Called for housing lottery, what about my arrest record? (Hope: apartment, rent)

[nycpostalworker]

So... I was recently, after years of applying, called for not one but two housing lotteries, one through NYC Housing Connect and the other by directly applying to a building. I got notice for both on the same day, weird!

I have a cb preference on one and for both I seem to meet the income requirements. My credit is good enough I'm guessing (between 650-700 depending on bureau hit) and I have a very stable rent history.

So... I'm feeling confident but one thing I'm a bit concerned about is I was arrested around a year ago for smoking weed in public. Not my best moment, but I've grown (I only rarely smoke weed outside these days).

Do you think this will influence my outcome?



Also, separately... If I'm getting called for an interview and do qualify, am I still essentially just on a long waiting list or am I closer than that?

Thanks!

[prgordo]

Postal worker + Weed smoker = wheres my package and mail ?

[livingsinglenyc]

Originally Posted by prgordo

Postal worker + Weed smoker = wheres my package and mail ?

My USPS package has been MIA since last Thursday. Seriously is this why I never receive any because all the employee's are lazy and stoned....

[livingsinglenyc]

Originally Posted by nycpostalworker

Not my best moment, but I've grown (I only rarely smoke weed outside these days).

Hope you don't smoke inside your apartment because most of these buildings are smoke free!

[macnyc2003]

They will do a background check. How will they interpret that? We shall see.

[randomperson2]

Were you convicted? An arrest alone is not supposed to be sufficient grounds to justify exclusion.

[nycpostalworker]

The case was dismissed.

Also, to be honest, I can't smoke on the job. Not fun. More of an off duty recreation

[livingsinglenyc]

Originally Posted by nycpostalworker

The case was dismissed.

Also, to be honest, I can't smoke on the job. Not fun. More of an off duty recreation

I'm glad to hear you don't. We all have recreational activities we enjoy. Just be curtious of your neighbors.

Now back to my package....where are you hiding it, its been over a week and still MIA

[BugsyPal]

Originally Posted by nycpostalworker

The case was dismissed.

Also, to be honest, I can't smoke on the job. Not fun. More of an off duty recreation

By and large arrest records do not carry any consequences and or repercussions. Only convictions appear on rap sheets and that is what legally persons or entities can make determinations regarding moral and or other fitness for various things including but not limited to employment, housing, military, security clearances, etc...

Arrest records matter more as a moral objection and or shaming; you'll hear media say "suspect has an "arrest" record of ......". They may go on to say "with no convictions", and or "was convicted of "X". Or those background checking websites will say "X has court records (arrests, convictions)... leading people to make their own assumptions.

By USC persons are innocent until proven guilty, thus legally nothing can be done to anyone who merely has an arrest record that ends in a case being dismissed and or otherwise decided in favor of accused.

This being said does finding out someone has an arrest record leave a bad taste in some people's mouths? Of course, but they cannot legally discriminate merely based upon that information alone. But if that information does cause some sort of internal bias to kick in they will find other ways to say "no", just not disclose their true reasons.

In your situation none of this matters; these "affordable" housing applications like nearly everything else in NYS only ask about convictions, not arrests IIRC.

End of thread.