'Literally changed my life,' Justice 4 Housing helping people get homes after prison
BOSTON - Justice 4 Housing is a non-profit that partnered with the Boston Housing Authority for a pilot program to give Section 8 vouchers to people coming out of prison. The vouchers are a federally-funded rental assistance program that helps low-income people afford housing at a subsidized rate.
"This literally changed my life. This literally put me in a position to really better myself actually. I'm not trying anymore, I'm doing it," said Kim, a voucher recipient in the pilot program, who did not want to use her last name.
We met Kim at her new apartment that she was able to get because of the program. A few months ago, Kim was homeless. Getting out of prison, she didn't have anywhere stable to live. That's until Justice 4 Housing came along.
"Worrying about where you're going to sleep at night is the number one stress killer," Kim told WBZ-TV.
Justice 4 Housing made it easier for the BHA to be confident that the person they provide a voucher to will thrive in society. It also gave them an outside organization as a resource to approve of people coming out of prison who should be eligible for vouchers.
"Historically those folks have been shut out too frequently from housing options and we're a lot about second chances here. I really hope this gives folks the stability and the platform to change their lives," Boston Housing Authority Administrator Kate Bennett told WBZ.
It all started with Leslie Credle, who founded the organization in 2019, a year after she got out of prison.
"She changed my life. She changed my life for the better," Kim said.
"We want to transfer them into being homeowners. I want them to experience what I experienced. My re-entry was successful because I had stable housing," Credle told us.
The pilot program with the BHA is 18 months. Justice 4 Housing not only provided housing but also mental health counseling, financial literacy assistance and family reunification help.
"Having a safe place to come home to, when you're incarcerated, you come home, there's trauma, there's a lot of trauma and you need a place to just lay your head so that you can heal," Credle said.
Healing that can be done in the comfort of a home.
For more information on Justice 4 Housing, visit their website.
