Where to Look for an Apartment as a Felon
The law grants rental property managers and landlords the right to carry out a background investigation on anyone who wishes to rent an apartment. Such potential tenants may be rejected if anything incriminating is found on their records – regardless of the crime and when it was committed. While this may be widely viewed as some form of discrimination, the law thinks differently.

Is there any housing hop for felons?
Yes. There is much hope. Going for rental property listings that do not demand a criminal background check is your best bet.

Where are such apartments found?
Search for small-time homeowners seeking to rent out one or two apartments – they are your best opportunities at getting an apartment.

Before you begin a search for an apartment on any real estate directory, here are guidelines to help you maximize your chances of landing an apartment:
  1. Search for apartments in less popular areas with low cost of living and, possibly, on the outskirt of major towns and cities. Apartments in such areas attract far cheaper rents, as demand is relatively lower. Also, landlords’ demands are less since they hardly ever get tenants.
  2. Go for apartments for rent in a duplex or a single-family home. In most cases, these apartments are not handled by management firms, but by private landlords. This automatically beats down protocols.
  3. Consider a single room or basement rentals. The low demand for these options automatically increases a felon’s chances.
  4. Ignore rentals in huge apartment complexes. Companies mostly control these apartments, and with their strict guidelines, your chances of being accepted as felon drops.
  5. Carefully go through the listings and check if the required background check is stated from the onset. If clearly stated, proceeding with such an apartment is a complete waste of time.
  6. Look beyond “Apt/Housing” categories. Search deeper in categories like “Sublets/Temporary” and “Room/Shared.”
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For many felons, finding affordable housing is a major struggle. One popular type of housing assistance for felons is the Section 8 choice voucher program.

​Felonies and Section 8 Housing
Can renters get public housing assistance with a felony on their record? It depends on the type of conviction and where the person lives.
To earn Section 8 vouchers, applicants must first meet the standards that the Department of Housing and Urban Development sets forth. HUD prohibits individuals from receiving housing assistance if they are on the sex offender registry for life or if they were convicted of making methamphetamine in government-subsidized housing.​

​Community Pillar Housing
While the Community Pillar program doesn’t offer reduced or subsidized rents, it provides a path for people who can afford to pay rent but might have trouble securing a rental for other reasons.
Community Pillar landlords are willing to consider applicants who don’t meet their standard rental criteria — for example, renters with poor or no credit, a low income-to-rent ratio or a period of unemployment. Rental shoppers can search for housing on Zillow using the “Income restricted & Community Pillar” filter on any rental search page (under the “More” menu).
​The Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) features Section 8 housing choice vouchers for felons and people in need across the state. (You can click on the image above to take you to the TDHCA Section 8 page)
The program works in conjunction with HUD in Texas to support the needs of people who require subsidized housing. Texas public housing authorities also supply applicants with housing vouchers so they can live in clean and affordable rental units and dwellings.
The Housing Choice Voucher Section 8 program offers rental assistance on behalf of families and individuals with low incomes.
The program also provides housing for people with disabilities and the elderly.
The financial assistance is extended to households whose yearly gross income does not go over 50% of HUD’s income guidelines.
HUD requires that 75% of new households be at 30% or below the area median income or AMI.
The eligibility of applicants is based on the income, composition and size of a household as well as citizenship status and childcare and medical expenses.
Qualified applicants can choose the best available housing by negotiating with participating landlords. The aforementioned TDHCA in Texas remits government-approved rental amounts directly to landlords.
The TDHCA in Texas is one of several public housing authorities that operates the Housing Choice Voucher Section 8 program in Texas.
Each PHA covers a certain service area. Section 8 is not provided in all areas of Texas.
Neither does the TDHCA Section 8 program extend throughout the state.
The Project Access program in the state makes use of Housing Choice Voucher Section 8 vouchers that are administered by the TDHCA to help low-income people with disabilities transition from institutions into the community.
The annual median income can vary by location.
You can read the income limits that have been established for the HCV HUD program by clicking on this link.
Again, if you have been just released from prison and your felony was not a sex offense or involved the making and selling of methamphetamine, you need to contact HUD or an affiliated agency without delay.
The sooner you schedule an appointment, the sooner you can meet your goal of securing a permanent place to live.
Rental housing that qualifies under HUD for subsidies includes mobile homes, single-family dwellings and apartments, provided they are in a sanitary and safe condition, or meet the guidelines established by Housing Quality Standards.

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