ABSTRACT
Among the many challenges ex-offenders face when returning to their community is finding a place to live. Discriminatory policing and related criminal justice practices exacerbate these problems. Bans on ex-offenders in public housing and by rental agents, local nuisance standards that often lead to evictions disproportionately in minority communities, and related practices have a disparate impact on African Americans in housing markets. The Fair Housing Act, particularly the disparate-impact standard, provides tools for dealing with these obstacles.
