They’re robbing us!

I have a friend that was released from a state prison about a month ago. His sister found a halfway house also known as “residential reentry centers” . On the day of his release, he goes and sees his PO( parole officer) and the PO says” no I have a halfway house for you to go to”. 2 Luv 1 Another is the organization and halfway house that is a better fit you.  It’s a good house, they can get you a job, they have programs for you and they can help you with getting your life back on track. Only the “programs” aren’t programs they are resources.

Halfway house in disguise:

My friend goes to the house and from day one he’s  $ 750.00 in the hole, but it isn’t “rent” it is called a “program fee’. My friend starts questioning the house manager about the programs. What kind of programs does this halfway house offer and when do they start. The house manager states he doesn’t know. He asks why they pay so much in “rent”,  the manager states it’s not rent it’s called “program fees”. So they go back and forth about the programs, rent or program fees. The conversation goes absolutely no where. Then the truth comes to light, this is not a halfway house for inmates, it’s a house for the homeless.

Where is the FBOP Certification?

My friend tells me all these things. I ask him to look around the house for a certification that should be displayed at all times. He says no there’s nothing here. I’m like what? There has to be a certificate that says that the house is certified for inmates. My friend talks to the house manager again. Oh the owner is in the process of getting licensed for inmates, she’s working on getting the RRC license from FBOP.

My Research uncovered:

When you run an inmate halfway house, you can only charge them 25% of their gross income and they are in charge of their health and mental insurance.  If you run a home for homeless people you can only charge an individual 30% of their gross income and they are also in charge of their of own health and mental insurance. Now, after you have been living somewhere for 30 days, legally you have become a resident of that home. To be removed from the home, the home owner has to go get a court order, serve you and you have 30 days to vacate the premises. The house is supposed to be staffed with 2 staff during the day, 1 staff at night and 1 medical staff at all times. All staff are supposed to pass a background check and have a behavioral health background.

Squatting:

If you’re homeless you become a “squatter”. Squatter’s do not have to pay rent, they do not have leave, and if they make changes even the smallest of changes like plants flowers in the front yard, paint a few walls, fix a leaky ceiling and you are allowed to stay. There have been lawsuits won over million dollar homes where a squatter who moved into an abandoned million dollar home in California. Since this halfway house label these inmates as homeless kicking them can be a very difficult thing to do if they have not violated their parole.

Rules:

The “rules” are given out during orientation. However, the rules do not specify that you will be kicked out immediately unless, you are intoxicated, using drugs or violent in the home. This program also states that  you are not allowed to call in to work for a UA( urine analysis). UA’s are required by the DOC( Department of Correction) and if you do not go you will be in trouble. Keeping their job is a requirement.  Making sure your ‘rent” or “program fee” is paid is a requirement.  Meetings are supposed to happen a couple of times a week in the house, but they don’t. Everyone has chores everyday and double chores on Saturdays.  When you first arrive, you have to stay in the house for 30 days unless someone goes with you.

Resources and Programming.

Programming is very different from resources. Programming are things that are offered every week and worked on every week, usually in the halfway house. Being homeless there are so many resources to homeless individuals. However, this organization is telling these inmates that there are not resources available to them because they are inmates and they are programming. Here are some of the resources that are available for the homeless population:

Programs:

Group counseling, educational, Behavioral health, cognitive therapy groups, anger counseling, financial counseling, Spiritual counseling, domestic violence counseling, life and parenting skills classes, and programs for sex offenders

Resources:

2-1-1, food pantries, food banks, soup kitchens, emergency shelters, supportive housing, rent and utility assistance, subsidized housing.

Not offering these programs can be harmful to inmates. Inmates struggle so much when they are release. So they go to a “halfway” house that says they offer all things and then the house doesn’t, it is very frustrating and most definitely not right.

Competition:

I completely understand the need to have your business succeed but at what cost? What are businesses and PO’s getting out of sending inmates to places like this? How is it ok to kick a person out of the house for not following the rules. I understand getting kick out for parole violation, but this is supposed to be a  ” re-entry program”. Which means providing the opportunity for men and women to work  a program and jobs to be successful coming back into society.

In Arizona if you need help here are some resources:

211 Arizona                  Old Pueblo Community Services              Hope’s Crossing

Buckeye Outreach for Social Service        AWEE    The Family Service Agency     Goodwill Arizona

Behavioral System Southwest            Jobpath        Dismas Charities

Set up for failure:

With such high “rent or program fee’ before you even start working, no rides to and from a job, appointments, UA’s,, PO’s Office or somewhere you need to be and no meals provided.  No programs, no group counseling in the home and trained staff. An organization that says where you will and gives you all these “rules” to follow but aren’t willing to help you that is a recipe for failure. No wonder so many people go back to prison.

 

Please let me know if you have a story or what you thoughts are.