THE FORTUNE NEWS VOLUME LIII • FALL 2021
The Fortune Society
BUILDING PEOPLE, NOT PRISONS
WELCOME HOME
SUPPORTING THE JUSTICE-INVOLVED THROUGH HOUSING
THE FORTUNE NEWS EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Kendall Shepard MANAGING EDITORS Megan Knighton Brian Robinson Carl Dukes Samuel Davis
The Fortune News is a publication from The Fortune Society, printed twice a year to inform the public of the work and impact of Fortune’s reentry services and advocacy efforts.
ASSISTANT EDITOR AND WRITER Sarah Hirshorn
@2021 The Fortune Society, Inc. All Rights Reserved
DESIGNER Emerson Soto EDITORS AND WRITERS Nicole Dirks Ian Dziura Laura Robertson
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info@fortunesociety.org
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SUBSCRIBE fortunesociety.org/subscribe Receive top news in your email inbox each week. Subscribe to the Fortune Weekly email newsletter. Front Cover: David Rothenberg with child in The Fortune Society t-shirt.
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VOLUME LIII · FALL 2021
THE FORTUNE NEWS TABLE OF CONTENTS
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OUR MISSION Learn About Our Mission, Programs and Services
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A LOOK INSIDE Fortune’s Expanding Housing Program
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EYE ON FORTUNE Key Events in 2020-2021
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INSIDE THE ROOM A Look Back By Founder David Rothenberg
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SEARCHING FOR HOME Where is My Fair Chance? By Hilton N. Webb, Jr.
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TIPS FOR TEMPORARY SHELTER STAYS IN NEW YORK CITY
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FACES OF FORTUNE Staff and Participant Experiences
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FAIR CHANCE FOR ALL By Associate Vice President of DRCPP Andre Ward
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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Letters From Individuals Who Are Currently Incarcerated
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A DECADE OF HOME AND HAPPINESS Castle Gardens Founding Residents
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RAFAEL’S JOURNEY HOME
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HOW TO SPOT AND STOP HOUSING DISCRIMINATION By Housing Advocate Tabber Benedict
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OUR MISSION
BENEFITS ACCESS
The Fortune Society’s mission is to support successful reentry from incarceration and promote alternatives to incarceration, thus strengthening the fabric of our communities. We do this by:
Our Benefits Access program helps participants achieve economic mobility by coordinating access to public benefits available to individuals and families with low incomes, including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Medicaid, Social Security Disability Insurance and other forms of public assistance.
Believing in the power of individuals to change;
CARE MANAGEMENT
Building lives through service programs shaped by the needs and experiences of our participants; and
Our Care Management Unit is a comprehensive team of service providers working together to help those with chronic or complex medical conditions. The goal is to ensure participants are connected to healthcare services they need, replacing trips to the emergency room with visits to a primary care provider of their choice.
Changing minds through education and advocacy to promote the creation of a fair, humane, and truly rehabilitative correctional system.
PROGRAMS & SERVICES ALTERNATIVES TO INCARCERATION Our Alternatives to Incarceration (ATI) program reduces the prison and jail population; helps thousands of individuals receive holistic, supportive services; and saves taxpayers millions of dollars that would otherwise have been spent on incarceration.
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CREATIVE ARTS Our Creative Arts program supports the educational, emotional and cultural development of individuals impacted by the justice system through workshops in creative writing, storytelling, music, theater and visual arts.
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EDUCATION
HOUSING
Our Education program empowers students to achieve personal and professional goals, such as acquiring basic literacy skills, earning a High School Equivalency diploma, attending college or preparing for employment.
Our Housing program assists individuals and families with justice involvement and their family’s experiencing homelessness in building better futures through supportive and affordable housing. The program provides lowthreshold access to emergency, transitional or permanent housing in our congregate buildings: The Fortune Academy (“the Castle”), Castle Gardens and Freedom House, along with our Scattered-Site housing program.
EMPLOYMENT SERVICES Our Employment Services program is designed to equip job seekers with justice involvement with the skills necessary to obtain employment and thrive in the workplace. The program offers job readiness workshops, digital literacy courses, sector-based skills trainings, as well as job placement assistance and retention services.
FAMILY SERVICES Our Family Services program works to reunite participants with their loved ones by facilitating healthy parent-child relationships. We provide individual and family counseling, parenting workshops, and legal services for custody, visitation and child support commitments.
FOOD AND NUTRITION Our Food and Nutrition program offers nutrition counseling and education, cooking demonstrations and produce giveaways. We serve over 40,000 nutritious meals a year in addition to distributing 20,000 pounds of fresh, locally grown produce.
HEALTH SERVICES Our Health Services program connects individuals with justice involvement and HIV/AIDS to quality healthcare and social services. We also provide vital discharge planning, case management, health education, and connection to quality, community-based treatment and care.
MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT Our participants have access to a full spectrum of services through our NYS Office of Mental Health (OMH)-licensed Better Living Center (BLC), using person-centered care to serve unique and complex mental health needs of individuals with justice involvement.
PREPARE FOR RELEASE Our Prepare for Release program provides skill-building and discharge preparation services to eligible individuals during their incarceration at NYC Department of Corrections (DOC) jails and offers continuing reentry support following their release for up to one year.
RECOVERY (THE NEST) Our Recovery Center, the NEST (Networking and Engagement Services Team), provides services and a safe space for individuals in recovery from substance use. The non-clinical setting promotes long-term recovery through skill-building groups, recreation and the opportunity to connect with peers with similar life experiences.
SUBSTANCE USE TREATMENT Our New York State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services (OASAS)-licensed outpatient substance use treatment clinic empowers people with substance use histories to recover from addiction and the trauma of incarceration.
THE DAVID ROTHENBERG CENTER FOR PUBLIC POLICY (DRCPP) The DRCPP works to build equitable legal systems, advance alternative approaches to justice, change counterproductive laws, expand effective program models and shift public perception about those with histories of justice-involvement.
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EYE ON FORTUNE VIRTUAL HOPE AND JUSTICE GALA NOVEMBER 16, 2020 Our first-ever virtual gala was held on November 16, 2020 and honored our Frontline Heroes: Barry Campbell, Judy De La Cruz and Samantha Pugh, Fortune staff who worked tirelessly to serve our participants during the pandemic. We also honored the VICE Media Group with the Game Changer Award for their original and crucial coverage of the criminal justice system. We were joined by special guests U.S. Senator Cory Booker (DNJ) and Former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder Jr.
FORTUNE STAFF GET VACCINATED FROM COVID-19 MARCH 2021
VIRTUAL ARTS FESTIVAL – WE CHOOSE TO BLOOM JULY 19, 2021
In March, more than 100 staff and participants received their COVID-19 vaccinations. Getting vaccinated from COVID-19 brought the Fortune staff and participants together as a community once again and allowed us to provide more vital services in person. Thanks to Affiliated Physicians and the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, we were able to ensure the safety of staff, participants and community members.
We have always believed in the power of the Arts to restore, to transform and to imagine a more just, collective future. On July 19, we kicked off our virtual arts festival “We Choose to Bloom.” The festival began with a look at the history of the arts at Fortune followed by a special, in-person event at MoMA PS1 where we screened the film “We Choose to Bloom” alongside an activation of the space with original poetry, music and spoken word from our participants. The festival culminated with an open mic celebration over Zoom. We continue to be inspired by the talent and openness of our participants and artists.
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SEARCHING FOR HOME: WHERE IS MY FAIR CHANCE? BY HILTON N. WEBB, JR. Fortune Academy Resident and Fair Chance for Housing Advocate
When I was released from prison after almost 28 years behind bars, I was thrust into a world completely unfamiliar to me. I had spent the better part of three decades waiting to go home but on the day of my release, I had no parole-approved “home” to return to.
looking for all that he has lost. I am the pedestrian at whom passersby sneer “Get a job!” I am a name on a rejected tenant application, repeatedly set aside when the background check returns. I was fortunate to have found The Fortune Society and after attending many Thursday night community meetings, I was accepted into the Fortune family and moved into their transitional housing facility, Fortune Academy, aka “the Castle.” I was able to find family, friendship and guidance in a safe, secure place where I no longer had to watch my back. I engaged in job readiness workshops wherein I learned how to reframe my prison jobs into real world experience
and rebuild supportive relationships. For decades, I’ve worked both inside and out to become a contributing member of society. While incarcerated, I took college classes and earned a degree. Once out, I became a Certified Recovery Peer Advocate to combat the opioid epidemic plaguing the country. I am a recent graduate of Lehman College with a Masters of Social Work and a certified alcoholism and substance abuse counselor trainer, all done in an effort to give back and contribute to a more just society. I’m also involved with the Fair Chance for Housing campaign at John Jay College’s Institute for Justice and Opportunity, co-led with Fortune’s policy team.
According to the NYS Department of Corrections and Community Supervision, anyone released from state prison without an approved place to live must report to a homeless shelter. This is ironic. As an incarcerated person, I was “housed” in the prison system. As a free man “It is imperative that we pass the Fair navigating the long and Chance for Housing Act, an act in front arduous journey towards regaining the humanity I of the New York City Council which lost while incarcerated, I would eliminate background checks was homeless.
Yet, because of background checks and my need to live a life of authenticity, I am stuck in transitional housing rather than moving on and making much needed room or inquiries about arrest or conviction for the next released person. When I arrived at the history when applying for housing ...” I’ve served my time and homeless shelter, a staff done my part to change; now, member referred to me it’s time for New York to change. It and to answer the question “Why as “nondescript.” Her word choice is imperative that we pass the Fair was I in prison?” I learned that being initially shocked me; but after weeks Chance for Housing Act, an act in honest with an explanation was the roaming the city streets looking for front of the New York City Council best approach because the truth never identification, employment and a place which would eliminate background comes back at you. Besides, you to call home, the “nondescript” label checks or inquiries about arrest or can’t hide from the reaches of the allmade sense. conviction history when applying for knowing Google search. housing, so that people like me don’t As a formerly incarcerated person of In prison, I often dreamed of finding have to pay in perpetuity for crimes color forced into the City’s shelter a job and a place of my own, two after they have served their time. system, I am both invisible and of the most foundational aspects of ubiquitous. I am the person on the successful reentry. Research shows subway whose body odor offends that having safe and adequate housing you. I am the woman on the corner increases the likelihood that a person whose sad story elicits the occasional leaving prison or jail will be able to crumpled dollar. I am that vaguely connect with new or existing family human specter who haunts the streets support, find and retain employment 5
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FACES OF FORTUNE
COSS MARTE Board Member Founder, CONBODY
Simon Horwith Chief Technology Officer
NANCY LOPEZ Director of Admissions
I first heard about Fortune while I was incarcerated. Days after coming home, I attended a two-week workshop run by Employment Services where we learned how to present, write a resume and get our first suit for an interview.
Every day is special at Fortune. While I don ‘t face participants often, I have had many come to me who are interested in changing career paths and we sit and talk together. Everyone at Fortune is just awesome at what they do. That is the most rewarding part.
I have been at Fortune for about 32 years. I found out about Fortune through a work-release program. I came in for an interview, started as an administrative assistant and now am the Director of Admissions.
Fortune referred me to other programs, and I took advantage of every tool available. I don’t think my business would have been a reality without Fortune. I was able to access to a vast professional network, and I took advantage of all it had to offer. There is a phrase my brother once said: opportunity is the gift that Fortune gives to you, and what you do with that opportunity is your gift to Fortune. Fortune just wants you to use any opportunity to the best of your ability; whatever that ability is, it is enough of a gift in return to Fortune.
COVID-19 was definitely a challenging transition. We had 300+ staff overnight who needed equipment at home, needed Zoom set up and needed to access their workspaces remotely. There were a lot of long days, but we got through it together. It was incredible to see how this agency embraced technology and continued to provide services through the pandemic. From day one of the COVID-19 pandemic, we never missed a beat. It was pretty amazing to see continued support for the people that really needed us. I will always be proud of that.
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Everyone who comes to the agency comes through Admissions and receives an intake assessment. It’s like when you go to the hospital and go through triage before they refer you to the specialists. That’s what we do: we give each participant a needs evaluation when they come in and then, we do an internal referral to the programs they might need. We’re at the front line of everything at Fortune. We really try to make everyone that comes through our doors feel a little bit better when they leave, even if it is just some guidance and direction on where they can turn next. That’s what we do here.
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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR EXCERPT FROM MUSIC
A CHANCE TO GO HOME
Who knows more about music on a personal level than me? I mean that to the highest extent of musicality. I used to live ghetto fabulous before I came to prison. I’m the only child - no sister, no brother- and grew up without a father. It was unstable moving as a child, living house to house, and I did not have that many friends growing up. I did pass music class from elementary all the way to high school and did graduate from high school in ’86. Music was my father, my mother and my best friend.
You may never understand my contradicting little life
During school, music became my words of expression. In high school, I got into singing and learned to play drums. I started singing in church. After so many disappointments with family and friends, I found a better way to deal with mental stress at such a crucial moment of my life; and instead of drugs and alcohol, I found studio producing. God led me to buy my own home studio equipment and recording software. That was the answer to my prayers: making my own music. Music was my get-away: - it was my comfort - my vent - my run to - when I was mad - when I was sad - when I needed to cool off - when I couldn’t express my feelings - when I couldn’t talk to others
You may never understand why I can’t live reckless I deprive myself to avoid write-ups and confrontations The cost to back down is high, but I want to go home You may never understand why I call my cell “my home” It’s been my home so long and the law says it is forever I still want a chance to go to my real home and real bed You may never understand why I panic wherever I’m sick My fear of dying before I can taste freedom is very real to me I want a chance to go home before I leave this mortal life You may never understand why I always live in the past The law says I may never have a future outside of prison I still hope for my chance to go home and have a real life You may never understand why I hate the yearly calendar Each day leads to nowhere, because there is no EPR date But I still hope for a chance of a date for board and home You may never understand why I always seem so far away In a sea of thousands, I am very much alone and isolated I want my chance to go home to my own friends and family
Not to mention, all of my life, even from childhood, I: • • • • • •
I am the enigma of a law-abiding convict in prison All that I do, is because I want a chance to go home
held things stored things harnessed kept in kept quiet never expressed myself
While lifers and short-termers see freedom over the horizon I can only see an empty life and slow death in this prison cell For me, the says a pine box is my only chance home Dorothy Margalino Central California Women’s Facility Chawchilla, CA
So, now you see why music is a need for a person like me. Music is my heart-felt passion. Nathan Mims Hays State Prison Trion, G.A. 30753
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RAFAEL’S JOURNEY HOME Obtaining housing is a challenge for people coming out of prison, especially if they don’t have family or a network of support to return home to. During incarceration, Rafael lost both of his parents in the span of six months, leaving him without a place to live once he was released. Rafael had heard of The Fortune Society through Rafael had heard of Fortune through a friend while he was incarcerated. After release, he was offered a living space at Freedom House, our emergency and transitional housing facility for men with behavioral health needs. From there, he transitioned to the Castle, another transitional housing facility run by Fortune. Despite coming out of prison during the COVID-19 pandemic, Rafael adjusted to his new home. Being a part of Fortune’s housing program opened the door for Rafael to get acquainted with other services, such as Peer Recovery and Employment Services. But he says time spent with his Prepare for Release group led to his fondest and most difficult memory: the day the group said goodbye. Fortune’s Prepare for Release program offers discharge preparation services before those incarcerated even leave Rikers Island, allowing for a smooth transition back home. Participants are a part of the Prepare for Release program for one year and go through the program as part of a cohort of fellow incarcerated people. “It was a good moment because that time that we were together, even though we did everything through Zoom, we were like a family,” Rafael said. “The last day was the hardest, but it was the best because we all got to tell each other how much we enjoyed each other’s company.”
Rafael envisions this nonprofit Rafael is currently doing an internship supporting younger generations with with Fortune in Peer Recovery. As services such he looks into as bookbag future career “I hope that anybody who drives, GED opportunities, assistance he appreciates is coming through here and anger being able can take advantage of the management to work at services because they’re classes. Fortune.”
here to help you ...”
Beyond the internship, Rafael has many goals he is working towards. He would like to continue with peer recovery work and possibly become a case manager. In the meantime, he says he will be enrolling in a program to become a Credentialed Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Counselor. With the help of a housing voucher, he is planning to move out of the Castle and into his own place. Longterm, Rafael has one big goal: to form a nonprofit organization of his own.
Rafael said, “My goal is to open up my not-for-profit that is not only helping those [with justice involvement] but also the community as a whole.” VOLUME LIII • FALL 2021
Rafael also wants to give back to the Fortune community that helped house, employ and guide him. It’s his motivation for his peer recovery internship and why he wants to build up a collaborative support system for those going through experiences similar to his own. “I hope that anybody who is coming through here can take advantage of the services because they’re here to help you,” said Rafael. “There are organizations are willing to take a chance with you regardless of what you have in your background, which is a good thing. You just got to go out there and want it.”
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A LOOK INSIDE: FORTUNE’S EXPANDING HOUSING PROGRAM Currently, an average of more than 50,000 people cycle through New York City’s jail system and almost 26,000 are released from state prisons every year. Many return to New York City without a safe, stable place to live and often end up in homeless shelters, sleeping on the streets or living in unregulated, substandard housing. Supportive and affordable housing is an essential part of reentry. Stable housing has been shown to reduce reincarceration while bolstering families, neighborhoods and an individual’s chance for success in employment. Nearly 60% of formerly incarcerated people who experience homelessness are rearrested within their first year of being released. Fortune decided to address this issue by creating its own supportive housing model. In April of 2002, the Fortune Academy, also known as “the Castle,” opened and began Fortune’s journey as a housing provider. The Castle provides emergency short-term and transitional supportive housing for formerly incarcerated people experiencing homelessness. The Castle has 93 beds and offers residents access to a suite of services including job training, financial planning and management, substance use treatment, mental health services and family reunification support. While the Castle offered an immediate option for people with justice involvement who were experiencing homelessness, Fortune wanted to expand its housing program to also serve those with a justice history who need permanent homes. Fortune converted the lot adjacent to the Castle into its first permanent, supportive and
affordable housing facility, Castle Gardens, which opened in 2010. Castle Gardens provides 63 permanent, supportive and affordable apartments for justice-involved individuals and their families who have experienced homelessness and 50 permanent affordable apartments for low-income individuals from the community. The building features a computer lab, a library, community rooms, a roof terrace with gardens, and a Service Center where residents can participate in counseling sessions and life-skill development courses. Fortune has tried to remain in tune with the evolving housing needs of our community. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Fortune opened a new 38-bed emergency and transitional housing facility for men with behavioral health needs who are currently or likely to be detained. These men are special cases who are often turned away from other housing facilities because of their acute need for supportive services and substance use treatment. Fortune wanted to make sure they did not fall through the cracks in the system.
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Fortune also offers housing support for community members who do not reside in one of our facilities through our Scatter-Site Housing Program. The program partners with landlords throughout New York City to lease apartments to Fortune for qualified participants. Tenants of our scattersite housing are also offered assistance with short-term rental subsidies, counseling sessions, monthly home visits and more. Looking ahead, Fortune, in partnership with Bronx Pro Group and United Methodist City Society, will open another permanent, supportive housing facility for individuals over the age of 62 with prior justice involvement. Residents in this new facility will have access to all of our reentry services with attention given to the special needs and concerns of seniors. Residents are expected to move in this October. In 2024, we will also open Castle III, a permanent supportive and affordable housing facility for formerly justice-involved people and low-income housing for the community. Residents will have access to our full suite of services.
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INSIDE THE ROOM BY DAVID ROTHENBERG Founder The Fortune Society
Decades before The Fortune Society opened its first transitional housing facility, The Fortune Academy, aka “the Castle,” we were painfully aware that the housing crisis was an intricate part of reentry. Anyone close to the scene knew that “the system” had failed to confront the issue of housing. It had a direct impact on crime in New York City. There are multiple reasons why people enter a life of anti-social behavior: poverty, racism, child abuse, ignored traumas. Recidivism continues to be the problem. With the U.S. always having a high rate, it abolishes the myth that
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the humdrum, sometimes violent life in prison, is a deterrent. Prison is where many learn to survive. Most hunger for release, including parole, but too often find that the world is not prepared to accept them. Upon release, parolees are told to find a job and locate housing. On your mark, get set, go. Close to half the people released from incarceration do not have someone with whom they can live. The reasons are many and the options are pitiful: shelters, single-room occupancy (SRO) welfare hotels or the streets. When a person returning to a city or town doesn’t know where they will sleep that night, job hunting is placed
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on the back burner. As doors are closed and options diminish, prison is no longer “not an option.” As one man told me, “I learned how to live in prison. I haven’t figured it out, out here, and the system doesn’t seem to want me here.” If you listen closely, you might hear someone on parole talk about “throwing a brick,” an act that will bring about an arrest, just to have a bed to sleep on. How did I become acquainted with this absurd societal snafu? Back in the late 1960s, I was the quintessential square amidst a circle of formerly incarcerated men and women. In those early days of The Fortune Society, all of us (myself, Kenny Jackson, Mel Rivers, Fran O’Leary, among others) assumed the role of what the Castle
that numbed their senses. I realized this was the environment to which they had become accustomed. I had entered Dante’s Inferno just blocks away from where I lived. Clean and safe housing was not a consideration in reentry at that time. The city and state oversaw the hellholes just as they administered the jails and prisons. Men and women at The Fortune Society, veterans of those nightmare conditions, began speaking at public
would later provide: a safe environment and a culture that heals. To avoid the drug use and violence of shelters and SROs, a steady stream found refuge on my couch. The story was always the same, “If I’m going to make it, I can’t live in a place filled with drugs and guns. I might as well go back upstate.”
prison in the community. The system is entrenched and invested in its past. The term “Prison Industrial Complex” is an apt description of why change comes slowly. There are big profits in building and running punishment factories. The biggest change in my lifetime has been renaming the NYS Department of Prisons to the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision. It’s all in a name.
If our criminal justice system intended to “correct,” then reentry “We’re waiting for political people would be a vital part of the plan, creating an environment to become problem solvers. that encourages education, job At the Castle, we host weekly training and self-awareness; meetings where residents just teaching someone how to live in society, in their own residence. talk, and whenever someone
has a problem, it is shared. And someone always responds, ‘The answer is in the room.’ If you don’t state the problem, you won’t find a solution.”
In those days, I was young and brash and wanted to find out for myself what these guys were talking about. I shared my plan with no one. I dressed down and shuffled into the largest welfare hotel in Manhattan on Bleeker Street in Greenwich Village.
I signed in and was assigned a cubicle with paper-thin walls and chicken wire overhead. In the communal bathroom, I was openly offered drugs and a gun. I saw men who were severely ill and others with untreated body wounds. There were about 500 men in the building but only one nurse was ever on duty. You had to make an appointment just to see her. The hotel had an inner courtyard, and men shuffled around what looked like a mini prison yard. Many would go to Washington Square Park to sell drugs. It was survival time. I talked to a few men; most were clearly on medication
forums and testifying before city, state and federal legislative bodies. We learned that change came slowly. In the early 21st century, JoAnne Page led the charge to create a model residence for those returning from incarceration, a model of what could be. The results have been dramatic at the Castle. People from all over the country and several foreign nations have visited and insisted they want to duplicate the Castle, which Ms. Page said from the start “is a program first and housing second.” It is for people who want to change their lives. Few have succeeded in duplicating the Castle. We visited halfway houses around the country, mostly run by Departments of Correction and/or Parole. One place in New Jersey we labeled Rikers Island Lite. It was a
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The question is “Where and how will you live?” And then, how can “the system” guide you on that path so you can achieve the life you deserve?
The Castle was such a model of reentry housing that The Fortune Society created a permanent residence, Castle Gardens, right next door. It is an apartment building of 16 floors where half the residents are Castle alumni, formerly incarcerated men and women. It is all there to be seen and duplicated. We’re waiting for political people to become problem solvers. At the Castle, we host weekly meetings where residents just talk, and whenever someone has a problem, it is shared. And someone always responds, “The answer is in the room.” If you don’t state the problem, you won’t find a solution. We invite any elected official to come and ask questions about reentry housing because they will find the answer in the room.
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TIPS FOR TEMPORARY SHELTER STAYS IN NEW YORK CITY For some individuals leaving incarceration, there may not be a safe place to return home. With few options, individuals and their families may seek a place in a city’s shelter system. If you end up in a temporary homeless shelter, the following tips provide some suggestions and guidance for your stay:
PRIORITIZE YOUR OWN HEALTH AND SAFETY Make sure that you’re taking care of yourself first. Many shelters are staffed with case managers or other workers who are available to help you access additional services like mental health counseling, public assistance and more.
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STORAGE IS NOT AVAILABLE IN TEMPORARY SHELTERS Many temporary shelters don’t have protected places for possessions. In NYC, you may be eligible to have the Human Resources Administration (HRA) pay for your storage needs. Check with the shelter staff or other non-profit reentry organizations to see if you qualify.
PETS ARE NOT CURRENTLY ALLOWED IN MOST TEMPORARY SHELTERS As of the date of this publication, pets are not allowed in shelters. Some may offer assistance in finding someone else to care for your pet. WWW.FORTUNESOCIETY.ORG
The NYC Council passed legislation in 2021 requiring shelters to design a plan to make it easier for people experiencing homelessness to keep their pets. Check with your shelter for updates on pet stays.
STAY CONNECTED Contact someone in your network and touch base with a reentry service provider (see sidebar for contact information of several NYC-based nonprofits). If you can, reach out to friends and family that might have a place for you to stay or offer assistance in finding more permanent housing. Shelters usually have phones available to use and some have computers to check things like email and other online resources. Many local libraries also offer access to computers for free.
HUMANIZING LANGUAGE AND HOMELESSNESS Dehumanizing labels stereotype and marginalize people rather than support them while they rebuild their lives. The words we use to reference people should reflect their full identities and acknowledge their capacity to grow.
characteristic – therefore, instead of saying terms like “hobo” or “the homeless,” try “person experiencing homelessness,” “people without housing,” or “people without homes.”
Just as The Fortune Society advocates for the use of humanizing language when talking about people with justice involvement, we must also embrace humanizing language when discussing those who are currently without a home.
The l an g u ag e s u rro u n d i n g homelessness can be harnessed as a tool to help and empower those without a home by emphasizing empathy and understanding. We encourage you to use humanizing language wherever possible as your example will inspire others to do the same.
Homelessness is often a temporary state rather than a permanent
REMEMBER CHILDCARE AND CHILDREN’S SAFETY
ROOMS AND RESTROOMS ARE SHARED
Children in shelters are under the watch and care of their guardians at all times. There may be childcare options for those attending group sessions in shelters, but children must be watched at all times.
Sleeping arrangements in shelters usually mean multiple persons to one area.
BASIC NECESSITIES ARE OFFERED
ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT THE RULES AND PROGRAMS
Most of the time, food, toiletries and some clothing are offered to those staying in shelters. Linens like sheets, towels and blankets are also given to use during your stay.
Check with shelter staff upon intake for the rules of stay at the shelter. Breaking a rule can result in dismissal from the shelter.
VISITORS MAY NOT BE ALLOWED In most shelters, visitors are not allowed inside. Coordinate with those you wish to see for another location nearby.
Other spaces like common areas and bathrooms are also shared spaces.
KNOW YOUR RIGHTS Shelters should be safe and well maintained. If you feel like there is an issue, talk with a staff member and write down the interaction.
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WHO TO CONTACT NYC Department of Homeless Service Shelter Hotline (718) 291-4141 Office of Ombudsman (800) 994-6494 Ombudsman@dss.nyc.gov NYC Legal Aid Society (212) 577-3300 National Coalition for the Homeless (202) 462-4822 info@nationalhomeless.org NYC Coalition for the Homeless (212) 776-2000 info@cfthomeless.org National Domestic Violence Hotline 1(800) 799-SAFE (7233) You can contact the Office of the Ombudsman (contact info in sidebar) for support with your shelter stay and to report any incidents
UNDERSTAND THE TYPES OF SHELTERS There is more than one type of shelter. Some places are for single adults only, often specific to gender/assigned sex, while other shelters are for family units. Transitional shelters provide temporary residence, ranging from 6 to 24 months for people experiencing homelessness.
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FAIR CHANCE FOR ALL BY ANDRE WARD Associate Vice President of the David Rothenberg Center for Public Policy The Fortune Society
There are many things to look forward to when you are finally able to leave a prison’s walls. Family, friends and freedom will come as you close the door to your cell and walk back towards your life. But there is one thing that you can’t necessarily count on after leaving prison - finding a stable home.
meet every other standard for tenancy or ownership, if they have a criminal conviction, the answer is almost universally, “No.”
For the past year and a half, The Fortune Society has decided that it needs to fundamentally change this world of “Nos,” which leads to a world of homelessness, recidivism and pain. One of the greatest forms of discrimination that the formerly We are currently co-leading a campaign for Fair Chance incarcerated across the country face after reentering society for Housing in New York City. Under this campaign, we is finding housing. Those with justice involvement are meet with city council members and elected officials, hold constantly denied a place to live based marches and rallies, develop webinars “... we must build a on one thing: the fact that they have been and other educational seminars and most convicted of a crime. When landlords run importantly, advocate for legislation. national campaign criminal background checks on potential Right now, in New York City, we are to end housing tenants and screen out applicants with lobbying for the passage of The Fair discrimination criminal records, people in desperate Chance for Housing Act, a law that need of housing are denied a basic right would prohibit any private landlord or against the formerly over and over again. It doesn’t matter realtor in New York City from performing incarcerated. As we if the crime happened two years ago or criminal background checks on any of its say at our rallies and twenty, or if it was a small misdemeanor applicants. or a violent felony; all that most landlords protests, “Housing It is time for New York City to take and realtors care about is that a criminal is a human right!” the lead on an important, national issue conviction exists. affecting the formerly incarcerated. The time has come to change this mindset across the Housing discrimination based on criminal convictions takes country. In 2016, the Department of Housing and Urban place in all fifty states, and there are only a dozen or so cities Development (HUD) issued guidance clarifying that blanket (plus The State of New Jersey, which just passed a law) that admissions bans against people with conviction histories have attempted to reign in this problem. However, many of were illegal under the Fair Housing Act (FHA). The FHA these laws don’t go far enough to prohibit discrimination prohibits discrimination in housing based on race, age, against the formerly justice-involved and they often carve color, national origin, religion, sex, genetic information out significant exceptions that allow landlords and realtors and disability. While the FHA does not explicitly prohibit to continue excluding those with criminal backgrounds. The criminal background screenings, HUD recognizes what we Fair Chance for Housing Act we are proposing is different. all know to be a fact, that there are enormous racial and It is one of the most comprehensive in the country because ethnic disparities within the criminal legal system and to it prohibits any private landlord or realtor from looking at discriminate based on criminal convictions disproportionally an individual’s criminal history at all. harms people of color. The outsize impact that criminal The Fair Chance for Housing Act in front of the New York background checks have on people of color is considered a City Council is close to becoming law. With 23 sponsors and form of racial discrimination which is illegal. dozens of advocates citywide, steps are being taken every However, despite HUD’s guidance, over the past six years, single day to get it passed. But it cannot stop here, we must the practice of housing discrimination has continued. While build a national campaign to end housing discrimination most landlords and realtors do not explicitly state that they against the formerly incarcerated. As we say at our rallies have a blanket ban, they still insist on conducting a criminal and protests, “Housing is a human right!” background check on almost every applicant. And even if those individuals have solid jobs, good credit ratings and VOLUME LIII • FALL 2021
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A DECADE OF HOME AND HAPPINESS: CASTLE GARDENS FOUNDING RESIDENTS Barbara Biscaino and Carl Dukes have each lived in Castle Gardens since its opening more than a decade ago. Though they came to Castle Gardens from different paths, they have both experienced the transformative impact of having a stable and secure home.
you feel secure and that is most important. Having a place to live, a safe place is almost like – really, it’s a difference between life and death.”
Carl was incarcerated for 31 years before being granted release in 2008. He was first accepted as a resident at the Fortune Academy, our transitional housing facility, after being homeless for many months following his release from prison. Once Castle Gardens opened, Carl was offered a permanent, affordable apartment that he still calls home today.
Carl has continued his involvement with Fortune beyond just living at Castle Gardens. Shortly after his release, he became a part-time data entry specialist at Fortune. Now, he plays a key role in responding to the many letters we receive from currently incarcerated individuals. He receives upwards of 300 letters every month and takes the time and care to respond to each person who writes in. He feels thankful for the community he has become a part of and for the support he has received over the last 13 years.
“To have a place to lay your head is a life-changing thing,” said Carl. “It frees up a whole lot of worries. Particularly,
“One of the things that Fortune does is they provide the space and give you the opportunity to improve yourself.
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Fortune opened so many doors. I wouldn’t have had that leverage if I hadn’t gotten in contact with Fortune in the first place and for that, I am grateful,” he said.
shares, and she and her family have since enjoyed all that Castle Gardens and the Fortune community have to offer.
experience a lot of the things that she has experienced. And she wouldn’t have had the opportunities to go to the schools that she’s gone to.”
“If it wasn’t for The Fortune Society, As Nemiah embarks on her next Barbara found Fortune after she had honestly, I don’t know where my journey – leaving New York City to experienced homelessness for three daughter and I would be. Fortune attend a four-year college – she and years and lived in a shelter in New gives you a platform, and you just got her mother know that Fortune will York with her daughter, always be there for the both Nemiah. She found living of them. “If it wasn’t for The Fortune Society, in a shelter, especially Barbara and Carl each shared with a young child, to be honestly, I don’t know where my what home means to them incredibly challenging: daughter and I would be. Fortune and how Castle Gardens “Being homeless is really gives you a platform, and you just reflects that sacred space and stressful and not knowing feeling. got to take it and run with it. They anything, like what’s your next move, what’s going have helped my daughter and me “Home means a place where to happen next? Because you are loved, you are so much throughout the years. This you’re not supposed to be appreciated and you feel safe. program has been a blessing ...” in one shelter for too long, I I always know that Castle would have a hearing every Gardens is there. That’s six months, and they were always to take it and run with it. They have another thing about home – home will asking me ‘what is your plan B?’ I helped my daughter and me so much be there. It won’t get up and leave. remember saying, ‘if I had a plan B, I throughout the years. This program Castle Gardens will be there,” notes would have never exposed myself and has been a blessing,” Barbara said. Carl. my child to the system.’” Fortune’s reach has extended beyond Barbara sums up her thoughts on Barbara applied for an apartment at Barbara to positively impact her home in just one word: security. She Castle Gardens before the building daughter, Nemiah, in profound ways adds, “To this day, my daughter and I was even complete and moved in as well. Barbara states “Honestly, walk in, and say ‘home sweet home.’” with her daughter upon its opening. “I without The Fortune Society, could not wait to move in,” Barbara [Nemiah] wouldn’t have been able to
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HOW TO SPOT AND STOP HOUSING DISCRIMINATION BY TABBER BENEDICT Housing Advocate and Special Assistant The Fortune Society
When I walked out of the prison doors and was finally able to hug my mom outside of the tall concrete walls, it felt like a miracle. I had more gratitude for the feeling of the sun on my face and riding a crowded subway car, surrounded by people from all different walks of life. Even amidst that newfound joy, there was something I was immediately worried about - finding a safe, affordable place to live. My journey ended with another miracle: after four months of couch surfing, I was given the chance to rent a small room on the fourth floor of a walkup building. Though I was 19
allowed to rent that room because the landlord’s brother felt that I deserved a second chance, I have realized over the last several years that many people are not as lucky. While there are many challenges for people who have spent time in prison or jail, finding safe, affordable housing can be the most pressing concern. Many private and public housing providers have policies that effectively ban anyone with prior criminal justice involvement from living in or owning a home. In recognition of these practices, The Fortune Society has developed housing units and established relationships with private landlords over the past twenty years that provide
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safe, affordable places to live for our participants. During this time, we have seen how the collateral consequences of criminal justice involvement consistently keep people out of the housing market. Our work with government agencies and other fair housing organizations has allowed us to understand that this problem harms communities throughout the United States and has a disparate impact on people of color. Most people do not even realize when they are facing discrimination, which compounds the issue and is a challenge for Fortune and other like-minded organizations when trying to prevent it. We strive to help people understand what to look for, when to speak up and how to advocate for their rights.
RECOGNIZING POSSIBLE HOUSING DISCRIMINATION Almost all landlords, property management companies and realtors use background checks and are allowed to use their complete discretion when developing policies regarding people with criminal justice involvement. If a background check shows any justice history, including only arrests without conviction, the applicant can be denied access, even if they would otherwise qualify. Therefore, it is critical to recognize when a seemingly neutral tool such as a background check is used to exclude people with criminal justice involvement from getting a home. Generally, if a person is treated one way (positively and with respect) up until screening is complete and then negatively afterwards, that is an indicator of possible discrimination. Another scenario involves “ghosting.” During the application process, the landlord or realtor may learn of a criminal justice history, either via a background check or offered up in conversation by the applicant. Frequently, this leads the landlord to begin “ghosting,” intentionally failing to respond to texts, calls and emails regarding the housing unit. The landlord may ghost indefinitely or they may eventually respond but can claim that the apartment or application is not their reason for being out of touch. The source of income can also be a basis for possible discrimination. When people with criminal justice involvement apply for an apartment, they may be attempting to use different means to pay for rent, mortgages or a security deposit such as housing vouchers, subsidies or public assistance money. In New York State, it is against the law to reject a person’s application for an apartment based on source of income, and thus, if
the landlord seems to favor applicants who are using income from a job (instead of a voucher or other form of government subsidy), there may be a case for housing discrimination. There are subtle ways that housing providers discriminate, and it is important to remember that, in some cases, how an application process makes a person feel can be an important indicator of possible discrimination. Therefore, if a person suspects that there is discrimination, it is important to keep a record of signs of disrespect or disinterest from realtors and landlords. This will help advocates more effectively combat housing discrimination based on criminal justice involvement or source of income.
WHAT TO DO IF THERE IS POSSIBLE HOUSING DISCRIMINATION? No one is alone in this challenge. In order for Fortune and other organizations to help, we need justice-involved individuals to reach out and share their experiences. If a person suspects discrimination, it is best to contact Fortune or other likeminded governmental or non-profit organizations and ask for support. Fortune and its partners help justiceinvolved people across New York State who are dealing with barriers to securing housing. For those facing possible housing discrimination based on criminal justice involvement outside of New York State, Fortune recommends that people contact the National Fair Housing Alliance (NFHA). NFHA is a national civil rights organization dedicated to eliminating all forms of housing discrimination. When courageous folks come to Fortune or similar organizations to share their experiences of housing
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KEEPING RECORDS When people are facing discrimination, if and when possible, it is important for people to keep records of the following, which help advocacy groups more effectively counter discrimination: Copies of any advertisements, including online, for apartments or housing, applications and other documents that were required to be submitted; Emails, texts, voicemail messages or paper communications between the applicant and the housing provider or realtor; The address and name of the landlord or realtor along with notes of how the process is going and how the applicant feels about the process; Recordings of any phone calls or conversations with landlords or realtors, only if it is lawful to create such recordings. California, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania and Washington law require all parties to give consent to being recorded.
discrimination, we have a much better chance of breaking down the barriers that prevent people with criminal justice involvement from accessing safe, quality affordable homes.
FACING DISCRIMINATION? CONTACT THE NATIONAL FAIR HOUSING ALLIANCE: Telephone: 202-898-1661 Email: nfha@nationalfairhousing.org
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