Second chance apartments for felons in Houston exist, but they aren’t always easy to find because landlords don’t advertise the fact that they rent to felons. And since the term felony covers such a wide range of offenses, there aren’t any one-size-fits-all solutions.
In this guide, we’re going to give you some leads that can help you find transitional housing and second chance apartments Houston. Let’s get started.
How To Find Second Chance Apartments for Felons In Houston in 2024
Under the Texas Property Code, landlords must give applicants a notice detailing their selection criteria and the reasons an applicant can be rejected.
When you apply for an apartment, make sure you receive a copy of that notice and take the time to read it before you pay an application fee. Checking small print is tedious, but it’s a good habit to get into.
Your application fee covers the cost of a background check, and that background check will include a criminal records search. In Texas, a rental background report can go back 7 years.
If your conviction is over 7 years old, you should be able to rent a regular apartment as long as you meet the other rental criteria. To know for certain where you stand, order a background check on yourself to see what comes up.
For felony convictions that haven’t reached the 7-year mark, you could still be eligible, depending on the landlord’s selection criteria. Otherwise, you’ll need to look for a second-chance apartment.
To find a second-chance apartment, look at smaller rental operations which are more likely to be managed by the apartment owner than a property management company.
A property owner can still reject you, but they tend to be more flexible, especially if you can show that you can pay the rent on time, offer extra rent in advance, and/or offer to pay cash.
Smaller landlords will be very concerned that you will pay the rent on time because late payment or non-payment will have a significant impact on their income, and it takes time to get a non-paying tenant evicted. If you can offer several months of rent upfront, the money may help them overlook your history if they run a background report.
All landlords expect you to earn a minimum income relative to the rent they charge. This is usually two and a half to three times the monthly rent, and it’s based on your pretax income.
If the rent is $800 per month, you’ll need to show a monthly stable income of between $2,000 and $2,400. You’ll also need the application fee and security deposit.
Search for Houston apartments on:
- Craigslist
- Zillow
- Facebook Marketplace
- Trulia
- HotPads
Look for apartments in houston that rent to felons? You’ll probably need to make a lot of calls or send a lot of messages before you find a landlord who will work with you, so be prepared for rejections and keep working through the listings.
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Use A Second Chance Apartment Finder In Houston
Make your search for second-chance apartments for felons in Houston easier by using a professional rental agent.
Second-chance apartment finders are real estate agents with extensive local knowledge. A good agent will have a database of apartment rentals that they can check to find a landlord who will accept your felony.
You’ll need to be honest about your felony so they can match you with an apartment because landlords have different rental criteria and they don’t accept every type of felony.
If your felony is a sexual offence, apartment finders won’t usually be able to help you.
You can search online for a second chance apartment finder, or search on Craigslist or Facebook. Or you can start by contacting John at Apartment Find For Criminal Issues. The website address is http://aptfindcriminal.com/.
Apartment Find For Criminal Issues covers the Houston area and there’s no fee to use the service because the agent receives a finder’s fee from the landlord when you sign a lease.
Get Help Finding Transitional Housing and Second Chance Apartments From A Reentry Organization
Reentry organizations work with felons reentering society and help with transitional and permanent housing, employment, acquiring ID and other important documents, medical care, government financial assistance, education and skills training, and substance abuse issues.
If you’re a recently released felon, a reentry organization is a resource you should use to find housing. Even if you’ve been out for a while, you can reach out and get help, and a reentry group will certainly know of landlords who will rent to you.
Here are some useful reentry contacts in the Houston Area.
Crosswalk Center
Crosswalk Center is a Christian reentry organization based at 2103 N. Main St., Houston, TX 77009. Call for advice about apartments for felons and your next steps at – 713-237-0880.
Web address: https://crosswalkcenter.org/
His Father’s Heart Ministries
His Father’s Heart Ministries is a Christian reentry group offering support services to men and women in the Houston area.
Contact them via their website: https://hisfathersheart.org/contact/
Magnificat Houses
Magnificat Houses offer supported short-term accommodation (up to 90 days) and permanent homes for formerly incarcerated men and women in the Houston area. As well as helping with housing, they offer a full range of reentry services and will know of landlords in Houston who will rent to felons. You’ll need to contact them for an appointment.
Magnificat Houses, Inc.
1410 Elgin, Houston Texas 77004
Phone: 713-529-4231
Website: https://mhihouston.org/what-we-do/housing/
Perpetual Help Home
Perpetual Help Home is a Christian ministry helping formerly incarcerated women reenter society. They help with transitional and permanent housing and can help you find landlords willing to rent apartments to felons.
Their housing is open to women with children too, which is essential when you’re doing your best to keep your family together.
Perpetual Help Home also helps with skills and training and in 2021, 85% of their program participants found employment.
Visit the website here: http://www.perpetualhelphome.org/what-we-do.
Houston Health Department Community Reentry Network Program
The reentry program run by the Houston Health department offers a comprehensive range of services to help offenders successfully reintegrate into society.
Even if you aren’t interested in any of their other services, contact them for second-chance apartment leads in Houston.
Website: https://www.houstonhealth.org/services/community-re-entry
Phone: 832-393-5467
Ask Your Probation or Parole Officer About Second Chance Apartments In Houston
Your probation or parole officer is a good contact for housing support. They can help you find transitional housing in a halfway house, or help you find an extended-stay motel, and they should be able to give you some solid leads for landlords that will rent to felons in the Houston area.
Check This Also: Apartments That Accept Evictions In Houston TX
Look For Extended Stay Hotels or Motels In Houston
Extended-stay hotels are an alternative to apartments. They’re just like regular hotels, but guests stay on a long-term basis.
While their rates will be higher than a cheap apartment, the room rate is all-inclusive. You won’t need to pay for gas, electricity, or water, and many hotels include cable TV and free Wi-Fi.
These hotels aren’t ideal and a second-chance apartment is a much better option, but if you’re stuck, you can call around and see if any will take you.
You may need to pass a background check and hotels will have different acceptance policies.
Siegel Suites Houston may be willing to rent to you. Call them at 702-552-3627.
Summary
If your felony is older than 7 years, then you should be able to rent a normal apartment in Houston. With a more recent felony, you can still find landlords willing to rent to you, and thanks to the Texas Property Code, landlords need to be honest about their rejection criteria, so you can figure out if it’s worth your while to apply for an apartment.
You can also get help to find a 2nd chance apartments houston by using an apartment finder, or by contacting a reentry organization. Reentry organizations offer a wide range of help for felons, but if all you want is a list of landlords you can approach, then they’ll be able to give you some leads.
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Robert Eric (a lover of Cats and Dogs) is the co-founder of HireFelonsJobs. In our search for a better life, after… A platform was created for the purpose of easing the search for ex-convicts.