MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The U.S. Department of Justice has awarded a million-dollar grant to the Shelby County Office of Re-Entry through its Housing Demonstration Program. This program aims to expand partnerships and increase affordable housing options for former inmates.
Officials said that these funds will support the creation of a task force to address policy barriers that make it difficult for former inmates to obtain stable housing after their release.
"After prioritizing housing, we wanted to make sure we could go out and find the funds necessary to acquire opportunities for individuals that are leaving incarceration," said Office of Re-Entry Director DeAndre Brown. "This grant allows us to have housing vouchers that allow individuals to have safe housing."
The Office of Re-Entry will work with organizations like HOPE Credit Union and the Hospitality Hub to connect recently released individuals with affordable housing. Brown added that this nearly million-dollar grant would also support job placement and sustainability efforts.
"Through our system, we have relationships with employment agencies and employment programs to give individuals the hard and soft skills to put them in positions to make a livable wage," he said.
The housing plan will feature three tiers: emergency, transitional, and permanent housing, allowing the team to assess which options work best for individuals.
Commissioner Erika Sugarmon said she is excited for the new opportunity this presents in Shelby County.
"Not only that, but also wrap-around services so they can get up on their feet," she said. "If not, they're going to re-offend. And so, now that the crime is going down, let's continue the process."
Brown also mentioned that the Office of Re-Entry, in collaboration with researchers from the University of Memphis, will evaluate this tiered program over three years to assess its success.