Housing discrimination at the intersection of health condition, race and felony status

Those reintegrating into society from incarceration are faced with a stigma that prevents them from receiving basic human needs. The label of "felon" creates collateral consequences that prevent access to necessities like employment, healthcare, and housing (Pager, 2003; Kugelmass, 2016; Evans, 2018). Housing has been identified as one of the most critical necessities in the process of reentry – however, it is widely inaccessible for people with a criminal record (Garland et al., 2010; O'Brien, 2001). Health issues are also highly prevalent within the formerly incarcerated population, as reentering individuals are at significantly higher risk of having both physical illnesses and mental disorders (Pedersen, 2019; Bronson & Berzofsky, 2017). In order to live a healthy life, it is imperative to be housed due to its positive impact on both physical and mental health (Evans, 2003; Kreiger & Higgins, 2002). While it is known that housing institutions discriminate on the basis of criminal record, it is unclear whether health status or race play a role in affecting the accessibility of housing for a reentering individual (Helfgott, 1997; Thacher, 2008; Evans et al., 2019). This study uses the audit method to examine the effects of health status and race on housing outcomes. Fictitious testers, known as auditors, sent emails inquiring about rental listings to housing organizations across North Carolina. The emails that each auditor sent signal various health and racial characteristics that are used to examine potential cases of discrimination based on the amount of positive responses each received. I did not obtain evidence that suggests differential treatment on the basis of health with regards to housing outcomes. However, the results consistently suggest a racial bias in housing outcomes amongst all forms of health status.Bachelor of Art