“They Are Usually Borderline Homeless”: Exploring the Nexus of Homelessness, Housing Instability, Successful Reentry, and Long-Term Reintegration

Authors

Emily I. Troshynski, University of Nevada
Carolyn Willis, HOPE for Prisoners

Abstract

"For previously incarcerated persons, affordable and safe housing options are scarce. Barriers to securing housing include federal mandates (i.e., eligibility requirements) as well as local rules and regulations (i.e., zoning and ordinances). When housing is available, disclosing criminal history on applications impacts individuals’ chances to rent (Philips & Spencer, 2013). A lack of a consistent rental history, no personal and/or employment references, and securing capital to cover security deposits are added challenges. Since parole rules direct ex-convicts not to associate with others that have a criminal record, living with partners, friends, and family members may not be an option. Research within this article was conducted as part of a Department of Justice (DOJ) Second Chance Act (SCA) Grant awarded to HOPE For Prisoners (HFP). Experiences with homelessness and housing instability highlight the need for continued research that captures the lived experiences of previously incarcerated persons as well as the experiences of reentry programming staff persons serving them. Data within this article is derived from 2 years (2020 – 2022) of intake forms (i.e., client risks, needs, and service plans), case managers’ notes about tracking client homelessness, focus group conversations with reentry programming staff, and interviews with post-incarcerated clients. Based on a triangulation of these data, the purpose of the article is to describe housing challenges and opportunities in securing housing as well as to highlight programming efforts to remove barriers to accessing housing. Given the number of formerly-incarcerated persons returning home to homelessness, lessons gleaned from this article are helpful in understanding the importance of securing permanent housing including the impact of housing on successful reintegration."

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.

Recommended Citation

Troshynski, Emily I. and Willis, Carolyn (2025) "“They Are Usually Borderline Homeless”: Exploring the Nexus of Homelessness, Housing Instability, Successful Reentry, and Long-Term Reintegration," Qualitative Criminology (QC): Vol. 14: No. 1, Article 1.
Available at: https://dc.swosu.edu/qc/vol14/iss1/1