Finding housing for felons in Nebraska is no easy task and we want to assure you that we understand your struggle. Every month we have dozens of people ask our organization for this information and as much as we wish we had a list of felon friendly apartments in Nebraska, this information is too difficult to gather as we don’t have enough staff on hand to handle the task.With that being said, we’ve done the next best thing. Below is a list of organizations and resources in Nebraska that will help you in your pursuit of felon friendly housing.
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Housing Nebraska: An Overview
If you just finished serving your sentence in a Nebraska prison, getting out marks the beginning of your new life. However, along with it comes many questions that you must answer.
Among them is how to find housing for felons in Nebraska. It is perhaps the biggest and most difficult step you need to take on your way back to mainstream society.
Why Housing for Felons in Nebraska Is Important
Finding a safe and dependable living environment is at the core of a stable life. This applies to people with no criminal records, but even more so to former felons.
- A Good Place To Start Anew
Having access to housing for felons in Nebraska allows you to regroup and turn your life around. It provides a safe place where you can move on from past mistakes while making plans for the future.
That is why it is important to find felon-friendly housing Nebraska. It is something that you must prioritize even more than job hunting.
- A Place for a Better You
You need to put your best foot forward for an employer to take your application seriously. However, it would be hard to make a good impression if there are many questions at the back of your mind.
You need to know you have a safe place to come home to before you start looking for a job. Otherwise, you would be distracted during interviews, reducing your chances of getting hired.
Obstacles To Overcome
Former felons need to overcome many challenges before they can access secure housing Nebraska. First is the fact that cost-effective housing options are scarce. This is very problematic for those who just got out of prison and have no money set aside for rent.
The government has several reentry programs that could make things easier for ex-offenders. However, these initiatives can be limited in scope as well as accessibility.
For instance, people convicted of certain crimes or felonies would not be allowed to receive some of the support. Finally, most landlords are wary about approving applicants with criminal records due to the social stigma that comes with it.
Felon Friendly Apartments in Nebraska
If you are from Nebraska, then your transition into society can go easier, thanks to the reentry programs in Nebraska that are designed for felons. This list of programs, which was compiled by the JobsForFelonsHub.com site, makes it possible for felons to obtain job training, employment and housing through felon-friendly venues. Some of the programs are designed so felons receive substance abuse help and counseling.
When you use the reentry list created by the JobsForFelonsHub.com site, you can better re-initiate yourself into the mainstream. Resources of this type can help you obtain an apartment more quickly or receive job training in a field you like. Refer to the reentry programs as well as visit the JobsForFelonsHub.com site to keep current on housing and job support.
What Do You Need for Reentry?
Programs that are listed can offer you guidance in how to proceed with societal reintegration after your prison release. To get the momentum going, write down those activities or statements that apply to you.
· I need a house
· I need a job
· I need to obtain training
· How do I apply for food stamps?
· I need clothes for work
· I need medical assistance
· I need substance abuse counseling
Use the above check list to resource the reentry listings in Nevada that have been compiled by the JobsForFelonsHub.com site.
Seeking Transitional Housing or Drug Rehab in Nebraska
Besides referring to the reentry programs for Nebraska, you can also obtain transitional housing details by referring to the TransitionalHousing.org site. The website lists approximately 5,500 temporary shelters or homes that include details about the residences. Many of the places are designed to help and house people suffering from drug or alcohol abuse problems. Housing of this type can be secured from a couple days to as long as two years.
Other Housing Resources for Nebraska
Besides referring to the reentry information provided on the JobsForFelons.com site, you can also seek rentals through the Department of Housing and Urban Development in Nebraska and on Craigslist. In fact, local housing authorities in Nebraska and at HUD work in collaboration with felons to locate rentals that can be secured with a limited income.
Therefore, felons are matched with apartments, based on their means of support and the area’s annual median income or AMI. Nebraskans released from prison then need to contact HUD or their local housing authority right away for an appointment. Doing so will get them settled into an apartment all that much faster.
If HUD or the local housing authority does not have any apartments ready to move in, then you will have to sign up for one on a waiting list. Therefore, it is important to follow through after you are released from prison.
If you have committed a felony that was related to the making and selling of methamphetamine or was charged with a sex offense, HUD will not work with you to support your housing needs. You will need to resource the JobsForFelonsHub.com site for the reentry listings that are provided on the site. Also, if you are unable to talk to HUD or a local housing authority, check with your Department of Corrections (DOC) reentry program about getting into temporary housing.
Stay Away from Large Apartment Complexes
Your best bet for obtaining housing in Nebraska is to apply to the reentry programs that have been compiled by the JobsForFelonsHub.com site. Also, stay away from large apartment complexes as most, if not all, of the communities will turn down your application. That is because they check all their tenants out by running a background check. Unless you committed a crime a long time ago and its was non-violent, your chance for getting housing through these means is slim to none.
Review Your Own Criminal Background
Before you start searching for housing, perform a criminal background search on yourself. The process takes a couple minutes and the fee is minimal. Use the information so you can more easily explain your situation to property owners as well as to agencies who can help you get into transitional housing. Begin the check by following this link.
Why Felons Can Be Rejected for Housing in Nebraska and the US
Once you are a felon, you will find some people’s view of you may become rather subjective. Unfortunately, the law in Nebraska or the US overall does not cover felons when it comes to rejecting and accepting them for housing. Unless a refusal extends to a federal protected class, you will find that applying for a rental can be a grueling if not disappointing process. Property managers have it in their right to legally discriminate against a rental applicant if they feel the applicant’s felony might be a liability to his or her community.
Property managers in Nebraska and all the other US states often discriminate against applicants with unpaid rents or evictions too. However, when discrimination becomes more biased than factual, it becomes illegal, and as a result, also controversial.
Overcoming Illegal Discrimination
Discrimination becomes an issue legally when a property owner denies a rental to an applicant, based on his or her race, sex, ethnicity, disability, familial status or national origin. However, if you are a felon, you can rent an apartment if your felony charge was drug-abuse related and stemmed from a physical or mental disability. In this situation, your arrest resulted, technically, from having a disability. Since a disability is deemed to be a protected class under the US Fair Housing Act, you cannot be turned down if this is what happened you.
Still, the above example is not normally the rule. Most felons will be rejected for housing if they apply to a large apartment community. Unless your felony is over a decade old and was of a non-violent nature, you will face some discouragement. To minimize the incidence, focus on spending time looking at Craigslist listings or contact your HUD or local housing authority office. You can read more about illegal discrimination by referencing NOLO online.
Housing and the Law in Nebraska and the US
Whether discrimination is legal or illegal depends on the behavior of the property manager or landlord. A property manager is guilty of illegal discrimination if he or she bases their reason for refusal on an applicant’s religion, ethnicity, national origin, sex, race, family status or disability. Unless a felon’s charge covers one of the protected classes, he or she can be refused a rental apartment in a larger complex.
When Arbitrary Discrimination Comes into Play
According to the housing law, landlords can refuse to rent to felons as long as they do so legally. That means they must follow the rules set forth in the US Fair Housing Act. They cannot make a decision, again, based on prejudice. Applicants are protected from being discriminated against because of their religion, race, disability, ethnicity, sex, national origin, or family status. Any rental decision must be one that is just and fair.
In basic terms, a property owner cannot judge an applicant on their family status or race, for example, when reviewing a rental application. While they have it in their right to use an applicant’s credit score or record of eviction for refusal, they cannot make their own personal preference a priority. Discrimination that is biased is both arbitrary and unfair. You can read more about it by following this link.
Nebraska Housing Authority
The Nebraska local housing authority regularly works in conjunction with HUD in Nebraska to partner felons with apartment communities that provide affordable housing to people in need. Again, it is important to contact your local HUD office or local housing authority to either set up a time to move into an apartment or place your name on a waiting list. Local housing authorities in Nebraska list heads of households as elderly people, disabled individuals and homes where the head of the house is a working family, a single person or minors.
Nebraska Apartment Listings on Craigslist
As mentioned, Craigslist offers apartment listings that can be rented by felons. Many of the advertisers on the platform are entrepreneurial or not affiliated with a large apartment complex. Therefore, they tend to show more leniency toward potential tenants. To review the listings for Craigslist in Nebraska, start by clicking on this link and choosing the town or city where you want to live. Then, click on the section that says “housing” at the top of the page. Short-list your choices by adding the rental range.
Reentry Programs in Nebraska
Initiate your housing search by going over the reentry programs in Nebraska. Use this information to assist you in finding a job or temporary housing so you can find a permanent place to live.
The Nebraska Religious Community
Another helpful resource is the Nebraska religious community. Inquire at local churches or faith-based organizations about housing or job leads. If you are a member of a church, ask the pastor if they know about any housing resources or employment opportunities in the area. You can also work as a community volunteer and obtain referrals that way.
Referrals From Friends and Family
Friends and family can help in your search for a house or apartment as well. Just don’t ask a close family member or friend to rent an apartment on your behalf. Doing so could get your evicted or sued.
Additional Felon Housing Search Tips
Maintain a Professional Appearance
In order to succeed in any job or housing search, you have to look the part. That means visiting a local thrift store and putting together an ensemble. Buy some jackets, skirts or slacks, shirts or blouses or ties or scarves.
Ask Relevant Questions
When speaking to a property owner, make sure you ask relevant questions about the property. Establish a business-like rapport so, when you become a permanent residence, you will also be regarded as credible and dependable.
Refer to the Reentry Listings
Always go back to the reentry listings for Nebraska that have been put together by the JobsForFelonsHub.com site. They can be a tremendous help in getting you re-established.
Stay on Track
Whether you are looking for an apartment or a job, maintain a routine. Even after you are living in a permanent place, follow an itinerary and stay on track with your work or job-search goals.
