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In the end Fair Housing and other act's don't incl. criminals as being part of their acts so a LL can decide if they want to rent to a criminal or not
BTW the other way around is allowed too...if a tenant wants to rent from a criminal they are free to do so....so maybe a criminal should rent from a criminal and they whole issue is solved...
You know. I registered here just to respond to this thread. Let me say right off the start that my small rant below does not apply in my mind to serious or repeat offenders. Such people are the true criminals in society. This mini-rant applies to those who are jailed on misdemeanors or those who are jailed only once for a felony not involving moral turpitude. You would be surprised just how many of those people there are in society. I actually ask of you to look up the statistics and see just how many people have one conviction on their record.
That being said, all I can get out of this is that it shows exactly what is wrong with our justice system, and how the American people are so ignorant of the system as well yet still respect and support such a failing and horrible justice system.
For example. Yes, that lady whose son was arrested and convicted for killing his carjacker, that can land you in jail if there is an overzealous prosecutor, arresting officer, etc. Also, some laws in some states do not allow such an action as an excuse for use of deadly force in self defense. So what you as the public see as right, the system sees as wrong, and you the public (read: sheeple) later follow the courts as opposed to the person in the first place. Believe I'm wrong? Try it out yourself and see how you become a criminal. How is this just? Where is the fairness here?
Do you get where I'm going?
The reality is the system was originally set up to serve justice (defined as being the quality of just and fair). How fair is it that someone who is convicted and then sentenced to pay their debt to society, and does so cannot partake in society at a later date? This is because society feels the need to act as judge and jury themselves after a person has already paid their debts to them. This is called being vindictive. While you might not see it as that, it really is, in all human nature and purposes being simply vindictive. Why do you hold anything against them? Really, sit and think about the story DLRobinson presented to you. Stop judging off the top of your head and sit back, and really think about it. Is it really just and fair that her son who beat a carjacker to death and did 8 years in prison for it cannot get a house to rent, and most likely has a trouble finding a job as well?
What does that say about us as society? What does that say about us as people? Human beings?
Maybe so many people become criminals the second time around, and the rate of recidivism is so high because society has failed them the first time around. What options does a young man who did what he thought was right at a time, or even fell astray of the law once and was convicted because of it have when he gets out of prison? There is no system set in place for him when he returns to society, and he is fighting an uphill battle the second he steps out of those gates.
Society rejects him at every turn, when he needs a place to live (a roof over his head), when he needs a job (Food and to provide for his family).
It is a sad day when you trust your government and courts more than you trust the character of a person. It is a sad day when you as society deny these people basic needs, even sadder when you take advantage of them and their situation by charging higher rent, or lowering their job prospects to a minimum wage job.
And realize, just realize that we are all one step away from becoming a felon or having a criminal record that can screw our lives up forever. One step away.
^Yep. One step away. Of course, that step is committing, being arrested for, and getting convicted of a crime. Hmm... guess that's three steps.
Seriously though, as has been said a million times before ... that's all well and good, but none of it is really my problem. I'm not trying to fix society or our justice system or decide guilt or innocence or severity of crimes convicted of or how many crimes convicted of and all that. I'm just trying to find someone to rent my house to who is likely to pay rent on time every month and not wreck the house. Why on earth would I pick someone with a criminal record if there is a better candidate available? For the sake of justice and fairness? To redefine society? Are you kidding me? There may be some bigger problems out there, but I don't see it as a landlord's job to fix them.
You know. I registered here just to respond to this thread. Let me say right off the start that my small rant below does not apply in my mind to serious or repeat offenders. Such people are the true criminals in society. This mini-rant applies to those who are jailed on misdemeanors or those who are jailed only once for a felony not involving moral turpitude. You would be surprised just how many of those people there are in society. I actually ask of you to look up the statistics and see just how many people have one conviction on their record.
That being said, all I can get out of this is that it shows exactly what is wrong with our justice system, and how the American people are so ignorant of the system as well yet still respect and support such a failing and horrible justice system.
For example. Yes, that lady whose son was arrested and convicted for killing his carjacker, that can land you in jail if there is an overzealous prosecutor, arresting officer, etc. Also, some laws in some states do not allow such an action as an excuse for use of deadly force in self defense. So what you as the public see as right, the system sees as wrong, and you the public (read: sheeple) later follow the courts as opposed to the person in the first place. Believe I'm wrong? Try it out yourself and see how you become a criminal. How is this just? Where is the fairness here?
Do you get where I'm going?
The reality is the system was originally set up to serve justice (defined as being the quality of just and fair). How fair is it that someone who is convicted and then sentenced to pay their debt to society, and does so cannot partake in society at a later date? This is because society feels the need to act as judge and jury themselves after a person has already paid their debts to them. This is called being vindictive. While you might not see it as that, it really is, in all human nature and purposes being simply vindictive. Why do you hold anything against them? Really, sit and think about the story DLRobinson presented to you. Stop judging off the top of your head and sit back, and really think about it. Is it really just and fair that her son who beat a carjacker to death and did 8 years in prison for it cannot get a house to rent, and most likely has a trouble finding a job as well?
What does that say about us as society? What does that say about us as people? Human beings?
Maybe so many people become criminals the second time around, and the rate of recidivism is so high because society has failed them the first time around. What options does a young man who did what he thought was right at a time, or even fell astray of the law once and was convicted because of it have when he gets out of prison? There is no system set in place for him when he returns to society, and he is fighting an uphill battle the second he steps out of those gates.
Society rejects him at every turn, when he needs a place to live (a roof over his head), when he needs a job (Food and to provide for his family).
It is a sad day when you trust your government and courts more than you trust the character of a person. It is a sad day when you as society deny these people basic needs, even sadder when you take advantage of them and their situation by charging higher rent, or lowering their job prospects to a minimum wage job.
And realize, just realize that we are all one step away from becoming a felon or having a criminal record that can screw our lives up forever. One step away.
Feel free to rent to any criminal you like! Freedom of speech and freedom to rent to criminals or not! What a great country!
OK then slick, next question. What if they had a one time arrest record for a felony without a conviction (i.e. charges dismissed)?
You still would not rent to them, correct?
Personally, I wouldn't. I rented to a former criminal who said he had changed his life. Turns out, he was selling meth on the side through my garage. Never again.
I know not all 'criminals' convicted or not are like that, but if someone can deny me a rental due to having tattoos on my arms, even with my multiple college degrees, great credit and spotless records, then they can certain deny rent to a person who has a felony without a conviction.
arrest with no conviction be sealed or otherwise not reported? In NY state such a disposition is sealed both on the state and court level, so it can never be reported (except to law enforcement and a very limited number of other circumstances)
OK then slick, next question. What if they had a one time arrest record for a felony without a conviction (i.e. charges dismissed)?
You still would not rent to them, correct?
I don't know ....maybe if nobody shows up to rent my place who never got arrested....luckily I'm not in that position.
Even this week I got at least 5 calls for the place I had rented out within 1 day of posting the add
Your question is more for LL with properties in places that are hard to rent.
Why are you so worried about the criminals? If they paid their time and paid the monetary penalties in full they can try to build up their credibility and have to proof over time if they learned their lesson.
It isn't that you come out of jail/prison and deserve the same as everybody else who played by the rules....JMO!
We are talking about investments of LL that they want to protect against any wrong doing and they choose the best candidate for the place.
You don't hear people complain about places specially created for ex cons...they probable won't hire or rent to people who didn't have a record...
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wouldn't an
