Stable Housing = Safer Communities. Support the Fair Future Act!

Pennsylvania needs the Fair Future Act. Read on for more information on how to get your lawmakers to support this legislation:

It’s a fact that stable housing is the single most important factor in successful reentry after prison. Without it, individuals are far more likely to face homelessness, unemployment, and even re-incarceration. Removing barriers to housing not only improves individual’s lives, but it also improves public safety.

Yet, in Pennsylvania, over 70,000 people with past convictions face a lifetime barrier to housing because of an outdated law that allows landlords to legally deny potential renters or home buyers based on even a decades-old drug conviction, even if that conviction was for possessing less than a gram of a prohibited narcotic?

It doesn’t matter how long ago the conviction occurred or how well someone can prove that they have reformed their life, or are financially able to afford the rent or purchase of a property. Under current law, If they have just one conviction, the landlord can use it to disqualify them — end of discussion.

This must change. Sign the petition to support the Fair Future Act and end this form of state-sanctioned discrimination.

Supporting the law would:

Restore fair housing protections to people with drug related convictions.
Create a clear, consistent process for landlords and applicants.
Strengthen public safety by making stable housing accessible to those reentering society.

The facts are clear:

In Ohio, The Returning Home Project found that those with housing assistance were 40% less likely to be rearrested.
In Hayward, CA, only 9.6% of participants in a housing program returned to prison — compared to the usual 68% within three years.

Keeping these barriers in place serves no legitimate public safety purpose. It's an outdated excessively punitive policy that undermines rehabilitation and keeps families trapped in cycles of instability.

Housing is the foundation of opportunity. Denying someone a roof over their head because of a decades-old mistake is not just unjust — it’s unAmerican.

The time to act is now. Sign the petition and urge your lawmaker to support the Fair Future Act in Pennsylvania.

Tell Your Rep: We Need Fairer Housing in PA!

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Dear Distinguished Member of the Pennsylvania Legislature,

I am writing to urge you to support the Fair Future Act in Pennsylvania.

Stable housing is one of the most effective ways to prevent recidivism and improve public safety – this is why we must prioritize removing artificial barriers to housing and opportunity. Under current legislation: landlords, and the algorithms they use, are able to automatically deny individuals and families with a past drug related conviction, even if they fit all other qualifications or are able to pay the rent.

This systemic barrier leaves many with few options but to return to unstable living situations, increasing their likelihood of reoffending and re-entering the criminal justice system.

The Fair Future Act will promote fair housing opportunities for people with criminal histories, protect against unjust discrimination, and create a clear legal process for both landlords and applicants.

As your constituent, I urge you to vote yes on this important initiative to provide people with drug convictions with the fair chance they deserve to rebuild their lives and reintegrate into society.

Thank you for your time and consideration. I look forward to your support on this critical issue.