You may often hear that a criminal is more likely to break the law than a non-criminal, or that someone recently released from jail is highly likely to wind up back in jail. One reason for this is that the odds are against them—the odds of housing, that is. Imagine you get out of jail and you’re eager to turn your life around, but are unable to find the public housing you need. It’s no wonder many turn back to a life of crime when they don’t even a safe place to rest their head at night.

On the bright side, public housing for felons is possible, depending on the felony offense. There are two types of felony convictions that automatically disqualify applicants from receiving Section 8 housing vouchers. These include any crime that requires lifelong registration as a sex offender, and manufacturing methamphetamine in federally funded housing.

Although it varies case-to-case, what does it take for a convicted felon to quality for Housing and Urban Development (HUD) programs? HUD uses specific guidelines to determine if someone with any type of felony conviction is eligible. These regulations require that a felony must be older than five years, and contain possible disqualifications for applicants convicted of certain violent crimes, certain kinds of fraud, or drug trafficking. There may also be a disqualification based on a documented and untreated history of drug or alcohol abuse. If there’s a history of poor relations with neighbors that includes verbal or physical assaults, this can also be a disqualifying factor. Someone with a history of defaulting on rent payments may also be disqualified from receiving HUD housing. Despite all this information, it’s important to remember that each jurisdiction sets its own rules regarding public housing for convicted felons. Certain areas ban individuals with drug-related crimes from receiving Section 8 vouchers, so it’s best to check with the HUD office near you to see what rules are in place.

The housing authority tends to exclude individuals it believes “will risk the health and safety of other tenants.” They may disregard criminal convictions for anyone who presents evidence they’ve changed since conviction. Don’t let a messy criminal record hold you back for the rest of your life. At Easy Expunctions, we specialize in record clearing and have multiple packages available. Before you apply for HUD housing, visit www.easyexpunctions.com to get a free background check so you know exactly what’s on your record. From there we can work with helping you expunge qualifying charges for an affordable price. The best way to obtain HUD housing is with a clean record, so it’s definitely worth it to take the first steps towards wiping your record clean.