CHARLOTTE, N.C. — There's a push to increase housing for those looking for a second chance at life.
The organization Freedom Fighting Missionaries is looking to create townhomes for former inmates.
“Having a criminal record, it creates a lot of barriers,” Kenny Robinson, executive director for Freedom Fighting Missionaries, said.
Removing barriers to housing for people who are formerly incarcerated is no easy task, but Robinson, says it's possible.
“I myself have traveled through that journey and I’ve been out of prison a little over 11 years now," Robinson said. "I just myself became a homeowner here in Charlotte in June, so it can be a journey.”
Now, he's on a mission to create two different housing projects in east Charlotte.
There are plans for over 30 townhomes. The project has received support from Mecklenburg County leaders.
Sonya Harper, Director of Mecklenburg County Criminal Justice Services, says they've created a network of housing vendors to provide homes to those reentering society, but they're also investing in community organizations to help create pathways to housing.
“It is important to make those investments, to help folks get on that pathway because it plays into public safety," Harper said.
After people are released, many struggle to find housing, which in turn can prevent them from staying out of jail.
“There are a lot of people who have had contact with the system who are trying to get on the right path and do the right thing, but there’s a lot of stigma to people who have a record," Harper said.
The housing shortage, coupled with landlords who don't want to lease to people with criminal backgrounds, can make it hard for people to reenter our community. Harper says by investing in housing, there's potential for more people to be successful, like Robinson.
“You can go from incarceration to homeownership,” Robinson said.
Charlotte city leaders also want to give money to organizations, like Freedom Fighting Missionaries, to help build affordable housing. In the coming weeks, they will vote on millions of dollars in COVID funding.