Princeton alumnus Yusuf Dahl uses the short film "Backgrounded" to launch a panel discussion on how past incarceration remains a barrier to housing long after reentry into society.
This program will be moderated by Jeffrey Abromowitz of the Petey Greene Program. Registration is requested.
From Yusuf Dahl:
Join us for a transformative event as we delve into the formidable obstacles to housing that formerly incarcerated individuals encounter nationwide. It's an unfortunate truth that those who have paid their debt to society often find themselves locked out, with homelessness rates among them nearly ten times higher than that of the general population.
The challenges have only intensified in an era marked by an increasing reliance on automated background checks and screening algorithms. Landlords now lean heavily on these digital verdicts to make pivotal rental decisions, perpetuating a cycle of housing insecurity.
Amidst this landscape, in 2021, New Jersey was the first state in the country to enact "Fair Chance" housing legislation. This groundbreaking law aims to extend vital protections to justice-impacted individuals in the rental market, opening doors that were once slammed shut.
Our expert panel will unravel the complex web of reintegration challenges posed by housing restrictions while highlighting potential pathways to dismantle these barriers, to offer opportunities for those seeking to rebuild their lives.
Presented in partnership with The Petey Greene Program.
Co-presented by Housing Initiatives of Princeton, Not In Our Town Princeton, Princeton Community Housing, Princeton GROWS, the New Jersey Apartment Association, and Volunteer Lawyers for Justice.
Panelists include:
Yusuf Dahl is a successful nonprofit leader and entrepreneur who earned a master’s degree from Princeton University’s School for Public and International Affairs, whose life, like those of other "justice impacted individuals," continues to be affected by past incarceration despite numerous achievements. Dahl is featured in “Backgrounded,” part of Showtime’s “VICE” docuseries.
Carl Gershenson is lab director at Eviction Lab. He has published on the causes and consequences of housing instability, with a special focus on how eviction leads to further economic and residential insecurity. He received his Ph.D. in sociology from Harvard University, where his dissertation explored the political and cultural origins of the American business corporation. After graduation, he joined the Sociology Department at Washington University in St. Louis as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow.
Assemblyman Benjie E. Wimberly is serving his sixth term representing the 35 th Legislative District in the New Jersey General Assembly and is General Assembly Speaker Pro Tempore. He
is vice chairman of the Budget Committee and also serves on the Housing and Transportation committees. Wimberly also serves on the Joint Committee on Public Schools as chairman, the Joint Committee on Economic Justice and Equal Employment Opportunity, the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association and the New Jersey State Employment and Training Commission.
Nicholas Kikis is Vice President of Legislative and Regulatory Affairs for the New Jersey Apartment Association, the premier statewide organization representing all facets of the multifamily industry in New Jersey. He works closely with lawmakers and staff in the New Jersey Legislature, the New Jersey Governor’s Office, federal and state administrative agencies and policymakers at the local, state and federal levels.
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