Enterprise invites you to participate in our Housing as a Pathway to Justice Gulf Coast Work Group, to discuss strategies for better connecting people impacted by the criminal legal system with housing options and other needed supports. The Gulf Coast Work Group will follow similar peer sharing groups that Enterprise has convened over the past year in our Mid-Atlantic and Ohio markets.
In our criminal legal system — particularly in Louisiana — Black and Brown individuals are overrepresented in our prisons and jails and are more likely to be policed and arrested, compared to a white person. This is driven in part by discriminatory policies and discretionary processes throughout the U.S. criminal legal system — from disparities in policing practices and arrests, through pretrial bail decisions, to disposition, sentencing, and parole determinations.
Once released, people face debilitating restrictions, from discrimination in housing to the struggle to find a job. This has created a system where people formerly incarcerated are 10 to 13 times more likely to experience homelessness than people who have not been incarcerated.
Recognizing that the affordable housing industry has contributed to these systemic barriers, Enterprise believes housing providers can actively work to dismantle some of these restrictions and create access to opportunity for people impacted by the criminal legal system.
Through the Pathway to Justice Gulf Coast Work Group, participants representing traditional affordable housing developers, property managers, emerging developers, faith groups, and service providers will be introduced to and discuss basic and advanced issues, barriers, and strategies to house people with conviction records, and/or impacted by the criminal legal system. Interactive work and assignments will help participants develop a plan to incorporate the material into their work. Participants will also engage with a consultant to help refine organizational goals, internal processes, or development plans to house people impacted by the criminal legal system.
Important Dates
- Application Opens: 9/1/2023 via SlideRoom
- Informational Webinar : 9/14/2023 at 10:00-11:00a.m. CT - Register
- Application Closes: 9/22/2023
- Acceptance Notification: Week of 9/26/2023
- Work Group Timeline: 10/17/2023 – 1/9/2024
How to Apply
Step 1: Review the application to assess your eligibility and interest in applying.
IMPORTANT: SlideRoom will automatically save the Applicant's work. That means that even if the Applicant loses internet connection or has computer problems, the work will still be saved. Applicants can also log in and out as many times as they need to complete their application. However, once an Applicant submits their proposal, they cannot go back to make any edits. Applications received outside of SlideRoom or after the deadline will not be accepted. Questions regarding technical issues with SlideRoom may be sent to support@slideroom.com.
Step 2: Register to attend the September 14 informational webinar to learn more about the work group.
Step 3: Submit application and all required materials by 11:59 p.m. Central Time on September 22, 2023.
Contact Ryan Brock (rbrock@enterprisecommunity.org) with any questions about the Housing as a Pathway to Justice Gulf Coast Work Group.