Panel discusses barriers to housing for formerly incarcerated people
Advocacy is important, Credle said, but changing the law is the only way to “get to the core issues,” otherwise “nothing is going to change.”
Justice 4 Housing not only provides home re-integration services and manages housing applications for formerly incarcerated citizens, but also works to enact policy for justice impacted people in Massachusetts, working towards a national model. The organization has helped house over 210 people in the last two years with a 0% recidivism rate.
Credle encouraged the audience to contact their legislators in support of a Justice 4 Housing Bill that will be brought up in the next state legislative session. House Bill H.1362/Senate Bill S.878, “An Act to Secure Housing for Returning Citizens,” would incentivize the creation of housing for formerly incarcerated people and establish a reentry program to connect people with housing resources.