The new admissions criteria focus on offenses pertaining to safety and security at NYCHA and omit offenses related to poverty as well as minor offenses such as traffic offenses.
- Current Use of an Illegal Substance: Before an individual is denied admission based on the current use of a substance, a review committee will thoroughly evaluate the circumstances around the substance use. In addition, we will ask the individual about substance use within the past six months (instead of asking about the past three years, which is the current policy).
- Permanent Exclusion: Permanent Exclusion will be automatically lifted after five years without involvement in the justice system (with the tenant of record’s consent). In addition, a minimum age of 18 will be set for exclusion, and the current Permanent Exclusion lift application will remain available.
These changes do no diminish public safety in any way. Instead, they aim to alleviate burdensome restrictions that will allow vulnerable residents and their families to have greater access to the family support they need to be healthy, stable, and successful members of the NYCHA and New York City community. And the changes are based on established justice research, years of administrative experience, and the recommendations and feedback we have received over the years from NYCHA residents and their community advocates and representatives.
NYCHA already incorporated policies that make it possible for individuals re-entering the community from the justice system to become safely and stably housed. Our Family Re-Entry Program – which allows people who have been out of the justice system for less than three years to live with family members in NYCHA housing – is the largest public housing re-entry program of its kind in the United States, and has served as a model for other housing authorities across the country.
We recognize the importance of engaging our residents on the upcoming policy improvements and will keep you updated as we begin the process of implementing them.
Thank you for your partnership as we strive to make progress for our communities.
Sincerely,
Greg Russ
Chair & CEO