Max,

Having worked both sides of this housing issue I can see several ways to get the word out. One through your blog. I will check out yours and if I like it I will attach a link to my blog. Another is letters to the editor of your area paper. Housing for felons is a hot topic issue in our capital city Boise. I think a philospophical letter to some bigger papers would be one way of letting people know about this potential service and cash cow.

As a PO and as a pre-release specialist I loved folks like you. I worked with a retired CO in Boise who had a house. He would only rent to people on my caseload. They were all graduate out of an intensive drug treatment program. It helped to continue their treatment and community oriented living style after release.

I agree completely. although i believe there should be a strict interview and a steady income, i believe they deserve a second chance. everyone deserves an opportunity to regain their freedom and restart their lives.

I couldn’t agree more CHZBURGR, my wife and I have been felon friendly landlords in the Denver area and now teach others how to rent to former offenders out on parole or probation, effectively and profitably. I’ve come to corrections.com to share our experiences and encourage others, especially retired corrections officers, to consider renting individual furnished rooms in income properties they may have.
The national average for gross rents generated are $450 a month for a private room and $750 a month for a semi-private room (two beds).
It can really add up, normally producing a net cash flow of $1000 a month per dwelling unit. CHZBURGR, what would you suggest be the best way for us to get the word out to others in the field? FYI, our blog site is maxcashflownow.com where we have a free ebook available on the subject.

I have been working in the system for twelve years the last three as a parole officer and before that a pre release specialist. I feel that I am very familiar with this issue. In one year as a pre – release specialist I released probably 60-70 offenders to homeless shelters and halfway houses. Without the halfway houses (most are faith based) many of the offenders would have been homeless. Homeless offenders are going to reoffend much quicker than those that are released to better situations.

I was just going through these topics, and this one really kind of ticks me off.. I will be starting work in Texas in January, and personally I think it is ridiculous that we are worried about homeless releases, when you look at the system down here, and it looks like there are going to be more homeless COs than anything. I didnt know it at the time I signed the contract, but there is NO housing availible where I have been posted. Until I can find a place down there, I will be driving 5 hours, and showering in a truck stop, sleeping in my car. This isnt just a problem where I am going either. One of the main retention issues Texas has is that where the prisons are located, there is no housing in or around that area, and no dorms for the COs. Before we worry about the people getting out, lets take care of our own.