Abolishing “Crime-Free Housing” Policies, Contracts, Ordinances and Programs

WHEREAS, there is a growing trend of housing discrimination against African Americans who live in rental housing in predominantly African-American communities or communities where there is a growing African-American presence by the passage, enforcement, and maintenance of "Crime-Free Housing" ordinances and programs at the local level; and

WHEREAS, "Crime-Free Housing" ordinances and programs prohibit potential tenants from obtaining rental housing if the prospective tenant has been convicted of a crime regardless of the nature of, circumstances surrounding, or amount of time that has passed since, the offense; and

WHEREAS, there is no evidence "Crime-Free Housing" ordinances and programs reduce crimes in locales that have such ordinances and programs, but there is evidence that these ordinances disproportionally negatively affect people of color, and promote racial segregation in rental housing; and

WHEREAS, "Crime-Free Housing" ordinances and programs allow and encourage the eviction of tenants from their homes without the requirement of any criminal conviction, but instead, based upon mere allegations of criminal activity attributed to tenants, persons living with the tenants, or guests of such tenants and regardless of whether the alleged criminal activity took place on the leased premises, thus effectively allowing the police to determine where renters may live; and

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the NAACP demands the repeal by all governmental bodies and housing providers of all existing discriminatory "Crime-Free Housing" polices, contracts, and ordinances and opposes the creation of any new ordinances.